Lake County Home Hardening Program

How it works

North Coast Opportunities (NCO) says the program is designed to be simple for homeowners. Approved homeowners are assigned an NCO Project Coordinator, and NCO provides a home assessment, develops the scope of work, and manages contractor coordination and project oversight. Homeowners do not need to guess which measures to do, coordinate contractors, or negotiate scope, pricing, or timelines. After construction, the homeowner, contractor, and NCO complete a final walkthrough, and homeowners must sign a maintenance agreement to maintain the measures for a specified period.

What the money covers

The program provides home hardening and defensible space retrofit measures for residential homes. The page says the exact measures depend on the home’s type, features, risks, and exposures. The home assessment produces an individualized report that categorizes measures as required, recommended, or optional. Required measures must be performed; recommended and optional measures may be done based on budget and NCO discretion.

Amounts and matching

The program may provide up to $40,000 in approved and eligible measures. The page also says most homeowners will not need to come up with cash, and that the program is completely free for homeowners at or below moderate-income levels in the area. It explicitly says this is not a rebate program.

How to apply

Kelseyville Riviera homeowners may apply online or at an NCO office. Interested homeowners can also email homehardening@ncoinc.org or call (707) 461-0760 to be added to the interested homeowner list. The page says applications will be rolled out neighborhood by neighborhood within the program area.

Timing and deadlines

The program is described as being in the mid-stages of development and will begin opening applications in a phased approach in the near future. The program is committed to implementing measures over the next 2-year period.

What measures may be included

Potential defensible space work includes removal of dead and dying trees, branches, debris, and fuels; moving auxiliary buildings or structures away from the residence; replacement of combustible fencing and gates; and creating vertical and/or horizontal space.

Potential retrofit work includes recovering roofs with Class A fire-resistant materials; installing metal vents or flashing; adding metal screens and noncombustible weather stripping; installing double-pane, tempered windows; closing or plugging holes / bird stopping; replacing exterior wall coverings with noncombustible material; and installing noncombustible skirting on mobile homes.