What you need to know: Five communities recovering from the devastating 2018 wildfires will receive more than $40 million in additional federal disaster recovery funds to help create jobs and sustain economic recovery.

SACRAMENTO - Governor Gavin Newsom announced today that five communities hit hardest by the devastating wildfires in 2018 will receive $40.7 million in new federal aid to support community development and help communities reach full economic recovery after a disaster. The funding will not only benefit the hundreds of Californians who participate directly in the workplace training and development programs but creates long-term economic and social benefits for the communities.  

“Even after the housing and infrastructure are rebuilt, communities hurt by wildfire can continue to suffer from trauma and economic impacts for years to come. We are grateful to the Biden Administration for its ongoing support to help Californians rebuild their lives and economies. We will keep advocating for our communities and their access to disaster relief and recovery.” - Governor Gavin Newsom

The funding comes from the federal 2018 Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery Workforce Development (CDBG-DR-WD) program. These awards will go to communities in the counties of Butte, Lake, Los Angeles, Shasta, and Ventura.
 
The federal funding will go to programs that provide free job training and supportive services to low- to moderate-income (LMI) individuals in the community, with the goal of improving job placement opportunities for residents. Eligible applicants included local jurisdictions, nonprofit organizations, post-secondary education institutions, and Local Workforce Development Boards in areas designated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

“In addition to rebuilding housing and infrastructure, fostering economic recovery is critical after a natural disaster,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. “Following disasters, many communities face a challenge in finding people locally with the skills to rebuild better and with greater resilience. We are proud to partner with HUD to create these career paths for 2018 wildfire survivors and to help these hard-hit communities grow with an eye toward a strong and sustainable future.”

“CDBG-DR provides communities with important resources to help rebuild in the worst of times. With this investment, young people and others building job skills can focus on their futures. HUD is proud to work with the State of California to ensure resilience across their communities,” said HUD Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development Marion McFadden.

The communities receiving the awards are located in the counties of Butte, Lake, Los Angeles, Shasta, and Ventura and include the following projects: 

- Butte County - The town of Paradise will receive nearly $17.9 million to establish the Paradise Resilient Infrastructure and Sustainable Education Center (Paradise RISE) on the Paradise High School campus to train 500 local LMI residents in the construction trades-including specialized fields such as plumbing and electrical-or as certified nursing assistants.

- Lake County - The Workforce Alliance of the North Bay will receive more than $4.7 million for the Lake Workforce Program to better equip the region for long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts and enhance resilience to future disasters.

- Los Angeles County - Two organizations, Tradeswomen and Women in Non-Traditional Employment Roles, have been awarded $2 million to provide training and employment opportunities for underserved populations in the construction trades - particularly focusing on women and other marginalized populations.

- Shasta County - The city of Redding will receive more than $8.6 million to launch its Workforce Recovery Training Program, providing online, remote, virtual, and in-person training for 200 LMI residents. 

- Ventura County - The county received $7.5 million to fund workforce training for 215 LMI county residents in healthcare occupations, restoring healthcare infrastructure, creating job opportunities, promoting community well-being, strengthening disaster preparedness, and ultimately building a more resilient healthcare system and community. The county will also acquire a mobile unit to reach out to communities that may have transportation barriers or difficulty accessing traditional job centers, vital for residents in rural areas of Ventura County. 

Visit HCD’s website for more information on these awards.