ARTICLE 5.10. Seismic Retrofitting Program for Soft Story Multifamily Housing [8590.15. - 8590.21.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 5.10.
in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8590.15. Section 8590.15.

For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply: (a) “California Residential Mitigation Program” or “CRMP” means the joint powers authority created in 2012 by agreement between the California Earthquake Authority and the Office of Emergency Services. (b) “Fund” means the Seismic Retrofitting Program for Soft Story Multifamily Housing Fund. (c) “Multifamily housing” means a multistory building containing 2 to 20 residential units. (d) “Program” means the Seismic Retrofitting Program for Soft Story Multifamily Housing. (e) “Seismic retrofitting” means making a structure more resistant to earthquake shaking and damage. (f) “Soft story” means a multiunit, wood-frame building with a weak first story that has a high collapse potential due primarily to its soft or weak first-story walls.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8590.15.5. Section 8590.15.5.

Upon appropriation by the Legislature, pursuant to this article, CRMP shall fund the seismic retrofitting of affordable multifamily housing. (a) Funding provided under this section shall be limited to affordable multifamily housing and consistent with this article. (b) CRMP shall prioritize affordable multifamily housing serving lower income households. (c) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply: (1) “Lower income households” has the same meaning as the term is defined in Section 50079.5 of the Health and Safety Code, except that up to 20 percent of the units in the development, including total units and density bonus units, may be for moderate-income households. (2) “Moderate-income households” has the same meaning as the term is defined in Section 50053 of the Health and Safety Code.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8590.16. Section 8590.16.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that there exists the California Residential Mitigation Program, also known as the CRMP, a joint powers authority created in 2012 by agreement between the California Earthquake Authority and the Office of Emergency Services. (b) The Seismic Retrofitting Program for Soft Story Multifamily Housing is hereby established, to be developed and administered as provided in this article, for the purposes of providing financial assistance to owners of soft story multifamily housing for seismic retrofitting to protect individuals living in multifamily housing that have been determined to be at risk of collapse in earthquakes. (c) The Seismic Retrofitting Program for Soft Story Multifamily Housing Fund, and its subsidiary account, the Seismic Retrofitting Account, are hereby created within the State Treasury. The Legislature shall appropriate two hundred fifty million dollars ($250,000,000) from the General Fund in the 2023–24 Budget Act to the fund for the purposes of carrying out this article. (d) Funds appropriated for purposes of the program shall be available for a 10-year performance period. The performance period may be extended by the CRMP on an annual basis until July 1, 2042.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8590.17. Section 8590.17.

(a) The CRMP shall develop and administer the program in accordance with this article. (b) The program shall do all of the following: (1) Encourage cost-effective seismic retrofitting for existing affordable multifamily housing in California. (2) Provide financial assistance to owners of multifamily housing that have been determined to be at risk of collapse in earthquakes for seismic retrofitting to protect individuals living in multifamily housing. (3) Prioritize financial assistance to benefit communities with high social vulnerability. (4) Prioritize financial assistance to owners of multifamily housing in communities with high concentrations of soft story multifamily housing or in areas of high seismicity. (c) The CRMP shall receive a reasonable amount not to exceed 10 percent of funding under this program to provide technical assistance to cities and local building departments to develop inventories and seismic retrofit programs for multifamily housing in high seismic areas. (d) The CRMP shall receive reasonable funds, as required, to offset administrative, operational, information technology, and finance costs to administer the program and is prohibited from using funds from policyholders to offset any costs associated with this program. (e) The CRMP may use up to 5 percent of funds appropriated pursuant to this article to provide technical assistance to municipalities for developing inventories of multifamily housing in high seismic areas to increase eligibility for participation in the program.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8590.18. Section 8590.18.

(a) The CRMP shall develop criteria and a scoring methodology to prioritize financial assistance provided under the program that consider, but are not limited to considering, all of the following: (1) An area’s and community’s vulnerability to earthquakes. (2) The number of low- and moderate-income households residing in the area. (3) Other factors that lead some populations to experience a greater risk from earthquakes, including socioeconomic characteristics of an area or community such as poverty levels, residents with disabilities, residents experiencing language barriers, residents over 65 or under 5 years of age, and households without a car. (b) The CRMP shall develop eligibility criteria for communities and property owners who may receive financial assistance under the seismic retrofitting program in accordance with this article. (c) The CRMP may make grants to provide incentives for the completion of existing seismic retrofitting projects that qualify under the program.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8590.19. Section 8590.19.

(a) The CRMP may accept any federal funds granted by an act of Congress or by executive order for any of the purposes of this article. (b) Administrative expenses of developing and administering the program shall not be paid from a source other than the funds appropriated pursuant to this article. (c) Moneys in the California Earthquake Authority Fund created under subdivision (b) of Section 10089.22 of the Insurance Code and moneys appropriated to the Office of Emergency Services for purposes unrelated to the program shall not be used for the program. (d) The CRMP may establish financial assistance limits and matching funding or other recipient contribution requirements, as necessary, to ensure the viability and efficient operation of the program and to maximize the program’s impact on reducing earthquake risk in California.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 8590.20. Section 8590.20.

(a) By January 1, 2027, and annually thereafter until January 1, 2042, the CRMP shall submit a report to the Legislature pursuant to Section 9795 regarding the implementation of the program. The report shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following: (1) An evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of the program. (2) An evaluation of the overall earthquake risk reduction achieved statewide through awards of financial assistance under the program. (3) Detailed information about the quantity, monetary value, geographic distribution, and categories of awards of financial assistance made under the program. (4) Detailed information about the sources and amounts of funds appropriated or granted to the program. (b) The requirement for submitting a report imposed by this section is inoperative on January 1, 2043, pursuant to Section 10231.5.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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