Palacios Construction says it offers seismic retrofit work for older Monterey County homes through California’s Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB), Earthquake Soft-Story (ESS) and Earthquake Multi-Unit Retrofit (EMR) programs. That does not mean a particular property qualifies, that registration is open, or that a homeowner will receive a program’s maximum grant. Eligibility, funding and application timing depend on the address and the current rules published by the California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP).
What Palacios Construction says it offers
The company’s Monterey County service page describes residential retrofit work and says Palacios Construction is trained and listed for CRMP’s EBB, ESS and EMR programs. Its described services include foundation bolting and cripple-wall bracing for some raised-foundation homes, strengthening for some homes with living space above a garage, and water-heater bracing. It also describes help with documentation and permitting. These are company statements, not independent confirmation of current program-directory status, qualifications or grant outcomes. Palacios Construction’s service page
CRMP tells enrolled homeowners to select a contractor from its official Contractor Directory. Check the live directory and current program requirements before treating any contractor’s listing as confirmed. Retrofit hardware alone, or homeowner-performed work, does not establish grant eligibility: the approved scope, contractor requirements, permits and program approvals matter.
Which CRMP program may fit the property?
EBB, ESS and EMR address different building types and vulnerabilities. Construction year and building style are only part of the test; CRMP also considers address-level location rules and other property-specific conditions.
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| Program | Property and vulnerability described by CRMP | Grant information |
|---|---|---|
| Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) | Qualifying wood-frame, single-family houses built before 1980 with a raised foundation or crawl space. Eligibility also depends on factors including ZIP code, slope, occupancy or ownership conditions, and whether the relevant retrofit has already been completed. CRMP qualification page | Up to $3,000. An income-based supplemental grant may be available subject to funding; CRMP’s current qualification page displays a household-income threshold of $94,480 or less. These are program terms, not a guaranteed award. CRMP qualification page |
| Earthquake Soft-Story (ESS) | Qualifying homes built before 2000 with living space above a garage. A garage below a home does not by itself establish eligibility; the address and program’s retrofit criteria must also be met. CRMP qualification page | Maximums vary by accepted retrofit type: CRMP contractor guidance lists some types at up to $10,000 and others at up to $13,000, with up to 75% of retrofit cost covered. These are caps, not promised payments. CRMP contractor guidance |
| Earthquake Multi-Unit Retrofit (EMR) | Certain multi-unit buildings with 5–10 units, built before 1991, with tuck-under parking or open ground-level space. The building must also meet city-level ordinance and other program requirements. CRMP program information | A grant amount is not stated in the cited program information. Confirm current EMR terms and eligibility directly with CRMP. CRMP program information |
CRMP’s current qualification information says non-owner-occupied residences are now eligible for an EBB retrofit, so older blanket statements that EBB is limited to owner-occupied homes may be out of date. Check the current rules for the specific application cycle. CRMP qualification page
Palacios Construction’s service page says Monterey County cities are not currently on EMR’s eligible-city list. Because city eligibility can change and that roster has not been independently confirmed here, check CRMP’s current EMR city list before relying on the company-page statement. Palacios Construction’s service page
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- Coarse thread type
- Diameter: 1/2 in.
- Bolt length: 10 in.
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Grant amounts and registration dates are cycle-specific
CRMP’s listed maximums do not determine what a particular homeowner will receive. Awards depend on the applicable program, accepted retrofit, cost, funding and current cycle rules. For EBB, CRMP currently displays an income threshold of $94,480 or less for a possible supplemental grant, subject to funding. That current figure differs from the threshold in California’s historical 2025 announcement, so applicants should use the current CRMP page rather than assume past terms still apply. CRMP qualification page
In a September 4, 2025 alert, the California Department of Insurance said the 2025 EBB registration period ran from August 20 through October 1, 2025. The alert cited grants of up to $3,000, supplemental grants of up to $7,000 for eligible households earning $89,040 or less under that announcement, more than $20 million available for that application period, and more than 32,500 homeowners served since EBB launched in 2013. Those are historical cycle figures; the 2025 registration period is closed and does not establish current availability. California Department of Insurance alert, September 4, 2025
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Rank #3
- Provides both tension and shear loads in connections
- Coarse thread type
- Diameter: 5/8 in.
- Bolt length: 16 in.
- Washer included
How to check a home before hiring or starting work
- Check the address and building details with CRMP. Use the current eligibility tools and program pages to verify the ZIP code, building type, construction year, foundation or garage configuration, and any ownership, occupancy, slope or prior-retrofit conditions. CRMP qualification page
- Confirm registration status and the active rules. Application periods are designated, not continuous. Do not assume an older announcement means a new registration window is open.
- Verify the contractor in CRMP’s directory. CRMP guidance says enrolled homeowners must choose from the Contractor Directory. Check the live listing for the relevant program and confirm the contractor’s current service area and licensing separately. CRMP contractor guidance
- Get a program-compliant scope and bid. Establish which retrofit is proposed, what approvals and permits are needed, and how the work matches program requirements. A generic purchase of anchor bolts or other hardware is not a substitute for an approved retrofit plan.
- Wait for required approvals before work begins. CRMP contractor guidance describes pre-retrofit steps and completion deadlines, but the sequence and deadlines differ by program. Follow the current instructions for the enrolled cycle before obtaining permits or starting construction. CRMP contractor guidance CRMP program information
- Keep the required records. Retain permits, inspection sign-offs, photographs, payment records and other documentation specified by the program.
What seismic retrofit work is intended to do
The California Department of Insurance’s 2025 alert describes a residential seismic retrofit as making a house more resistant to earthquake activity such as ground shaking and soil failure by bolting the house to its foundation and adding bracing around the crawl-space perimeter. The actual work depends on the building and the program-approved scope. California Department of Insurance alert, September 4, 2025
Foundation anchoring and bracing are structural work, not a do-it-yourself hardware project. A qualified professional must determine the building’s needs, applicable plans, permits and inspections; program rules govern which work can qualify for grant support.
Quick Recap
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- Provides both tension and shear loads in connections
- Coarse thread type
- Diameter: 1/2 in.
- Bolt length: 10 in.
- Washer included
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