Earthquake loss mitigation: grant programs.

Existing law, the California Earthquake Authority Act, establishes the California Earthquake Authority (the authority) , administered by the Insurance Commissioner, and authorizes the authority to transact insurance in this state as necessary to, among other things, create and maintain, in collaboration or jointly with subdivisions and programs of local, state, and federal governments and with other national programs, programs and activities that mitigate seismic risks, for the benefit of homeowners and other property owners. Existing law establishes the Earthquake Loss Mitigation Fund, a subaccount of the California Earthquake Authority Fund, a continuously appropriated fund. Existing law authorizes the authority to apply money in the Earthquake Loss Mitigation Fund to supply grants and loans or loan guarantees to dwelling owners who wish to retrofit their homes to protect against earthquake damage, as specified. This bill would recognize the existence of the California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP) , a joint powers authority created in 2012 by agreement between the authority and the Office of Emergency Services. The bill would require the CRMP to implement a grant program and give a grant to a qualifying owner of a single-family residential structure to defray the owner's cost of seismic retrofit work to the structure, as specified, if the Legislature appropriates funds for that purpose. This bill would require the governing board of the CRMP, after providing notice and opportunity for review and public comment, to adopt policies and procedures necessary to implement the grant program and to establish eligibility criteria for participation in the grant program. This bill would establish the maximum amount of a grant to an applicant.