Rising Tides and Corrosion Demand Attention in more than 3 Million Housing Units

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Mar 30, 2026, 10:00 ET

Drawing on decades of work in California coastal communities, Alpha Structural reports that ocean-adjacent homes are most at risk of corrosion-damaged reinforced concrete, aging of timber foundation systems from the 1950s and 1960s, and seawalls or foundations that can lose support as coastal erosion reshapes the shoreline.

LOS ANGELES, March 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Proximity to the ocean changes how a home ages. In coastal environments, corrosive air, moisture, mist and wave exposure can shorten the life of standard building materials that were not selected or treated to withstand marine conditions. In Santa Barbara, that reality sits alongside a local sea-level-rise forecast that evaluates 0.8 feet by 2030, 2.5 feet by 2060 and 6.6 feet by 2100. These changes come with hazards including bluff and beach erosion, storm waves, and storm flooding.

“Part of being rooted in California coastal communities is building for the conditions those communities actually face,” — Kyle Tourjé, Executive Vice President of Alpha Structural

A study from UCLA Anderson points out that 3.1 million California housing units are in coastal ZIP codes within five miles of the shoreline, underscoring how many property owners face some version of a durability issue, depending on how well structural systems in these homes were designed for long-term marine exposure. Alpha Structural alerts that coastal homes demand special attention. While coastal homes are often not the most visibly distressed, most were built decades ago with materials and foundation systems that were never intended for sustained corrosive air, moisture, wave action and shoreline conditions.

"Along the coast, the issue is long-term exposure to adverse conditions, not just one event," said Kyle Tourjé, Executive Vice President of Alpha Structural. "Corrosive air, moisture, mist and wave action can significantly shorten the life of materials that were never intended for a marine environment, so material selection matters from the start."

Coastal Views Come with Corrosion Risks

Tourjé notes three issues appear repeatedly in California coastal homes: Corrosion-damaged reinforced concrete, older timber pier foundations that are aging out, and in some locations, foundations or seawalls that lose support as shoreline conditions change. Many of the structures the Alpha Structural team evaluates along the coast were built in the 1950s and 1960s, and their older or nonconforming foundation systems now require closer review.

"As embedded steel corrodes over time, the concrete can crack and spall. Unfortunately, we have also seen newly installed materials begin deteriorating within a few years of installation simply because they are not specified for coastal or marine exposure," Tourjé said.

What coastal homeowners should watch for:

Visible cracking or spalling (flaking, shipping, breaking) in concrete walls, decks or foundations,
Heavy corrosion, flaking or delamination in exposed steel components,
Severe weathering or deterioration in timber foundation elements, and
Sections of seawalls or shoreline-adjacent foundations that appear undermined or unsupported.

Where flood exposure is part of the site condition, material selection becomes even more specific. FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program requires flood-damage-resistant structural and finish materials below the Base Flood Elevation in Special Flood Hazard Areas.

For coastal foundation repairs and new work, Alpha Structural points building owners toward a practical material hierarchy.

Reinforced concrete with corrosion inhibitors and properly protected rebar.
Region-specific marine-rated lumber for wood-frame construction.
Type 316L stainless steel for structural and accessory metal components.
Aluminum and glass systems for many nonstructural exterior elements.
Fully grouted reinforced masonry and closed-cell insulation where flood exposure is a concern.

Retrofitting older oceanfront homes can also involve challenges that inland property owners rarely consider. Tourjé advises that construction work in marine environments often have to be planned around tide cycles, and some sites require specialized shoring, dewatering or suspended access systems when standard access is not feasible.

Future Materials to Watch on the Coast

As Alpha Structural opens its new Santa Barbara office, extending a long-standing connection to the Central Coast communities that helped shape the company, Tourjé affirms that coastal construction can rely on proven materials such as epoxy-coated rebar, stainless steel, and advanced concrete mixes, while keeping an eye on carbon fiber rebar as one promising option for the future.

"Part of being rooted in California coastal communities is building for the conditions those communities actually face," said Tourjé. "We already have materials that perform well, but carbon fiber rebar is one of the most promising products we're watching for the future."

About Alpha Structural, Inc.

When he saw geological challenges trigger catastrophic building collapses, Dave Tourje, founder of Alpha Structural, Inc., immersed himself in construction repairs and mitigation facing the iconic hillside homes and buildings throughout Los Angeles in the 1980s. He recognized a lack of skilled tradesmen and the need for repairs or upgrades to be engineered and constructed successfully. Today, Alpha Structural is Southern California's premier structural repair and engineering firm. With more than 30 years of experience in foundation repair, hillside stabilization, and seismic retrofitting with challenges of earthquakes, wildfires and landslides, Alpha Structural distinguishes itself by being dual-licensed and authorized by the State of California to both engineer and build in-house—an integration that eliminates miscommunication and cost overruns seen when engineering and construction are handled separately. Alpha Structural is trusted by homeowners, municipalities, and commercial partners alike. For more information visit Alpha Structural.

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