Given the yield shear of a single-story inelastic structure with simple eccentricity, the problem of strength distribution among the resisting elements is investigated, with respect to minimize its torsional response during a ground motion. Making the hypothesis that the peak accelerations, of both modes of vibration, are determined from the inelastic acceleration spectrum, and assuming further that a peak response quantity is obtained by an appropriate combination rule (square root of sum of squares-SRSS or complete quadratic combination-CQC), the first aim of this study is to present an interaction relationship between the yield shear and the maximum torque that may be developed in such systems. It is shown that this torque may be developed, with equal probability, in both directions (clockwise and anticlockwise), but as it is not concurrent with the yield shear, a rational design should be based on a combination of the yield shear with a fraction of the peak torque. The second aim is to examine the response of such model structures under characteristic ground motions. These models provide a rather small peak rotation and code provisions that are based on such principles (NBCC-1995, UBC-1994, EAK-2000, NZS-1992) are superiors to EC8 (1993) and to systems with a stiffness proportional strength distribution.