California residents constantly live under the threat of earthquakes, as studies show that an estimated 1.2 million houses in the state are in danger of a major collapse in case of a big quake. As part of a series of solution, the government is offering a grant of up to $3,000 for homeowners to earthquake-proof their properties.
Called the "Earthquake Brace + Bolt" program, it is partly run by The California Earthquake Authority, a non-profit organization established by the Legislature in 1996. Registration begins on Wednesday, Jan. 27 and will run until Feb. 20, Los Angeles Times reported. As many as 1,600 grants are promised, spanning more than 150 ZIP codes in the state. These include Los Angeles, Pasadena, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Albany, and Woodside, among other cities.
"You wouldn't feel safe driving a car that has no seat belts, and you shouldn't feel safe living in a house that hasn't been bolted to its foundation," said engineer and program head Janiele Maffei. "To protect their families and most valuable asset, all Californians should ensure their homes are properly braced and bolted."
Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown approved a budget of $3 million to fund the program, the most amount California has released ever.
"[The program] is an important step forward in preparing California for a large earthquake. Bracing and bolting homes to their foundation can help protect and save lives," said assembly man Adrin Nazarian of D-Sherman Oaks.
A typical candidate for the grant is a homeowner whose house was built before 1979 and rests on top of a wooden frame that isn't bolted to the foundation. These types of houses were the ones that were severely damaged during previous earthquakes. Repairs after such a calamity can go as much as $400,000. The simple preventive solution is to retrofit the bracing, which only costs from $2,000 to $10,000.
To know if you qualify for the grant, log in to www.earthquakebracebolt.com.
