Attention: Homeowners, Don’t Miss Your Chance to Receive Up to $3,000 toward an Earthquake Retrofit for Your House; Registration is ONLY open now through February 20!
What Is It?
If you live in an older house that has certain vulnerable characteristics, you have the opportunity to apply for up to $3,000 toward a seismic retrofit. The Earthquake Brace and Bolt (EBB) program is expanding in the Los Angeles area in 2016.
EBB will provide up to $3000 for seismic retrofits to homes constructed before 1979 that have a raised, wood first floor supported by stem walls or short stud walls called cripple walls.
Why Is It Important?
Older houses constructed before modern seismic codes may have conditions that make them vulnerable to earthquake damage. Conditions that are known to cause serious structural damage are unbolted and unbraced cripple wall or stem wall foundations. Cripple walls and stem walls are the walls that surround the crawlspace under the house.
“We live in earthquake country and every older house that has this cripple wall condition and has not been already retrofit should take advantage of this program,” said Janiele Maffei, Executive Director of EBB and a structural engineer. “By bracing and bolting your house you may avoid tens of thousands of dollars of damage down the road.”
Houses that are not properly braced or bolted tend to slide or topple off of their foundations in earthquakes. In 2015, the average retrofit cost of a brace and bolt retrofit in the Los Angeles area was between $3,000 and $4,500.
Since seismic retrofit of single family homes has typically been done on a voluntary basis, many retrofits were not done in conformance to current retrofit standards. Homeowners who previously retrofitted their houses are encouraged to verify that the retrofit was done in accordance with current standards. More information can be found at EarthquakeBraceBolt.com.
How Do I Register?
In order to participate in the program, EBB requires homeowners to confirm their house characteristics qualify through a series of questions. Homeowner registration will be open only through February 20. Homeowners may register for EBB online at EarthquakeBraceBolt.com. Homeowners can also call (877) 232-4300 for information or for a paper application.
When registration closes, participants will be chosen through a random drawing process. All homeowners will be notified through email if they have been selected to participate or have been placed on the waiting list.
