Program Rules Highlights

Earthquake Brace + Bolt Program Overview

The Earthquake Brace + Bolt Program (“EBB Program”, “EBB” or “Program”) was developed to help homeowners lessen the potential for damage to their houses during an earthquake. An earthquake or other natural disaster can occur at any time. CRMP and others provide monetary grants to assist qualified homeowners in securing structural home improvements in an effort to reduce (but not eliminate) damage or collapse in the event of an earthquake.

Homeowners, Contractors and Design Professionals participating in the Earthquake Brace + Bolt programs are required to agree to and adhere to the full Program Rules and Terms of Use posted on the EarthquakeBraceBolt.com website.

Upcoming Registration Period & Eligibility

For the first time, non-owner-occupied residential properties are eligible for an Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) retrofit during the upcoming registration period, which runs from August 20, 2025, through October 1, 2025. During this limited-time registration window, homeowners may submit up to five qualifying properties for consideration under the EBB retrofit program.

Program Rules Highlights (General)

• Homeowner must use the house as their primary residence, be the owner of record and live in the house that will be retrofitted.
• The house must be located within one of the ZIP Codes designated by EBB.
• Only one registration per house (or multi-plex with the same foundation).
• The house must meet the structural requirements of the California Existing Building Code (CEBC), Chapter A3 (pages 125 –142) retrofit, which is done completely in the crawl space around the perimeter of the foundation.
• No partial retrofits allowed. All existing vulnerabilities covered by CEBC Chapter A3 must be addressed.
• Type 2 Qualifying House may be constructed in part on concrete slab(s) on grade.
• In addition to the brace and bolt retrofit, the work must include strapping and bracing the water heater. ?

Cripple Wall Retrofit Requirements

1. For houses with cripple walls 4 feet or less, a contractor or homeowner may complete the retrofit using an approved standard plan set.
2. For houses with cripple walls taller than 4 feet but not taller than 7 feet, an engineered solution is required, or FEMA P-1100 plan set may be used, if allowable by the planning official.

Previous Retrofit & Permit Requirements

• The house must not have a completed Chapter A3 brace and bolt retrofit before being accepted into EBB.
• The building permit must be received and dated after acceptance into EBB.
• The building permit must state the retrofit is in accordance with CEBC Chapter A3 or an accepted Standard Plan Set (i.e., Standard Plan Set A or Los Angeles Standard Plan Number One, or FEMA P-1100). If the retrofit is an engineered solution, a signed, stamped letter from the engineer must be provided, and state the retrofit is in accordance with CEBC Chapter A3.

Contractor & Owner/Builder Requirements

• The homeowner must meet all program deadlines and submit the required documentation.
• If a homeowner chooses to hire a contractor to do the EBB retrofit, the contractor must be a California Licensed General Building Contractor (License Type A or B) and must be listed on the EBB Contractor Directory.
• If a homeowner is working with a contractor and receives a bid for the retrofit that is more than $10,000 (all permits and fees included), the homeowner must get two bids from contractors on the EBB Directory. If the higher bid is chosen, the homeowner must state the reason.
• If a homeowner chooses to do the project as an owner/builder, labor will not be reimbursed.

Documentation Submission Requirements

• Preliminary Documentation: Five (5) photos of the exterior of the house must be submitted with a date stamp, before the retrofit begins (if the program is CRMP-funded, only 3 photos may be required).
• Post Retrofit Documentation: Five (5) date-stamped photos of the exterior of the house must be taken and provided after the retrofit work is completed (if the program is CRMP-funded, only 3 photos may be required).
• Crawl Space & Water Heater Photos: Three (3) photos taken in the crawl space before the retrofit work begins, showing the cripple walls (if present), and the perimeter foundation must be submitted. After the retrofit is completed, three photos of the crawl space from the same angle as the before pictures, showing the completed work must be provided, along with two photos of the strapped water heater and one photo of the crawl space access point (including something for scale).

FEMA-Funded Program Specifics

In the FEMA-funded program, pre-retrofit documents and photos will be forwarded to FEMA for review. After receiving approval from FEMA (generally, a week or two after submission, but may be longer), EBB will inform the homeowner that their retrofit may begin and that they will have six months from that day to complete the retrofit. Retrofit construction work started (whether or not completed) before receiving approval from FEMA and EBB, will make the retrofit wholly ineligible for an EBB incentive payment. ❌

The house must successfully pass a final inspection by a local building inspector, confirming the retrofit was done in accordance with CEBC Chapter A3. ✔️

The Homeowner may not receive any retrofit grant funding from any other program. ?

Program Participation Agreement

By participating in this Program, homeowners must acknowledge and agree to release CRMP, CEA, and Cal OES, of and from any and all manner of suits, liabilities, losses, damages, and claims, related to or arising out of or in any way related to homeowners participation in the Program, including but not limited to, homeowners receipt of a grant from the Program.

EBB Supplemental Grant Program

In addition to the $3,000 grant, for the 2025 program EBB is also offering a Supplemental Grant (SG) to help income-eligible households pay up to 100 percent of the cost to seismically retrofit their homes. An income-eligible household is defined as a household with an annual income at or below $89,040. These grants are based on available funds.

• During EBB registration, homeowners will have the opportunity to answer a registration question(s) about the amount of annual income for the household and whether they’d like to apply for a supplemental grant.
• To apply for a SG, the Participating Homeowner, along with all income earners that reside in the household, must complete the Income Verification Form (Form) on the Participating Homeowners Dashboard within 30 days, and must meet the income threshold. Failure to submit the Form within 30 days of acceptance as an EBB Participating Homeowner will result in the homeowner forfeiting the opportunity to receive a SG.
• Ineligibility for or withdrawal from the SG does not preclude a Participating Homeowner from receiving an EBB grant for up to $3,000 on an eligible code-compliant seismic retrofit.
• Participating Homeowners that are eligible to receive a SG may submit for reimbursement for the cost of one (1) contractor bid/estimate up to $250 and the full cost of the permit at the time those costs are incurred and do not need to wait until the project is complete.
• The SGs will have a maximum amount depending on the type of retrofit and the location of the home and combined with the $3,000 EBB grant will provide a majority of SG recipients with grants that will cover up to 100% of their retrofit costs.
• A Supplemental Grant Participating Homeowner may receive a SG if all EBB and SG Program Rules are followed, and funding is available.
• A Supplemental Grant is in addition to the EBB grant and will not be available as a standalone grant.

Disclaimer

Neither CRMP nor EBB is liable or in any way responsible for the use of this information, nor do they endorse, warrant, guarantee, attest to or insure, any of the following:

• Acts, errors or omissions of homeowners, public officials, contractors or design professionals.
• The content of any communications between homeowners, public officials, contractors and design professionals.
• The ability or experience of contractors or design professionals to provide services.
• The results of work performed, or not performed, by homeowners, public officials, contractors or design professionals.
• That a homeowner, public officials, contractor or design professional will complete services, conduct any transaction, or perform with any specific standard of care.
• Any public official's involvement approving plans, close out of permits, completing inspections or other actions.

All parties are advised to educate oneself on the background, experience and reputation of contractors or design professionals before starting any project. ?