California Capital Access Program (CalCAP)
Seismic Safety Financing Program

The California Capital Access Program (CalCAP), administered by CPCFA since 1994, encourages banks and other financial institutions to make loans to small businesses. The purpose of the CalCAP Seismic Safety Financing Program (CalCAP/Seismic Safety) is to incentivize private financing for California small businesses and residential property owners (including multiunit dwellings and registered mobilehomes) to finance the costs of seismically retrofitting existing buildings and homes.

CalCAP is a form of Loan Loss Reserve coverage which may provide up to 100% coverage on certain loan defaults. By participating in CalCAP, lenders have available to them a proven credit enhancement to meet the financing needs of California’s small businesses. The CalCAP/Seismic Safety Financing Program extends the credit enhancement to residential and commercial building owners, in addition to being available for small business loans. For Building Owner information, please visit Tools for Building Owners.

Eligible Uses of Loan Proceeds

Proceeds from loans enrolled in the CalCAP/Seismic Safety Financing Program may be used for seismic retrofit construction alterations performed on or after January 1, 2017, of a qualified building or its components to substantially mitigate seismic damage. Seismic retrofit construction includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Anchoring the structure to the foundation
• Bracing cripple walls
• Bracing hot water heaters
• Installing automatic gas shutoff valves
• Repairing or reinforcing the foundation to improve the integrity of the foundation against seismic damage
• Anchoring fuel storage
• Installing an earthquake-resistant bracing system for mobilehomes that are registered with the Department of Housing and Community Development
• Strengthening a building’s lateral load resisting system

Terms

The maximum enrolled loan amount is $250,000 and can be enrolled for up to ten years. Lenders set all of the terms and conditions of the loans. Loans can be short or long-term, have fixed or variable rates, be secured or unsecured, and bear any type of amortization schedule.

Eligible Lenders

Any federal or state-chartered bank, savings association, certified Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI), or credit union is eligible to participate in CalCAP. A lender must certify that it is in good standing with its regulatory body (Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Comptroller of Currency, Thrift Supervision, National Credit Union Administration, or state banking authority). Lending institutions who have executed participation agreement with the Small Business Administration, microbusiness lenders and others may also be eligible.

CalCAP invites financial institutions to participate in CalCAP/Seismic Safety. It is easy for lenders to sign up.

Lender Sign Up for the Program

• Financial Institution Application
• Certification to Participate in the California Capital Access Program

Loans, Claims and Reports

• Loan Enrollment Documents
  • Loan Enrollment Application – Seismic Safety
  • Lender Certification – Seismic Safety
  • Borrower Certification - Seismic Safety
  • Privacy Notice
  • Borrower’s Agreement to Pay Lender’s Fees
• Change in Loan Terms
  • Notification of Change in Loan Terms Form
• Claims
  • Claim Application
• Reports
  • Quarterly Reporting Schedule
  • Quarterly Report Instructions & Template