Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Calif. Wildfire Fed Aid Close to $140M

Three months after wildfires raged through Southern California, state and federal disaster assistance has reached nearly $140 million to help pay for firefighting, debris removal and other response and recovery efforts.

Here is a summary of funding since the Oct. 24, 2007, presidential disaster declaration:

  • SBA: $78.6 million. The bulk of the disaster assistance funding has come from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in the form of long-term, low-interest loans to business and home owners for repair or replacement of damaged structures.

  • Public Assistance: $44 million has been obligated to reimburse state and local governments for firefighting efforts, debris removal, repair or replacement of public buildings and infrastructure and other wildfire-related losses and expenses. The Federal Management Agency (FEMA) pays 75 percent of those funds, with the remaining 25 percent split between the state of California and local applicants on a 75-25 percent cost-share basis.

  • Housing Assistance: $9.5 million in grants has been disbursed to homeowners for home repair or replacement and temporary housing.

  • Other Needs Assistance: $3.9 million has been given by the state and FEMA for losses and damage to personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, moving expenses and other disaster-related costs.

  • Unemployment Benefits: $1.76 million. California's Employment Development Department has administered $1.53 million in Unemployment Insurance and more than $235,000 in federally funded Disaster Unemployment Assistance for those who lost work due to the fires but who did not qualify for regular unemployment insurance.

  • California State Supplemental Grants: $1.9 million in grants has been approved by the California Department of Social Services for those who have received the maximum grant from FEMA.

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