FEMA Issues $1.2M Installment to California for Earthquake Protection

Release Date Release Number
R9-NR-21-01
Release Date:
January 12, 2021

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released an additional installment of $1.2 million to the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) for its Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) program. The grant will subsidize a project of the California Residential Mitigation Program, a joint powers authority of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the CEA, for earthquake retrofits on 391 at-risk homes likely to shake from their foundations in the event of an earthquake.

EBB addresses two seismic vulnerabilities found in many older homes that may have short, wood-framed cripple walls under the first floor. The retrofit bolts the house to the foundation, and if short, wood-framed walls are present under the first floor, the retrofit braces those walls with plywood to reinforce and help prevent the house from collapsing or sliding off its foundation during a quake.

EBB is a code-compliant retrofit that lessens the potential for damage and may allow families to remain in their homes after earthquakes. Each EBB recipient receives a grant of up to $3,000 to bring their home up to seismic code compliance.

FEMA’s $1.2 million release from its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), in combination with the applicant’s $812,000, marks the latest installment of the $33.3 million project. The remaining $7.1 million will be released incrementally throughout the life of the grant, as applications are approved, to retrofit a total of 6,667 homes.

FEMA’s HMGP helps states, territories, federally-recognized tribes, local communities and certain private, non-profit organizations become more resilient to potential infrastructure damage and reduce future disaster costs. Over the past 31 years, FEMA has invested more than $1.4 billion to reduce disaster risk in California.

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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. Follow FEMA Region 9 online at twitter.com/femaregion9.

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