If you live in an older, wood-framed home, it is possible the building could topple off its foundation in a major earthquake, but the government of California wants to help.
Registration opened on Wednesday for a grant program, known as Earthquake Brace + Bolt, developed by California Earthquake Authority and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, that helps pay for a seismic retrofit.
"The purpose is to help homeowners lessen the potential for damage to their houses during an earthquake by 'bracing’ the crawl space, when necessary, and 'bolting' the foundation to the house's frame," Brace + Bolt stated on their website.
Amid other natural disasters, earthquakes are not always front of mind. "We've been focused on fire and not on earthquakes and people have a tendency to forget and when you forget you don’t think it’s ever going to happen to you," state geologist Dr. Steve Bohlen told KCBS Radio.
But, Bohlen said there’s a 99% chance that a quake with a magnitude of 6.7 will happen in California during this lifetime and residents should be prepared.
The Brace + Bolt Grant Program will provide up to $3,000 to shore up homes in almost 400 high risk zip codes.
"We know that so many of our residents live in very high risk houses," said Assemblymember Laura Friedman. "It actually makes economic sense for the government to give you money to make those houses more resilient to earthquakes than for us to have to come in afterwards and help you pick up the pieces when your homes have been severely damaged or destroyed."
The program has dedicated an extra portion of the funding to low-income households. To check if your home qualifies for a grant, check the Earthquake Brace + Bolt website.
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