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Registration Opens For $3K Seismic Retrofit Grants In Southland

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Registration opened today for eligible Southland homeowners to receive grants of up to $3,000 for seismic retrofits of older homes, making them more resistant to earthquake damage.

Homeowners have until Feb. 23 to apply for a grant from the Earthquake Brace and Bolt -- EBB -- program, according to the state Department of Insurance. The procedure involves bolting the house to its foundation and adding bracing around the perimeter.

The 2018 program will be available in select neighborhoods in Alhambra, Altadena, Claremont, San Fernando, Glendale, Granada Hills, Santa Monica, La Verne, Los Angeles, South Pasadena, Mission Hills, Sun Valley, Monrovia, Valley Village, West Hollywood and Pasadena.

KCAL9/CBS2 reporter Lisa Sigell caught up with some homeowners who qualified.

Larry and Roz May have lived in their Studio City home for 30 years. They retrofitted their home, making it less vulnerable to damage.

They got $3,000 toward the work from Earthquake Brace and Bolt.

"It's more peace of mind. We sleep better at night," said Larry May.

"When we saw the program we thought 'wow, this could really be something we should look into,' " said Roz May.

Earthquake Brace and Bolt Executive Director Janiele Maffei explained to Sigell the critera for qualifying.

"Pre-1979 house, wood floor and crawl space," said Maffei.

The May's didn't pay a dime for their retrofits. The $3,000 grant covered the entire thing and now they feel a lot safer.

"At least we've done what we could and we feel we are in a better position," said Roz May.

Eligible homeowners can apply for retrofit funding at EarthquakeBraceBolt.com, where they can also find detailed program information, select a licensed FEMA-trained contractor and view the full list of eligible areas.

(©2017 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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