People displaced by levee breach in Pajaro return home months later

PAJARO, Calif. (KION-TV)- People in Kents Court can now return home after being forced out when the Pajaro River levee breached during the 2023 winter storms.

Monterey County Board of Supervisors Chair Luis Alejo announced that people in Kents Court can now return to their homes. After months of being displaced.

"Repaved driveway, skirting replaced, new wood steps, other internal repairs and gravel around units," said Supervisor Alejo.

Monterey County sets aside $1.5 million to help build affordable housing units in Pajaro

The Monterey County Board of Supervisors said that $1.5 million got approved unanimously Tuesday night to aid with the rebuilding of some affordable housing units in Pajaro.

Currently, 86 people are displaced while construction continues on these units. Five months later, and efforts to rebuild Pajaro continue.

In the meantime, families like Marias are staying at hotels like the Rodeway Inn in Watsonville and the Country Inn in Marina.

"It's been hard because we still have to take care of my kids. I have two kids but people have up to 5 or 6 kids. Yes they give us a place to stay but it's a place to sleep not to live," says Maria de Jesus Jauregui-Maciel.

Maria moved out with her family months ago and says the journey has not been easy, but is happy extra funding will let her return home faster.

"I hope to finally return and be comfortable, and everything is going to be good and new like they're saying, "says Maria de Jesus Jauregui-Maciel.

Nineteen units on Kent Court are owned by the county and are used for affordable housing. Construction on these units is taking longer than expected.

The longer it takes, the more money it will cost. That's why the board on Tuesday approved $1.5 million for rebuilding efforts.

"It's basically a gut and rebuild of the interiors of the units, plus painting the exteriors, patching the exteriors, and doing all that kind of stuff. after that, we will be bringing in heavy civil engineering," says Darby Marshall, Housing Program Analyst.

They're not just rebuilding, they're remodeling. New cabinets, flooring, a fresh coat of paint, and more will be added."It's basically a brand-new unit," says Marshall.

Part of the $1.5 million in funding is to help families pay for their stay while they wait for their homes to be rebuilt.

"I can't imagine what it's like trying to live out of a hotel," says Marshall.

So far, the units on Kent Court are the only units owned by Monterey County. Supervisor Glen Church says they may have more in the future."

We want to increase that housing stock, definitely, and affordable housing. But it is a challenge on exactly where to go with that," says Glenn Church, District Two Monterey County Supervisor.

The goal is to have all 86 people moved back into their homes on October 16th with some families moving in as soon as the end of September.

Because the county is paying for the tenant's temporary relocation the added time it will take to finish remodeling the units will be costing the county over 700,000 in hotel fees.