Habitat for Humanity is Coming to Help Repair Earthquake-Damaged Homes, Says Office of Emergency Services
Press release from the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services:
Additional help is on the horizon for Humboldt County residents displaced due to the recent earthquakes. The County of Humboldt has now formalized an agreement with Habitat for Humanity Yuba/Sutter to assist residents whose homes need extensive repair.
“We are providing much-needed assistance to displaced residents while continuing to explore every resource available to help our communities rebuild,” Humboldt County 2nd District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell said. “The most important thing we can do is to get people back in their homes, so we have been working to establish partnerships with organizations who have significant experience with rebuilding homes following a disaster.”
The Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services has been working in partnership with the City of Rio Dell and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to identify and coordinate partnerships with nonprofit agencies that have experience in disaster recovery, including repairing and rebuilding homes. Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization working in local communities across all 50 states in the United States and in approximately 70 countries. Through their Disaster Risk Reduction and Response program, Habitat for Humanity will provide management and oversight services related to home rebuilding and rehabilitation for low to very low-income homeowners and residents who have been displaced, or whose homes have sustained significant damage, as a result of the recent earthquakes.
“Through our experience with disaster relief, the one thing we have learned is that every disaster is unique,” said Joseph Hale, Habitat for Humanity Yuba/Sutter CEO. “However, what is similar are the struggles families face with being displaced. Our goal at Habitat is to not forget the compassion that goes along with this work as we coordinate with the Office of Emergency Services (OES), the County of Humboldt, and the City of Rio Dell in serving those in need by creating a fast-moving streamlined process.”
Since the December 20 and January 1 earthquakes, building inspectors have designated approximately 91 structures as “red-tagged,” or unsafe to occupy, and over 300 structures “yellow-tagged,” or requiring various safety repairs. Humboldt County’s Earthquake Recovery and Assistance Program has provided approximately 104 disaster-related displaced households with temporary sheltering as residents have worked to make necessary safety repairs to their homes or find alternate accommodations.
The Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services’ Recovery Operations Center and local nonprofits continue to work to facilitate the organization of disaster case management services for Rio Dell residents who have been affected by the earthquake. These case management services will connect incident-related displaced residents with Habitat for Humanity, other nonprofits, as well as appropriate state and federal funding sources which may be available to qualifying residents.
“Rebuilding will take time, and this partnership with Habitat for Humanity will bring the City of Rio Dell closer to our goal of ending earthquake-related displacement in our city,” said Rio Dell City Manager Kyle Knopp. “I want to thank the county for their work to bring these resources to Rio Dell. I also want to thank the team from Habitat for Humanity for their willingness to assist our community in our time of need.”
More information on earthquake case management services and the agreement with Habitat for Humanity Yuba/Sutter will be provided at the Earthquake Recovery Town Hall happing this evening, Thursday, March 2 at 6:30 p.m.
This virtual Town Hall will be opened by Senate Majority Leader Mike McGuire. State and local leaders will then discuss on-going actions being taken to move long-term recovery efforts forward and provide a comprehensive briefing on services that may be available for low-income households experiencing earthquake related displacement.
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