To participate in any California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP) retrofit grant program, homeowners, contractors, and design professionals are required to agree to and follow the Program Rules of the retrofit program for which they are registered, and CRMP's Terms of Use. A summary of the Program Rules for each program, and links to the complete Rules documents, are included below for:
- Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) retrofit grant
- EBB's Supplemental Grant funding
- Earthquake Soft-Story (ESS) retrofit grant
EBB Program Rules Highlights
In order to participate in the Earthquake Brace + Bolt program, homeowners, contractors, and design professionals are required to agree to and follow the EBB Program Rules and Terms of Use.
A summary of the Program Rules is included below.
Homeowners
For homeowners the rules include but are not limited to the following:
- The house must be located within one of EBB's designated program ZIP Codes.
- The house must meet all the qualifications for the EBB program. It is the homeowner's responsibility to accurately answer all qualifying question on the registration form.
- House must be built before 1980.
- The house must be the participant's primary residence, and they must be the legal owner of record.
- Only one EBB registration per household is allowed.
- You have not already completed a "brace and bolt" earthquake retrofit.
- The building permit must be received and dated after your acceptance into EBB.
- The building permit must state the retrofit is in accordance with CEBC Chapter A3 or an accepted Standard Plan Set.
- In addition to the brace and bolt retrofit, the work must include strapping and bracing the water heater.
- 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 listed on the EBB Contractor Directory.
- If a homeowner receives a contractor bid for the retrofit that is more than $10,000, the homeowner must get at least one additional bid from a contractor on the EBB Contractor 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.
- If the homeowner qualifies for the EBB grant and the Supplemental Grant, AND the total amount of the grants (EBB plus the Supplemental Grant) is $5,000 or more, AND the house is in a FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Area, the homeowner will need to submit a signed, notarized, and recorded Special Flood Hazard Area Conditions form, and a copy of their flood insurance policy, to CRMP before a grant payment is made.
- Special Flood Hazard Area Conditions Form (fillable PDF)
Funding and Photos
Funding for EBB retrofit grants comes from two different sources: the California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP) or the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Once you've been accepted into EBB, you will have access to a Homeowner Dashboard, where you will see if the program you are in is funded by CRMP or FEMA. For each funding source, there are different requirements regarding photos of the exterior of your house. You will be able to upload these images to EBB through your Homeowner Dashboard. Specific instructions for what must be included in the images will be provided on your Homeowner Dashboard.
- CRMP-funded program: Before the retrofit begins, provide three photos of the exterior of the house—a photo of the front of the house and one of each side. All pre-retrofit photos and documents will be reviewed by EBB. You will have nine months from the day you were accepted into the program to complete the retrofit.
- FEMA-funded program: Provide EBB five photos of the exterior of the house, with a date stamp, taken before the retrofit begins. These photos, along with your registration, will be forwarded to FEMA for review. After receiving approval from FEMA (approximately four-to-ten weeks after submission), EBB will inform you that your retrofit may begin. You will have six months from that day to complete the retrofit. An additional five photos of the exterior of the house must be taken with a date stamp and submitted after the retrofit work is completed.
- Available Grants: up to $3,000 is funded through a FEMA grant. For eligible Supplemental Grant recipients, the remaining balance of the cost of the retrofit up to the cap amount for that retrofit is funded by CRMP.
Additional photos of the crawl space under your house, the access to the crawl space and a properly strapped water heater are required in both the CRMP and FEMA programs. Look for specific instructions on your Homeowner Dashboard or the Program Rules for what must be included in the images.
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:
A Supplemental Grant (SG) to help income-eligible households pay up to 100 percent of the cost to seismically retrofit their homes may be available. An “income-eligible household” has an annual income at or below $87,360.
- 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.
- If you are a Supplementary Grant (SG) recipient, and your total grant (EBB plus SG) is $5,000 or more, submit:
- a signed, notarized, and recorded Special Flood Hazard Area Conditions form (PDF), and
- a copy of your flood insurance policy.
Homeowners should also be aware of rules their contractor must follow—and, if needed, design professional.
Contractors
For contractors the rules include but are not limited to the following. Contractors must:
- Contractors must perform all EBB retrofit work in accordance with CEBC Chapter A3 or Standard Plan Set A or Los Angeles City Standard Plan Number One or an engineered plan.
- All retrofit work is done completely in the crawl space around the perimeter of the foundation.
- Contractors must ensure that each building permit for an EBB retrofit includes the required references to CEBC Chapter A3 or FEMA P-1100 or Standard Plan Set A or Los Angeles Standard Plan Number One for a Type 1 Qualifying House or the required references to engineered plans for a Type 2 Qualifying House.
- Contractors must be listed in the EBB Contractor Directory to be eligible to do EBB retrofit work. To be listed in the EBB Contractor Directory, contractors must be licensed by the State of California and have successfully completed the FEMA training.
- Contractors may be removed from the Directory in the event EBB determines that the Participating Contractor has failed to meet the program requirements.
- Contractors must ensure all submissions (e.g., plans, design, letters) completed for an EBB retrofit are in accordance with Chapter A3 of CEBC or FEMA P-1100.
- Contractors must not be barred by the State of California or the federal government from bidding on, accepting, or performing any State of Californian or federal-government- funded public works contracts, either as a contractor or subcontractor.
- Contractors must demonstrate a commitment to work within the local jurisdiction’s building construction process.
EBB has no obligation to maintain, keep current, or monitor licensing, financial condition, contracts, or competence of any Contractor or Design Professional listed on any directory or any other Contractor or Design Professional hired by a Participating Homeowner.
For Design Professionals (Engineers and Architects)
For Design Professionals (engineers and architects) these include but are not limited to the following:
- Design Professionals must ensure all submissions (e.g., plans, design, letters) completed for an EBB retrofit are in accordance with Chapter A3 of CEBC.
- Design Professionals must not be barred by the State of California or the federal government from bidding on, accepting, or performing any State of California or federal-government-funded public works contracts, either as a contractor or subcontractor.
- Design Professionals must demonstrate a commitment to work within the local jurisdiction’s building construction process.
- Design Professionals may be removed from the Directory in the event EBB determines that the Design Professional has failed to meet the program requirements.
EBB has no obligation to maintain, keep current, or monitor licensing, financial condition, contracts, or competence of any Contractor or Design Professional listed on any directory or any other Contractor or Design Professional hired by a Participating Homeowner.
ESS Program Rules Highlights
In order to participate in the Earthquake Soft-Story (ESS) program, homeowners, contractors, and design professionals are required to agree to and follow the ESS Program Rules.
Homeowners
For homeowners the rules include but are not limited to the following:
- The house must be located within one of ESS's designated program ZIP Codes.
- The house must be the participant's primary residence, and they must be the legal owner of record.
- Only one ESS registration per household is allowed.
- The house must have been built before 2000 and sit on level ground or a low slope.
- The house must meet the structural requirements of FEMA P-1100 and be one of four types:
- Type 1—House Over Garage + Ground Floor Finished Living Space
- Type 2—Room Over Garage + Crawl Space Previously Retrofitted
- Type 3—Room Over Garage + Crawl Space Needing Retrofit
- Type 4—House Over Garage + No Ground Floor Finished Living Space
- The house must have had no incentive payment previously received from ESS, or any other soft-story earthquake retrofit incentive grant program for the legal parcel.
- Receipt of previous incentive payments exclusively for the retrofit of the crawlspace (Earthquake Brace + Bolt-type retrofit) does not exclude a homeowner from participation in the ESS program.
- The homeowner must hire a contractor listed on the ESS Contractor Directory.
- If a homeowner receives a contractor's bid for the retrofit that is more than $10,000, the homeowner must get another bid from a contractor in the ESS Directory and provide that bid to ESS.
- If the contractor with the higher bid is chosen, the homeowner must state the reason.
- The building permit must be received and dated after acceptance into ESS.
- The building permit must state the retrofit is in accordance with FEMA P-1100.
- If the retrofit is an engineered solution, the signed and stamped letter from the Design Professional must state the retrofit is in accordance with FEMA P-1100.
- No partial retrofits are allowed.
- In addition to the ESS retrofit, the water heater must be strapped and braced. If it's a tankless water heater, it must be secured according to the building code.
- The house must successfully pass a final inspection by a local building inspector, confirming the retrofit was done in accordance with FEMA P-1100.
- The homeowner must meet all program deadlines and submit the required documentation to ESS through the provided Homeowner Dashboard throughout the retrofit process.
- If the final total amount of your ESS grant is greater than $5,000, and your house is in a FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Area, you will need to submit a signed, notarized, and recorded Special Flood Hazard Area Conditions form, and a copy of your flood insurance policy, to CRMP before an ESS grant payment is made.
- SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA CONDITIONS FORM (fillable PDF)
Funding and Photos
Funding for ESS retrofit grants comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Once you've been accepted into ESS, you will have access to a Homeowner Dashboard, where you will be prompted to upload required documentation, such as pre- and post-retrofit photos.
- Look for specific instructions on your Homeowner Dashboard for what must be included in the images.
- Provide ESS photos of house exterior, garage interior, and crawlspace photos (if required), with a date stamp, taken before the retrofit begins. These photos, along with your registration, will be forwarded to FEMA for review. After receiving approval from FEMA (approximately four-to-ten weeks after submission), ESS will inform you that your retrofit may begin. You will have six months from that day to complete the retrofit.
- Additional photos must be taken with a date stamp and submitted after the retrofit work is completed. See your Homeowner Dashboard for directions.
- Available Grants: up to 75% of the cost of the retrofit, up to $13,000, is funded through a CRMP grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
By participating in ESS, 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 ESS.
Contractors
For contractors the rules include but are not limited to the following. Contractors must:
- Perform all ESS retrofit work in accordance FEMA P-1100 or using plans prepared by a California Licensed Design Professional (structural engineer or architect).
- Design all retrofits utilizing the appropriate seismic design category (information can be found here). If a retrofit is engineered, it must meet or exceed FEMA P-1100 plan set specifications and requirements.
- Ensure that every building permit for an ESS retrofit states that the seismic retrofit is to be performed in accordance with FEMA P-1100.
- If necessary, the building permit must state that the seismic retrofit is to be performed in accordance with FEMA P-1100 using plans prepared by a California Licensed Design Professional.
- Be listed in the ESS Contractor Directory. To be listed in the ESS Contractor Directory, contractors must be a California-licensed, Type A or B (Type B-2 is not eligible to do retrofit work) general contractor in good standing, and have registered for, and successfully completed, the free FEMA ESS training.
- Contractors may be removed from the Directory in the event CRMP determines that the participating Contractor has failed to meet ESS program requirements.
ESS has no obligation to maintain, keep current, or monitor licensing, financial condition, contracts, or competence of any Contractor or Design Professional listed on any directory or any other Contractor or Design Professional hired by a participating Homeowner.
Design Professionals (Engineers and Architects)
For Design Professionals (engineers and architects) the rules include but are not limited to the following. To participate in the ESS program, Design Professionals (engineers and architects) must:
- Ensure all submissions (e.g., plans, design, letters) completed for an ESS retrofit are in accordance with FEMA P-1100.
- Perform all ESS retrofits in accordance with FEMA P-1100 and ensure that an employee, worker, or other associated person who has taken and successfully completed the FEMA ESS training videos and quizzes offered on this website, oversees and approves all ESS retrofit work performed by the Participating Contractor.
- Not be barred by the State of California or the federal government from bidding on, accepting, or performing any State of California or federal-government- funded public works contracts, either as a contractor or subcontractor.
- Demonstrate a commitment to work within the local jurisdiction’s building construction process.
- Provide good workmanship, reasonable pricing, and in good faith follow all ESS Program Rules.
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If in the ESS Directory, California Licensed Design Professionals may be removed from the Directory in the event CRMP determines that the Design Professional has failed to meet the program requirements.
ESS has no obligation to maintain, keep current, or monitor licensing, financial condition, contracts, or competence of any Contractor or Design Professional listed on any directory or any other Contractor or Design Professional hired by a Participating Homeowner.
- ESS Program Rules (PDF)