Thousands of California homeowners are now eligible to apply for Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) seismic retrofit grants as approximately 300 new ZIP Codes have been added to the program.
"The median cost of a retrofit in California is $5,200 or so. The $3,000 really does go a long way," said the California Earthquake Authority’s Chief Mitigation Officer, Janiele Maffei.
She says the $3000 retrofit grants can help strengthen homes against earthquake damage.
"Our older houses have this vulnerability because they were designed and constructed before we really had good seismic codes, so they don't have the protections that new houses would have today," she said.
'We're talking bolts and plywood and framing clips, just like you see at your local hardware store...and what we're doing is we're putting in the seismic protections that you would find in a new house," she said.
"California has an ever-present risk of earthquakes and no one knows when or where the next Big One might hit. But we know older homes near faults are at greater risk if they haven’t been strengthened with a seismic retrofit,” said Maffei.
Income-eligible homeowners may also qualify for supplemental grants, with up to $7,000 in additional grant funds available for households with an annual income at or below $87,360.
Until February 21st, eligible homeowners can apply at EarthquakeBraceBolt.com, where they can also find detailed program information, select a trained, California-licensed general contractor and view the full list of eligible ZIP Codes and program areas.
