UKIAH, Calif., Aug. 26, 2024 - Today, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development California State Director Maria Gallegos Herrera traveled to Ukiah to announce a Community Facilities Program Disaster Grant award to support disaster recovery and response efforts within the city of Ukiah. This community was significantly affected by recent winter storms and flooding events.
“Today’s investment in the City of Ukiah underscores the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to supporting disaster recovery and building resilience in rural and Tribal communities across California,” said Gallegos Herrera. “The severe storms of late 2022 caused significant damage to the local roads, and with this funding USDA Rural Development is ensuring that Ukiah is better prepared for future disasters.”
The City of Ukiah is receiving a $225,000 Community Facilities Program Disaster grant to help purchase a loader to make repairs to the roads that were damaged in previous severe storms of 2022. The storms, which started in late December 2022 and lasted into January, caused flooding that left behind accumulated debris and caused erosion and other damage on roads and levies. This new equipment is vital for making sure the roads are safe and accessible for everyone in the community.
The Community Facilities Disaster investment in the City of Ukiah is the second award of its kind in California and is a significant step toward supporting disaster recovery in the state, and particularly in underserved areas. Earlier this month, State Director Gallegos Herrera presented a similar award to the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel in San Diego County.
Disaster grants are available now to help rural and Tribal communities and nonprofits to restore community facilities that were damaged by natural disasters in 2022 or 2023 and community water and wastewater systems damaged by natural disaster in 2022. Grants up to 75% of total project costs available in most cases. Contact sally.tripp@usda.gov or jennifer.strauch@usda.gov with questions.
Background
The Community Facilities Disaster Grant program provides grants to repair essential community facilities in rural areas that were damaged by Presidentially Declared Disasters in Calendar Year 2022 or to repair or replace essential community facilities damaged by Presidentially Declared Disasters in CY 2023 and Other Disasters in CY 2023. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/ca. To subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.