Independent Alameda News. Support us!

Registration Now Open for Earthquake Brace + Bolt Grants

Is your home ready for a major shock? The Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) program, developed by the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), is offering California homeowners money to pay for bolting and bracing your home’s foundation in order to limit possible earthquake damage.

Alameda Post - a drawing of a home

Online registration for the Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) grant program, which provides up to $3,000 toward a seismic retrofit for qualifying homes, is now open. Registration for the program will remain open through February 21, 2024. Homes located in both Alameda zip codes—94501 and 94502—are eligible to participate.

The purpose of the program is to help homeowners lessen the potential for damage to their homes during an earthquake by “bracing” the crawl space, when necessary, and “bolting” the foundation to the house’s frame. EBB has helped thousands of California homeowners complete these retrofits.



EBB also offers an additional Supplemental Grant to help income-eligible homeowners pay for a seismic retrofit. If your household annual income is $87,360 or less, you may qualify for the supplemental grant, which could pay up to 100% of the cost for your seismic retrofit. The maximum amount of the grant depends on the type of retrofit you are doing and where your house is located.

Alameda Post - earthquake bracing
Earthquake Brace + Bolt upgraded this home to improve earthquake safety. Photo Earthquake Brace + Bolt.

You may be eligible to apply for an EBB grant if (among other criteria):

  • You own and live in the house you would like to retrofit.
  • You live in Alameda zip code 94501 or 94502.
  • Your house was built before 1980.
  • Your house has a raised foundation, or crawl space under your house.
  • Your house is built on level ground or a slight slope.
  • You have not already completed a “brace and bolt” earthquake retrofit.​

Register online today!

More information about the EBB program is available on the Earthquake Brace + Bolt website. If you have any questions, please call EBB Customer Service at 877-232-4300 or email [email protected].

KQED Curated Content
Thanks for reading the

Nonprofit news isn’t free.

Will you take a moment to support Alameda’s only local news source?