SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco is trying shaming to make its buildings safer for shaking.

The city plans this week to slap large signs on hundreds of apartment buildings to publicly shame their owners into complying with an earthquake safety ordinance passed last year.

The Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/1uRhBbn ) reports Tuesday that the signs are printed in multiple languages with red lettering and a drawing of a destroyed building.

The signs read: “Earthquake warning! This building is in violation of the requirements of the San Francisco building code regarding earthquake safety.”

The new law requires that wood-frame apartment buildings and hotels be evaluated for seismic safety.

Patrick Otellini, the city’s director of earthquake safety, says he wanted something that attracted attention.

But salon owner Huy Le says the signs could cause unnecessary panic.

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Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com

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