New software could help protect Southern California homes in the event of an earthquake

Residents have until May 31 to apply for seismic retrofit grants

By Janelle Maffei, Chief Mitigation Officer for the California Earthquakes Authority

California is home to nearly 40 million people, who live in a variety of homes across the state. As you drive through almost any Golden State neighborhood, you’ll notice homes with one or more stories of living space built over an attached garage and basement floors. These houses are called soft floors, and because of the weakness in the basement, they may be subject to partial or complete collapse in the event of a strong earthquake.

Soft storied homes are often found in densely populated cities, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. In San Francisco alone, city officials estimate that there are 180,000 residents living in soft-floor buildings. These homeowners could quickly be displaced from their homes in the aftermath of an earthquake. Los Angeles, San Francisco, and a few cities in California have taken steps to institute mandatory soft-floor retrofit programs aimed at strengthening office buildings, multi-story apartment complexes, apartment buildings, and other condominiums, which is why the time has come. He is right to offer similar protections to California homeowners who live in a two-story dwelling.

The fragility of soft-storey homes stems from the fact that they have a spacious, open ground floor and large garage door opening. The walls in the garage are not prepared to withstand earthquake motion and vibration. To strengthen the home against earthquake damage and to help prevent partial collapse of the home and its open front walls, it is worth considering soft storey retrofit solutions.

The good news? The California Housing Mitigation Program (CRMP) recently launched a new pilot program to help homeowners in select cities protect their soft-floor residences from earthquake risk.

Eligible homeowners in 82 different zip codes in Los Angeles, Pasadena, San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley can apply for grants to retrofit their soft-floor homes. We initially expect to award a total of 375 grants. Financing will vary in amount and will be up to 75% of the total retrofit cost up to a maximum of $10,000 or $13,000 depending on the type of home and what the retrofit entails. Registration is now open and will continue through the end of May. More information on how to apply for homeowners can be found at www.EarthquakeSoftStory.com.

Making a soft-floor home more resistant to earthquake damage may include adding new anchor bolts, new anchor bolts, and installing new plywood sheathings. For additional reinforcement, the front wall reinforcement will require a new concrete foundation and the installation of either a new steel post or a special shear wall.

This is important work, and it takes a trained contractor to do it. Because this program is new, we need contractors in all zip codes who are eligible for training, and they must first enroll in the program. Licensed contractors interested in participating should go to the CRMP website where they will find the resources they need to get started in the program. Pay for seismic retrofits for older homes that have crawl space. Based on the success of this program, we know the Storytelling program will be a vital tool to help protect homes.

Living in California, it’s not about if, but when the next big earthquake will strike. By applying for grant funding, you are making a long-term investment in one of your most valuable properties, which could save hundreds of thousands of dollars in future damage repair costs after a major earthquake. Think of a seismic soft-story retrofit as a kind of preventive maintenance procedure to reduce your home’s risk of collapse and, most importantly, protect your family’s safety. We urge all eligible residents to apply before the registration window closes.

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