USDA Offers Support to People and Communities Affected by California Wildfires
WASHINGTON, October 25, 2017 – Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett announced today that USDA is making resources available to help rural people and communities recover from the effects of California wildfires.
“While the full extent of damage from the current wildfires is not yet known, USDA Rural Development is committed to supporting the recovery of impacted rural communities,” Hazlett said. “We have a variety of assistance rural communities can use during the rebuilding process.”
Help for Communities
Rural communities that have been impacted by the fires can receive assistance through the Community Facilities Program to repair or rebuild essential community buildings and infrastructure and replace damaged equipment. Also, USDA can provide relief through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program to help repair or rebuild rural water and wastewater systems in the aftermath of this disaster.
Help for Businesses
Rural Development can help businesses recover from the damage caused by wildfires by guaranteeing their business loans with eligible lenders through the Business and Industry Loan Guarantee Program. Funds also may be available from Rural Development’s intermediary lenders.
Help for Housing
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is taking the lead to provide emergency housing for people who need it in these affected areas. Existing USDA home loan borrowers may qualify for assistance with their loan payments.
More detailed information on available resources from Rural Development may be found at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/services/rural-development-disaster-assistance.
Additional resources from USDA and other organizations for those impacted by disasters may also be found at https://www.usda.gov/topics/disaster.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; homeownership; community services such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/ca.
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