A soft story building is a structure with one or more floors that are less rigid than the rest of the building. These buildings are prone to collapse during earthquakes due to the lack of structural support in the soft story areas. There are several other terms used to describe these vulnerable structures, including weak-story buildings, open-front structures, and pier-and-beam structures. Other synonyms include non-ductile concrete buildings, unreinforced masonry buildings, and tilt-up buildings. No matter what term is used, these structures pose a serious risk to public safety during seismic events. Seismic retrofitting and strengthening efforts are necessary to protect buildings and their occupants in earthquake-prone regions.