Calaveras Steers More Resources To Butte Fire Recovery
San Andreas, CA – Along with extending Butte Fire disaster and health states of emergency the Calaveras supervisors voted to re-steer some already in-house grant funds to survivors’ housing needs and prioritize more, moving forward.
Following a public meeting pre-scheduled for the purpose the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors at its meeting this week unanimously approved County Health and Human Services recommendation to transfer funds from a community development block grant (CDBGs), which is allowable in cases of “urgent need,” such as in cases where a federal disaster declaration was made. The actual transfer of monies is subject to final approval by HUD. The award for just over $93,000 originally made for a West Point community survey was part of a package that included funding for the food bank and job training. While staff noted that the monies are relatively modest, they still might provide critical assistance, such by helping replacing well pumps that might allow a family to reoccupy their site.
Another CDBG-related public hearing was held for input ahead of the supervisors’ move to set Butte Fire housing rehabilitation as the priority for potential supplemental projects during the 2016 grant cycle. Additionally, the board approved designating the following CDBG primary projects for the next cycle: Butte Fire housing rehabilitation, at $600,000; food bank and dental services, at $250,000 each; and West Point Community Survey, at $100,000.
