President Joe Biden on Monday granted a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of California, a move that triggers the release of federal funds that could help the people and businesses affected by the series of winter storms that have ravaged the Central Coast since January.
The declaration includes Kern, Mariposa, Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Tulare and Tuolumne counties.
It will allow the flood-damaged town of Pajaro to receive emergency services and aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal agencies such as housing assistance, food aid, counseling, and medical and legal services, Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a press release.
“This declaration brings in more vital resources as we continue to work in lockstep with local, state and federal partners to support communities that have been turned upside down by these storms,” Newsom said. “First responders and state personnel are on the ground in hard-hit regions across California to assist the ongoing response and recovery. We are committed to supporting our communities over the long haul and thank the Biden Administration for their continued partnership.”
The declaration also includes public assistance to help state, tribal and local governments with ongoing emergency response and recovery costs, and hazard mitigation.
“This brings more vital resources as we continue to work with local, state and federal partners to support communities that have been turned upside down by these storms,” Monterey County Supervisor Board Chair Luis Alejo said in a tweet.
“The people of Pajaro do so much to put food on the tables of millions of Americans, and they are now needing the support and assistance of our federal and state agencies to recover from these devastating floods,” Alejo tweeted. “Many have lost so much, and must be supported to recover from this extreme hardship.”
Newson also said that undocumented residents ineligible for federal assistance due to immigration status could receive help from the California Department of Social Services’s Rapid Response Fund.
On Tuesday, Garth MacDonald, a spokesperson for the Small Business Administration, said Sacramento has already begun working with FEMA officials to coordinate disaster recovery center locations.
