Rule 01
Engineering before formal acceptance is not reimbursable.
It does not disqualify the building. It is simply paid by the owner.
CRMP EMR · Registration closed Sep 30, 2026
Selected for EMR?Your nine-month clock starts at approval. PE-stamped plans in 14 days.
The California Residential Mitigation Program’s Earthquake Multi-Unit Retrofit (EMR) registration window ran August 19 to September 30, 2026, and has closed. If CRMP selected your building, the engineering has to follow CRMP’s sequence and finish fast enough to leave room for permit and construction. We produce the retrofit plans in 14 days and answer plan check without delay.
Written scope and fee within one business day.
Full ground-floor retrofit
- 9 monthsFrom CRMP approval
- 14 daysPE-stamped retrofit plans
- 5 to 10Units per building
- 14 citiesEligible jurisdictions
The three rules
The three rules owners break.
Each is stated in CRMP’s program terms. Read them before you sign anything with a contractor.
Rule 02
Construction before FEMA and CRMP approval makes the project ineligible.
This is the rule that costs owners the grant. No demolition, no mobilization, no pours.
Rule 03
A line-only retrofit does not qualify.
A previously permitted and finaled line-only retrofit does not bar entry for the remaining ground-floor work.
Eligibility
Which buildings EMR covers.
- Wood-frame, multi-story residential
- Built before 1991
- 5 to 10 dwelling units
- A soft, weak, or open-front ground-floor condition, such as tuck-under parking
- Located in an eligible city
- The owner has received a notice and order under the city’s mandatory soft story ordinance
Eligible cities.
Grant structure
CRMP’s incentive limits.
These figures are published by CRMP and are CRMP’s incentive limits, not H2 Seismic Pro fees.
- Construction incentive
- Up to 70% of retrofit cost, capped at $4,260 per unit
- Engineering and permit fee incentive
- Up to 70%, capped at $7,000
Source and current terms: crmp.org.
Retrofit standard
A full ground-floor retrofit.
EMR requires a full ground-floor retrofit designed to FEMA P-807, IEBC Appendix Chapter A4 (latest edition), or ASCE 41 (latest edition). The same design must also satisfy your city’s mandatory ordinance, so we design once to the standard that satisfies both and state it on the cover sheet.
Retrofit drawings and calculations are stamped by a California PE. We submit to the city, answer two rounds of plan check corrections, and assemble the engineering documentation CRMP asks for.
Written scope and fee within one business day.
Fixed fee, confirmed in writing before work begins. No hourly billing and no added charge for plan check responses.
Deliverables
What you receive.
- Site visit and existing-condition survey of the ground floor
- Retrofit drawings and calculations to FEMA P-807, IEBC Appendix Chapter A4, or ASCE 41, PE-stamped
- Permit submission to the city’s building department
- Two rounds of plan check corrections
- Engineering documentation for the CRMP file: stamped set, invoices dated after acceptance, and permit record
Not included: construction, grant application or administration, city permit fees, and special inspection. After permit approval and CRMP construction approval, your contractor builds, the city performs final inspection, and you submit closeout documentation to CRMP.
Process
Inside the nine-month window.
- Day 0
CRMP approval
Nine-month clock starts. Engagement signed so engineering invoices are dated after acceptance.
- Scheduled at engagement
Site visit
Ground floor measured and documented. Existing line or partial retrofits recorded.
- Day 14
Stamped plans
Drawings and calculations complete and submitted to the city.
- Plan check
Corrections answered
Two rounds included. Construction waits for permit and CRMP approval.
FAQ
Common questions.
Can I start engineering before CRMP formally accepts my building?
You can, but engineering performed before formal acceptance is not reimbursable under the engineering incentive. It does not disqualify the building. Most owners under a city deadline start anyway and accept that the early work is at their own cost.
Can my contractor start work before approval?
No. Construction started before FEMA and CRMP approval makes the project ineligible. Do not let a contractor mobilize, demolish, or pour anything until you have approval in writing.
My building already has a line-only retrofit. Does that disqualify it?
A line-only retrofit does not qualify for the grant. A previously permitted and finaled line-only retrofit does not bar entry for the remaining work, but the grant-funded work must bring the full ground floor to the program standard.
What retrofit standard does EMR require?
A full ground-floor retrofit per FEMA P-807, IEBC Appendix Chapter A4 (latest edition), or ASCE 41 (latest edition). The design has to satisfy both CRMP and your city’s mandatory ordinance.
How much is the grant?
Per CRMP’s published limits, the construction incentive covers up to 70% of retrofit cost, capped at $4,260 per unit, and the engineering and permit fee incentive covers up to 70%, capped at $7,000. Those are CRMP’s figures, not H2 Seismic Pro fees. CRMP alone determines eligibility and payment.
When does the nine-month clock start?
At CRMP approval. Engineering, permit, and construction all have to fit inside it, which is why plan turnaround and plan check response time matter more on an EMR project than on an ordinary retrofit.
Get a written scope
Selected by CRMP? Send the approval date.
Engineering timing matters on an EMR project. Tell us when CRMP approved the building so we can plan inside the window.
- Response
- Written scope and fee within one business day.
- Turnaround
- PE-stamped retrofit plans in 14 days from site visit.
- Fee
- Fixed fee, confirmed in writing before work begins. No hourly billing and no added charge for plan check responses.
- Phone
- (510) 288-9352
- Office
- Dublin, CA 94568