The effectiveness of building standards and codes depends upon their appropriateness for particular communities and upon their enforcement.

Some states require local adoption of building codes, some leave it up to local authorities to adopt an appropriate code, and others simply recommend that localities adopt codes.

Public agencies and officials are often predisposed to use structural or non-structural mitigation measures rather than seek other options. For example, engineers tend to be oriented toward structural solutions and lawyers tend to be oriented toward non-structural solutions.