San Francisco and Bay Area property owners, listen up! If you’re worried about your home’s resilience during the next big earthquake, the California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP) has some seriously good news. They’re offering grants up to $10,000 to help homeowners and landlords seismically retrofit their properties.

For the first time ever, non-primary residential property owners can apply for these critical safety upgrades. The grants specifically target homes built before 1980 with wood frames and raised foundations - which describes a huge chunk of Bay Area housing stock.

The financial breakdown looks promising: standard grants start at $3,000 to help cover costs like bolting houses to foundations and reinforcing crawl space walls. For lower-income property owners making $89,040 or less annually, an additional $7,000 might be available - potentially covering a complete seismic retrofit.

Over $20 million in funding is up for grabs across more than 230 ZIP codes stretching from Monterey to Mendocino and Concord to Cloverdale. This means most Bay Area residents could qualify.

Janiele Maffei, CRMP’s chief mitigation officer, emphasized the program’s importance: “Retrofitting is one of the most effective ways to reduce earthquake damage risk, protecting both residents and their communities”.

With the Bay Area sitting on multiple fault lines, these grants aren’t just financial assistance - they’re a critical investment in community safety. The application window is open until October 1st, so property owners should act fast.

Earthquake preparedness isn’t just about emergency kits and knowing evacuation routes. Structural reinforcement can mean the difference between minor damage and total loss during a major seismic event.

Ready to make your property more earthquake-resilient? Head to the CRMP website and check your eligibility before time runs out.