San Francisco, Napa and other Bay Area counties among additional areas now eligible for FEMA Public Assistance
San Francisco’s Bayview District saw mudslides and flooding.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - State officials on Tuesday announced that additional counties hit hard by California’s destructive storms in December and January were now eligible to apply for funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance program.
The California Office of Emergency Services said that 17 additional counties were on the list including several in the Bay Area: Contra Costa, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Solano.
A Belmont community was forced to evacuate due to flood damage from the latest round of storms.
FEMA amended its original major disaster declaration to include the additional areas.
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Under FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program, local and state governments can receive reimbursement for the costs of emergency response, debris removal, and restoration of damaged public facilities and infrastructure, the agency said. Houses of worship and certain nonprofit organizations may also be eligible for funding under the program.
FEMA said after a major disaster, "communities need help to cover their costs for debris removal, life-saving emergency protective measures, and restoring public infrastructure."
The agency said its Public Assistance program was designed to provide supplemental grants to allow communities to quickly respond and recover.
Residents in many Bay Area counties were also eligible to receive benefits through FEMA’s Individual Assistance (IA) program, which provides direct and financial assistance to help disaster victims who are uninsured or underinsured.
The Bay Area counties where residents were eligible for that program were San Mateo, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties. The list of more than a dozen eligible California counties also included Santa Cruz and Monterey.
Felton Grove in Santa Cruz County flooded over. Jan. 9, 2023
"The assistance is meant to return a home to a safe, sanitary and functional residence," the agency said.
FEMA recommended eligible individuals apply for Individual Assistance through its website at DisasterAssistance.gov. They can also apply through the FEMA mobile app or by calling 1-800-621-3362.
Last month, President Biden approved an emergency declaration for California affected by the series of powerful storms that led to major flooding, landslides, and mudslides.