May 9, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

New Program Can Help Protect Southern California Homes in the Event of an Earthquake

Residents Have Until May 31 To Apply For Seismic Retrofit Grants

By Janiele Maffei, Chief Mitigation Officer for the California Earthquake Authority

California is home to nearly 40 million people, living in a wide variety of homes up and down the state. Driving through almost any Golden State neighborhood, you will notice homes featuring one or more floors of living space built above an attached garage and the ground floors. These are called soft-story homes, and because of a weakness in the lower story, they may be prone to partial or full collapse if a strong earthquake were to strike.

Soft-story homes are often found in densely populated cities, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. In San Francisco alone, city officials estimate there are 180,000 residents living in soft-story structures. These homeowners could quickly be displaced from their residences following an earthquake. Los Angeles, San Francisco and a handful of cities in California have taken steps to put into place mandatory soft-story retrofit programs aimed at strengthening their office buildings, multi-story apartment complexes and other residential buildings and dwelling units, which is why the time is right to offer similar protections to California homeowners living in a soft-story residence.

The vulnerability of soft-story homes stems from the fact that there is a wide, open ground floor and a large garage door opening. The existing walls of the garage are not braced to withstand earthquake motion and shaking. To strengthen a home against earthquake damage and to help prevent a partial collapse of the home and its open front walls, it is worth considering soft-story retrofit solutions.

The good news? The California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP) recently launched a new pilot program to help homeowners in select cities safeguard their soft-story residences against the threat of an earthquake.

Eligible homeowners in 82 different ZIP Codes in the cities of Los Angeles, Pasadena, San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley can apply for grants to retrofit their soft-story homes. We anticipate initially awarding a total of 375 grants. Funding will vary in amount and will be up to 75% of the total retrofit cost with a maximum of $10,000 or $13,000 depending on house type and what a retrofit would entail. Registration is open now and will continue through the end of
May. More information on how homeowners can apply can be found at www.EarthquakeSoftStory.com.

Making a soft-story home more resistant to earthquake damage may involve adding new hold downs, new anchor bolts and installing new plywood sheathing. For additional reinforcement, bracing of the front wall will require a new concrete foundation and either a new steel column or proprietary shear wall to be installed.

This is important work, and it takes a trained contractor to do it. Since this program is new, we need contractors in all eligible ZIP Codes to get trained, and they must first register for the program. Licensed contractors interested in participating should go to the CRMP website where they will find the resources they need to get started in the program.
In recent years, CRMP’s Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) retrofit program has provided earthquake retrofit grants to help nearly 20,000 Californians pay for seismic retrofits of older homes that have a crawlspace. Based on the success of that program, we know the soft-story program will be a vital tool to help safeguard homes.

Living in California, it’s not a matter of if, but when the next major earthquake will strike. By applying for grant funding, you are making a long-term investment in one of your most valuable possessions, potentially saving hundreds of thousands of dollars on future damage repair costs following a major earthquake. Think of a soft-story seismic retrofit as a type of preventive maintenance measure to reduce the risk of collapse of your home and, more importantly, to protect the safety of your family. We urge all eligible residents to apply before the registration window closes.

Related Posts

Shore Hotel: Your Destination for Local Events, Celebrations

May 8, 2025

May 8, 2025

Cinco de Mayo, Pride Month and More Parties This Summer Shore Hotel, a luxury hotel nestled in the heart of...

(Video) Petitgrain Boulangerie’s Party For Its One Year Anniversary

May 8, 2025

May 8, 2025

We got the gifts with a DJ, free cookies, croissants and affogatos. Congratulations to the co-owners Clémence de Lutz and...

(Video) Socalo’s Cinco de Mayo Celebration

May 8, 2025

May 8, 2025

Co-Owner Susan Feniger Offers Diners Chapulines While Co-Owner Mary Sue Milliken works behind the scenes. Chef Makes Tlayudas on the...

“Forte dei Marmi Fridays” Brings Italian Elegance and Fresh Seafood to Brentwood

May 8, 2025

May 8, 2025

New Lunch and Dinner Series Features Traditional Italian Dishes from Tuscany There is a new weekly dining experience bringing the...

Meet the Man Behind the Burritos: Severiano Gonzalez Marks Four Decades at Tito’s Tacos

May 7, 2025

May 7, 2025

One Man’s Dedication, Four Decades of Flavor: Tito’s Senior Cook Speaks By Dolores Quintana Severiano Gonzalez is the senior cook...

Tyla Teams Up with Erewhon for Limited-Edition “Bliss” Smoothie Benefiting Girls’ Education

May 7, 2025

May 7, 2025

Tyla’s Smoothie Is Here. Blissfully Bright, Nutrient-Packed, and for a Good Cause Erewhon has teamed up with Grammy-winning musician Tyla...

Here’s Looking At You to Close Permanently on June 13 After Nearly 10 Years of Culinary Impact in L.A.

May 7, 2025

May 7, 2025

Beloved restaurant bids farewell with heartfelt message from co-founder Lien Ta After nearly ten years of culinary creativity and community,...

Camp Integem: Step into the Future

May 7, 2025

May 7, 2025

Explore, Create, and Launch Beyond! This summer, kids are invited to make magic as they journey into the fun-filled, hands-on...

Metro to Host May 7 Lunchtime Webinar on D Line Beverly Hills Stations

May 6, 2025

May 6, 2025

Inside the Beverly Hills D Line Build: Virtual Update Set for Wednesday Metro Los Angeles will hold an informational webinar...

Whistleblower Claims Accuse LAHSA Chief of Misconduct, Data Suppression

May 6, 2025

May 6, 2025

Inside Safe Data Allegedly Withheld to Protect Mayor’s Image  Los Angeles’ top homeless services official is facing serious allegations of...

Assembly Honors Beverly Hills Councilmember for Holocaust Remembrance and Public Service

May 6, 2025

May 6, 2025

Beverly Hills Leader Honored for Holocaust Remembrance and Civic Impact Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) has named Beverly Hills Councilmember...

Former Security Guard Charged With Murder in Deadly Spartan College Shooting

May 6, 2025

May 6, 2025

Inglewood College Tragedy: Gun Violence Leaves One Dead, One Critically Injured Jesse Figueroa, a former security guard, faces multiple felony...

Search Underway for Missing Man Last Seen in West Hollywood

May 6, 2025

May 6, 2025

Sheriff’s Department Investigating Disappearance of Local Man The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) is asking for the public’s assistance...

New Lawsuit Alleges Excessive Force by CHP, LAPD at UCLA Pro-Palestine Protest in 2024

May 6, 2025

May 6, 2025

Civil Rights Groups Say Law Enforcement Violated Students’ Rights Civil rights attorneys representing demonstrators at UCLA have filed a federal...

Caltrans Gives an Update on Sepulveda Pass 405 Project

May 6, 2025

May 6, 2025

Freeway Rehab Project Through the Sepulveda Pass Start Date is TBA Update: Caltrans has not delayed the I-405 project, and...