Gov. Newsom announces historic infrastructure investments for continued recovery in wildfire-hit communities

More than $317 million has been allocated to support local governments with ongoing recovery efforts, including nearly $200 million for Camp Fire recovery in the town of Paradise

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom today announced federal grants totaling more than $317 million to help seven jurisdictions recovering from the federally declared 2018 disasters when wildfires burned more than 1.6 million acres and hundreds of homes and businesses destroyed, continue to recover and rebuild, particularly in the Butte County town of Paradise.

The Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds announced today are intended for essential infrastructure projects that need to be completed while communities work to build and rebuild needed housing, particularly housing for low- and middle-middle Californians income, and ensuring that all households displaced in these disasters have an opportunity to return home.

“California remains committed to empowering and assisting every community affected by devastating wildfires to rebuild,” Gov. Newsom said. “Rebuilding from the tragic destruction of communities by extreme weather is an opportunity to restore economic opportunity and strengthen communities by giving them the opportunity to recover.”

In August 2018, the Carr Fire and the Mendocino Complex Fire erupted in Northern California, followed in November 2018 by the Camp and Woolsey Fires. These were the most destructive and deadly fires to hit California this year. In total, more than 1.6 million hectares burned down in 2018.

“We are inspired by residents coming together and working in partnership with government to rebuild their lives, restore economic opportunity and create a more resilient future,” said Lourdes Castro Ramírez, Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. “These dollars represent an important milestone for communities that have weathered unimaginable tragedy from these devastating wildfires. We will continue to work closely with our federal partners in the Biden administration to get resources into communities faster and more equitably when disasters strike.”

Communities received grants based on their unmet infrastructure needs and have the flexibility to use the grants to support projects based on their priorities to rebuild in a safe, sustainable and resilient way. The City of Paradise has received nearly $200 million that will be used to construct critical projects that will accelerate its capacity to rebuild higher-density and more affordable housing, business corridors, and critical evacuation routes should they face future disasters.

“Rebuilding together is the foundation of the ongoing recovery effort in the city of Paradise,” said Gustavo Velasquez, director of the CA Department of Housing and Community Development. “This nearly $200 million award will support the city’s critical infrastructure as it rebuilds with resilience and climate protection at the core of its goals. We remain committed to helping Paradise residents recover and rebuild.”

CDBG-DR funds are managed by HCD after receiving federal allocation from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the federal CDBG-DR program.

Below is a list of the awards announced today:

Local Jurisdiction	Overall excellent
Butte County	$72,722,679.61
City of Chico	$12,388,409.65
City of Malibu	$47,276.93
City of Redding	$22,563,043.51
City of Shasta Lake	$6,326,184.69
Los Angeles District	$3,788,157.86
city ​​of paradise	$199,592,735.75
In total	$317,428,488.00

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