It’s going to take an all-hands-on-deck approach to rebuild from the devastating fires in LA.
Last week, I sent a letter to Congress asking them to have the back of the American people and provide disaster funding to help Californians recover and rebuild as soon as possible.
The funding request includes money for:
Business Loans
Low-interest loans to businesses, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters allowing for the repair or replacement of damaged or destroyed property, equipment and assets.
Community and Property Recovery
This includes funding to help remove hazardous household materials and debris removal in impacted communities. That will allow us to begin rebuilding homes, businesses and schools.
Child Welfare Programs
There are more than 438 children in foster care who have been directly impacted by these wildfires. We're asking for help them access critical services and to meet their basic needs while preventing child abuse and neglect.
Water Infrastructure
To help rebuild and repair water system infrastructure damaged or destroyed by the fires. Nine drinking water systems were impacted by the fires, with four remaining systems not yet able to serve safe drinking water.
Air Quality
We're asking for funding to help identify and monitor toxic air pollutants that are critical to protect public health and provide first responders with the necessary information to make informed decisions on protective actions.
Help for Displaced Workers
A temporary jobs program to help those who have lost their jobs as a result of the fire and have short-term employment needs.
Wildfire Resilience
This is a request for funds to help the U.S. Forest Service carry out critical wildfire defense mitigation programs and to implement emergency treatments on federal lands to minimize threats to life or property resulting from the effects of fire, or to stabilize and prevent unacceptable degradation to natural and cultural resources.
These are just a few of the programs we're asking for help with. And I'll be in touch over the coming days and weeks to let you know our progress.
Thank you,
Gavin Newsom
👋🏻 Wait... Before you go! 👋🏻
Please make a contribution to the California Fire Foundation today. They are an organization that provides support to firefighters and the communities they serve, including direct financial aid to impacted residents.
We have already raised more than $700,000 in small-dollar individual donations that will go directly to supporting firefighters and the communities they serve, including direct financial support to impacted residents. But we're hoping for more.
Please use this link to contribute to the California Fire Foundation today.
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