Berkeley Offers Lottery For Seismic Retrofit Grants

BERKELEY, CA — Berkeley is offering seismic retrofit grants for residents to protect their homes against earthquake damage, the city announced in a news release.

"Income-qualified households can get reimbursed for the full cost of a seismic upgrade to their home, while others can qualify for up to $3,000 for making their foundations more resilient to earthquakes," the city said.

According to that news release, seismic retrofits help prevent homes from sliding and collapsing during an earthquake.

"Bracing and bolting have a big impact in a community like Berkeley, where older homes may not have the seismic protections required of newer construction," the city said.

Funds will be awarded by lottery and Berkeley homeowners should sign up for the state's Earthquake Brace + Bolt rebate program by Nov. 29. Those households with annual incomes below $72,080 can qualify for up to 100 percent of the cost of the retrofits.

Eligible homeowners include owner-occupied single-family residences and small multifamily buildings of one to four units in Berkeley and other eligible Zip Codes.

The city, in conjunction with California Earthquake Authority, will host a virtual workshop to teach residents about rebates, myths and tips about earthquake insurance and obtaining permits for seismic retrofits during a Nov. 16 Earthquake Brace + Bolt Workshop online.

For more information about the workshop, contact the Office of Emergency Services at (510) 981-5506.

According to the city, since 2016, 485 Berkeley homeowners have received Earthquake Brace + Bolt rebates, bringing nearly $1.5 million in state funding to Berkeley residents while increasing the resilience of the community.

Registration for the Earthquake Brace + Bolt Workshop is available online.

In addition to the state's rebates, homeowners in Berkeley have other resources to pay for seismic improvements including a transfer tax reduction program for seismic upgrades made within a year of purchase, and Property Assessed Clean Energy financing, the city said.

Information on earthquake preparedness is available on the city's website.