Now through February 21^st, Piedmont homeowners can apply for a state retrofit grant of up to $3,000 to help make your home more resilient to earthquakes.

Right now, more than 1.2 million homes in high seismic hazard areas of California, including Piedmont, are particularly vulnerable to earthquake damage because of the way they were constructed.

The Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) program offers eligible homeowners grants of up to $3,000 to help offset the cost of seismic retrofits that brace the cripple walls of older homes, when present, and bolt the houses to their foundations. These steps reduce potential for damage or collapse in the event of an earthquake.

Houses that qualify typically:

• are built before 1980 (but are more prevalent before 1940)
• have a raised continuous perimeter concrete foundation
• sit on level ground or a low slope
• may have wood-framed walls (called cripple walls) in the crawl space under the first floor

To apply for a retrofit grant, visit EarthquakeBraceBolt.com and complete the online registration form by February 21^st, 2024. The site will guide you through a series of qualification questions to confirm whether your home is eligible.

Once registration closes, grant recipients will be selected through a random drawing. You will be notified via email if you have been selected or placed on the wait list. If selected, you will need a City of Piedmont building permit to complete the retrofit.

Supplementary Grants available for income-qualified households

Additional grants are available for households with an annual income of $87,360 or less. These supplementary grants can provide as much as $7,000 in additional support, depending on the type of work required.

About the Earthquake Brace + Bolt Program

Launched in 2013 by the California Earthquake Authority and California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, EBB is committed to helping homeowners strengthen older homes and so far has facilitated more than 23,000 retrofits across the state.

Learn more about the Brace + Bolt program at EarthquakeBraceBolt.com. For questions about seismic retrofits, contact Building division staff at (510) 420-3050 or [email protected].