State, Federal Assistance for California Wildfire Survivors Tops $30 Million

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) have approved more than $30 million in disaster recovery grants and loans for survivors of the Butte and Valley wildfires.

“The job isn’t finished,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Tim Scranton. “We continue working with all of our recovery partners through the holiday season to help the survivors and communities in Calaveras and Lake counties recover and rebuild.”

“We have excellent teams who are dedicated to the mission,” said Cal OES State Coordinating Officer Charles Rabamad. “I’m continually inspired by the hard work and focus everyone has on trying to get those who were burned out of their houses into homes for the holidays.”

Here is a snapshot of state and federal disaster assistance approved to date:

• The registration period for federal assistance ended Nov. 23, 2015. During that timeframe, more than 3,700 Californians contacted FEMA for information or registered for assistance with FEMA.
• $940,000 approved for survivors through California’s State Supplemental Grant Program.
• More than 1,500 survivor households have been approved for a total of more than $11.5 million in FEMA Individual Assistance grants.
  • Of that, nearly $7.5 million was approved in Housing Assistance, which can include grants to help cover home repair and replacement costs as well as financial rental assistance.
  • 833 survivor households are receiving rental assistance. Of that number, 606 are renters and 227 are homeowners.
  • More than $4 million was approved for Other Needs Assistance, which helps survivors cover the cost of replacing lost contents and other disaster-related expenses.
• SBA has approved $19.2 million in low-interest disaster loans to help business owners and residents with their recovery.
  • $16.9 million approved for 190 homeowners and renters.
  • $2.2 million for 34 businesses.
• 35 survivor households are currently sheltering at hotels and motels through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program. The program is designed to provide temporary sheltering until alternative housing accommodations are made available.

Helping survivors find a safe, secure temporary place to live is the number one priority of the state and federal recovery team. FEMA is working with eligible survivor households in both counties to ensure their temporary housing needs are met. When it comes to temporary housing for survivors, the first option is always rental assistance as it is the fastest and most efficient form of temporary housing.

FEMA continues connecting eligible survivors with available rental resources within a reasonable commuting distance from their community. For survivors in areas where rental resources are not available, the agency is working to provide Manufactured Housing Units on both private sites and commercial sites.

FEMA, the state and the counties are coordinating to complete debris removal, secure utilities and complete required local licensing to move more Manufactured Housing Units onto feasible private sites. FEMA is also working with property owners at various commercial sites to complete required upgrades and move more units onto those locations.

Survivors can make changes or track their grant status online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585; 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

Although the deadline has expired to apply for property damage loans from SBA, small, non-farm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may continue to apply for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage. These loans help meet financial obligations and operating expenses, which could have been met had the disaster not occurred.

EIDL applicants may apply online via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.  Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call 800-877-8339. For more disaster assistance information, or to download applications, visit www.sba.gov/disaster.

For more information on California’s wildfire recovery, go to caloes.ca.gov and fema.gov/disaster/4240 and follow us on Twitter @femaregion9 and @Cal_OES, and on Facebook at facebook.com/FEMA and facebook.com/CaliforniaOES.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.