The defect that can cause single-family houses to collapse has received little attention until now. Some California homeowners will soon be able to apply for grants to help pay for the retrofit.
, that will offer select homeowners grants of up to $13,000 to help fund a retrofit. FEMA is providing $5 million, which is enough to help 375 homeowners.
“Hundreds of thousands of Californians are living in a soft-story structure that is a prime candidate for a retrofit,” Glenn Pomeroy, chief executive of the California Earthquake Authority, said in a statement. Although a retrofit is not a small financial undertaking, repairing or replacing a damaged home would be far more expensive — and could take years. Owners forced out of their homes would still need to make mortgage payments while the home is being repaired or rebuilt.
Still, the cost, which could be on par with replacing a roof or an air conditioning system, could be challenging for those with limited funds.
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