How to Prepare Your Home for an Earthquake (and Get Help Paying for Retrofits) – Lake County Record-Bee

Kyle Chittenden repairs earthquake damage at a friend’s home on Wildwood Street in Rio Del, California, on Tuesday, December 20, 2022. A 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit the coast near Eureka early Tuesday. (Photo: Jen Tesca/Bay Area News Group)

Some of California’s most vulnerable residents could get thousands of dollars from the state to better protect their homes.

The Earthquake Brace & Bolt program was created in 2015 by the California Earthquake Authority and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services in order to stabilize the more than one million homes that are most at risk when the ground moves, tremors and tremors.

How do you qualify

Eligible residents are given up to $3,000 to rehabilitate their homes — usually older homes built before 1980 — to help prevent earthquake damage.

Also, homeowners earning up to $72,080 per household are now eligible for an additional low-income grant on a first-come, first-served basis. Depending on the home’s needs and location, the supplemental grant may cover up to 100% of the retrofit cost.

Applications for registration are submitted directly to the Earthquake Brace & Bolt program online, and participants are selected through a random drawing.

However, homeowners must wait until the 30-day filing window reopens in 2023 before accepting any new applications. Historically, registration is open between mid-October and December.

How does the program work?

The program can help connect residents with trained and experienced contractors, who will improve the stability of homes built before 1980 with timber frames and raised foundations—a design that predates improved seismic building codes that required adequate bracing and stability in crawl spaces.

On average, these types of repairs usually cost $3,000 to $7,500.

The Earthquake Brace & Bolt is offsetting, so checks will be sent to homeowners after retrofitting and all necessary approvals completed. Some qualified, low-income homeowners can receive a small portion of the funds to help cover upfront costs, such as contractor bids and building permit fees.

The program is limited to specific zip codes.

Residents who live in certain home types in at-risk zip codes can apply for the grant program, including many in Humboldt County, where a 6.4-magnitude earthquake shook some residents to their craft foundations and cut power to more than 70,000 residents on Tuesday. .

Dozens of cities across the Bay Area qualify, including Berkeley, Fremont, Milpitas, Mountain View, Oakland, Pleasanton, Pittsburgh, Richmond, San Jose, Sunnyvale and Walnut Creek. A full list of eligible zip codes can be found here. Several new locations are added annually.

According to the Earthquake Brace & Bolt website, “tens of millions” of dollars have been awarded to help more than 18,000 people since the program was founded.

Typical homeowners insurance plans do not cover most structural damage caused by earthquakes. However, the California Earthquake Authority offers a “risk reduction discount,” which lowers up to 25% of its insurance premiums for homes that are retrofitted to comply with code.

Changes that need to be made inside your home now

Appliances: Water heaters must be attached to the wall. If water heaters fall during an earthquake, the impact could start a fire and cut off the water supply to the home. The fire extinguisher should be on hand, preferably in several accessible places. Check to make sure electric garage doors can be opened manually.

Furniture: Beds must be moved from under any windows. Closing items such as large paintings, bookshelves, ceiling fans, and televisions can help prevent injuries.

Storage: Keep caustic and flammable liquids—gas cans, paint thinners, weed killers, and nail polish—in low, child-resistant cabinets and lower shelves. Child locks can also be installed on cabinets to prevent injuries from falling kitchen utensils and other household items. An earthquake emergency kit should be stocked with tools—flashlights, a first aid kit, non-perishable food, and chargers—and stored in an easy-to-reach location.

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