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California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP): More Than 10,000 Vulnerable Homes in California Successfully Retrofitted to Help Reduce Damage from Future Earthquakes
(SACRAMENTO) Today, the Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) program has reached an important milestone of helping more than 10,000 California homeowners seismically retrofit their homes. With as many as 1.2 million vulnerable homes statewide and an increased risk of “the Big One” striking at any time, EBB is strengthening investments, families, and communities one home at a time.
The EBB grant program provides homeowners in eligible ZIP Codes with $3,000 to help offset the cost of completing a seismic retrofit. Since its founding in 2014 by the California Earthquake Authority (CEA), EBB has expanded from only four ZIP Codes to 355 ZIP Codes in 2020. Currently, EBB has over $13.2 million in funding and is offering over 4,400 retrofit grants for 2020 participants. Registration for the 2020 EBB program is open now and continues through March 19.
“EBB grants go to qualifying homeowners in select ZIP Codes—and those completing EBB retrofits who have a CEA earthquake insurance policy also may qualify for a CEA premium discount of up to 25 percent,” said CEA CEO Glenn Pomeroy. “CEA is continually seeking additional grant-funding sources, to help more Californians make their older houses safer through a building-code-compliant retrofit.”
Houses that qualify for EBB grants typically are pre-1980 construction (with pre-1940 houses more prevalent in the program), have a raised concrete foundation and may have wood-framed walls in the crawl space under the house. A retrofit can make the difference between complete destruction that makes a home unhabitable and mitigating damage caused by a large quake.
“I’ve seen many houses slide off the foundation because there was nothing bolting the home down,” said CEA Chief Mitigation Officer and EBB Executive Director Janiele Maffei. “Homeowners should be aware and treat this issue with a sense of urgency since we never know when a large quake will hit California.”
How to Apply for EBB Grants
Eligible homeowners have until March 19 to apply for retrofit funding through EBB. To apply and for detailed program information, visit EarthquakeBraceBolt.com. A full list of eligible ZIP Codes and a searchable directory with more than 1,000 licensed, FEMA-trained contractors is available. Once registration closes, participating homeowners will be selected through a random drawing and notified via email if they have been selected or if they are on the waitlist.
EBB Program Locations in 2020
EBB retrofit grants are available in 355 select ZIP Codes within the following program areas.
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About Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB)
Established by the California Residential Mitigation Program, EBB offers up to $3,000 to help California homeowners retrofit their house to reduce potential damage from earthquakes. Residential seismic retrofits bolt the house to its foundation and add bracing, if required, around the perimeter of the crawl space making it more resistant to earthquake activity. For more information, please visit https://www.EarthquakeBraceBolt.com.
About CEA
The California Earthquake Authority (CEA) is a not-for-profit, privately funded, publicly managed organization that provides residential earthquake insurance and encourages Californians to reduce their risk of earthquake loss. Learn more at EarthquakeAuthority.com.