~Over half a million dollars is going to drought relief in California
The California Department of Community Services and Development announced $600,000 is now going to assist low-income households impacted by the drought with their residential water utility bills.
This brings the total funding for this emergency assistance program to $1.2 million to assist drought impacted, low-income households with residential water utility bills.
"There's about six counties that received awards, Tulare Stanislas, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, and Merced and three counties there are also impacted on the Central Coast, Monterrey, San Benito and Santa Cruz"
– Rachel Arrezola, Deputy Director for Legislative and Public Affairs
Rachel Arrezola, the Deputy Director for Legislative and Public Affairs says this is a pilot project is in its second year, and may be extended.
Locally, the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission has been awarded an additional $60,000.
"There are many low income households, who in addition to having some hard times, are facing new hardships because of the drought. They may be seeing reduced work hours or have a job loss in their family and they are not able to make their resources stretch as far as they may have been able to before the drought." – Rachel Arrezola
The program is available in 10 counties experiencing a high unemployment rate, high share of agricultural workers and designated to have “exceptional” drought conditions according to the U.S. Drought Monitor Classification System.
Under last year’s $600,000 grant, 2,793 households received water bill assistance and water conservation education.
The average water bill assistance payment was $183.
Eligible households will be asked to self-certify they have been impacted by the drought, such as a job loss or reduced hours.
Local Agency County Served:
Community Services Employment Training (CSET) – Tulare
Central Valley Opportunity Center (CVOC) – Stanislaus
Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission – Fresno
Community Action Partnership of Kern County – Kern
Kings Community Action Organization – Kings
Community Action Partnership of Madera County – Madera
Merced Community Action Agency – Merced
Monterey Community Action Partnership – Monterey
County of San Benito Health and Human Services Agency – San Benito
Community Action Board of Santa Cruz – Santa Cruz
