Want a Rebate to Get Your House Seismically Retrofitted?

Single-family residential homeowners in the 90042 and 90041 zip codes of Highland Park and Eagle Rock have an opportunity to get a rebate of up to $3,000 under a pilot program aimed at the seismic retrofitting and strengthening of houses for protection against earthquakes.

Called Earthquake Brace + Bolt: Funds To Strengthen Your Foundation Pilot Program, the offer is part of the California Residential Mitigation Program, a so-called “joint powers authority” created by the California Earthquake Authority and the Governor's Office of Emergency Services.

“The purpose of Earthquake Brace + Bolt is to decrease the physical and financial damage of earthquakes on single-family residential homes in California that meet specific criteria,” according to a program representative.

California Earthquake Authority Chief Mitigation Officer Janiele Maffei is scheduled to discuss details of the offer in a meeting with the field staff of Councilmember José Huizar in Eagle Rock City Hall Wednesday afternoon.

Seismic retrofitting typically costs from $2,000 to $10,000. Under the California Residential Mitigation Program, homeowners whose houses meet certain criteria will be prequalified and their applications entered into database. The participants will then be randomly selected for a rebate of up to $3,000, the representative said.

The deadline for registering for the pilot program is Oct. 30. Visit EarthquakeBraceBolt.com and complete a pre-qualification survey. Call (877) 232-4300 for more information.