Humboldt County Earthquake Brace + Bolt News and Resources

Humboldt County Earthquake Brace + Bolt News and Resources

The 6.4 magnitude earthquake that hit Ferndale in late December and the 5.4 magnitude quake that struck near Rio Dell in January had an enormous impact on Humboldt County, and that’s why it is imperative to strengthen as many homes as possible before the next big one strikes.

Between now and July 31, eligible Humboldt County homeowners can apply for grants of up to $3,000 through the Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) program. Funding for this program is provided by FEMA and administered by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).

Nearly $2 million is available to help homeowners in eligible ZIP Codes offset the costs of seismic retrofits. While these funds cannot be used to pay for repairs to damaged homes, they can be used to protect eligible homes from experiencing the same kind of damage from future earthquakes.

An EBB retrofit includes bracing the cripple walls of older houses, when present, and bolting houses to their foundation, making them less vulnerable to earthquake damage.

Humboldt County homeowners can apply for retrofit funding at EarthquakeBraceBolt.com where they can see if their house is in an EBB eligible ZIP Code, review detailed program information and begin searching for a FEMA-trained, California-licensed general contractor.

Income-eligible Humboldt County homeowners may also qualify for supplemental grants. These are available for households with an income at or below $72,080 and may be able to provide up to 100% of the funds needed to cover a seismic retrofit.

Once registration closes, participating homeowners will be selected through a random drawing and notified via email if they have been selected or if they have been placed on the waitlist.

Additionally, we need Humboldt County contractors too! Contractors interested in doing this important retrofit work and growing their business  should check out the free FEMA training here. today! Free marketing materials are available at EBBTools.com, as well as access to free program support.

What can you do?  

Help us get the word out by sharing the following information via newsletter, community posts, or social media content. For questions regarding Earthquake Brace + Bolt, or to inquire about having a representative from CRMP speak about the program at your upcoming meeting or event, contact the program directly at [email protected].

Newsletter Language:  

Use the language below to copy/paste and share with target audiences through email blasts, newsletters, or other channels. We encourage you to share these materials if you belong to a homeowner’s association, builders association, contractor group, or social club.

Newsletter/Outreach Email Copy:

Are you ready for “The Big One”? More than 1.2 million homes in high-seismic-hazard areas of California are particularly vulnerable to earthquake damage because of how they were constructed.

The Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) program is now offering eligible Humboldt County homeowners grants up to $3,000 to help offset the cost of seismic retrofits that brace the cripple walls of older homes, when present, and bolt the houses to their foundations. Income-eligible homeowners also may apply for supplemental grants that could provide up to 100 percent of the retrofit costs. 

Nearly $2 million is available to help homeowners in eligible ZIP Codes offset the costs of seismic retrofits. While these funds cannot be used to pay for repairs to damaged homes, they can be used to protect eligible homes from experiencing the same kind of damage from future earthquakes.

Humboldt County homeowners can apply for grants online during the registration period, which runs now through July 31, 2023. Learn more, find out if you qualify, and register at EarthquakeBraceBolt.com.

Humboldt County contractors! We need you too! Interested contractors should check out the free FEMA training here and then head to EBBTools.com to find all the free marketing materials available.  Only contractors on the Directory are eligible to complete an EBB retrofit.

Social media:

Social media is a great way to help spread the word about the resources available to residents in Humboldt County. Between now and July 31, 2023, please consider sharing the following social media content on your own network.

You can find images and suggested posts related to this special Brace + Bolt registration for your social media platforms here. 

We encourage interested parties to reshare and tag us in the content we post to our program’s social media platforms as we continue to promote these resources. Please see below for a list of links and handles that can be used to tag us:

Facebook: @EQBraceBolt

Twitter: @EQBraceBolt

YouTube: @earthquakebracebolt3985

Thank you for helping us get the word out about the California Residential Mitigation Program’s Earthquake Brace + Bolt grant program registration for Humboldt County.

About Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB)

Established by the California Residential Mitigation Program, EBB offers grants to help California homeowners retrofit their houses to reduce potential damage from earthquakes. A residential seismic retrofit makes a house more resistant to earthquake activity, such as ground shaking and soil failure, by bolting the house to its foundation and adding bracing around the perimeter of the crawl space, if needed. For more information, please visit EarthquakeBraceBolt.com.

About the California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP)

CRMP was established in 2011 to help Californians strengthen their homes against damage from earthquakes. CRMP is a joint powers authority created by the California Earthquake Authority and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. For more information, please visit CaliforniaResidentialMitigationProgram.com/About-CRMP.