See If You Qualify For ESS

The Earthquake Soft-Story (ESS) program provides qualified homeowners in certain ZIP Codes, who have a living space over their garage, a grant of up to $13,000 for an earthquake retrofit. The ESS retrofit strengthens the first floor of this type of house, to help prevent the home from collapsing during an earthquake.

You may be eligible to apply for an ESS grant if (among other criteria in the Program Rules):

• You own and live in the house you would like to retrofit;
• The house is located in one of the ESS program areas, which are designated by ZIP Code: 
  Enter ZIP Code
• Your house was built before 2000;
• Your house has a living space over the garage;
• Your house has no more than two stories;
• Your house is built on level ground or a slight slope;
• Your house has wood-framed construction; and
• You have not already completed a soft-story retrofit.​

When ESS registration is open, you can complete ESS Registration online or request a paper registration form to mail. You will be asked questions about your house, and your answers will determine if your home qualifies for an ESS retrofit grant.

• See ESS's Program Qualification Questions asked during the registration process
• Learn more about the ESS Program
• Learn more about ESS's Program Rules