SANTA YSABEL, Calif., Aug. 14, 2024 – Today, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development California State Director Maria Gallegos Herrera traveled to the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel to announce a Community Facilities Program Disaster Grant award to support disaster recovery and response efforts with the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel. This community was significantly affected by recent winter storms and flooding events.
“Today’s investment in the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel is a clear example of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to supporting recovery and resilience through targeted disaster funding,” said Gallegos Herrera. “Unexpected disasters in 2022 and 2023 took a toll on rural and Tribal communities across California, and USDA is helping ensure that these communities will be more resilient to future disasters.”
The Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel is receiving a $675,000 Community Facilities Program Disaster grant to help purchase a road grader, dozer, and backhoe to make repairs to the roads that were damaged in previous severe storms of 2022 and 2023. The disasters caused extensive damage to the Tribal community roads, with some beyond repair. This condition prevented more than 20 residents from leaving their homes until roads were cleared. With over 300 Tribal and community members living on more than 15,000 acres, the Tribe will now have the proper equipment and funding to provide emergency evacuation routes and fire breaks.
The Community Facilities Disaster investment in the Iipay Nation marks the first award of its kind in California and is a significant step toward supporting disaster recovery in the state, and particularly in underserved areas. Later this month, State Director Gallegos Herrera will present a similar award to the City of Ukiah in Mendocino County.
Disaster grants are available now to help rural and Tribal communities and nonprofits to restore community facilities that were damaged by natural disasters in 2022 or 2023 and community water and wastewater systems damaged by natural disaster in 2022. Grants up to 75% of total project costs available in most cases.
On Wednesday, August 21, at 11am PT, USDA Rural Development staff in California will host a webinar related to available disaster grant funding. Public bodies, nonprofits, and Tribes are encouraged to attend and learn more about eligibility. Contact sally.tripp@usda.gov or jennifer.strauch@usda.gov with questions and to access a link to the webinar.
Background
The Community Facilities Disaster Grant program provides grants to repair essential community facilities in rural areas that were damaged by Presidentially Declared Disasters in Calendar Year 2022 or to repair or replace essential community facilities damaged by Presidentially Declared Disasters in CY 2023 and Other Disasters in CY 2023. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/ca. To subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.