Board of Supervisors unanimously approves extension of recovery services for families affected by CZU Fire
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV)- UPDATE ON MAY 14, 2024 AT 4:23 PM: The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved to extend recovery services for families affected by the CZU Fire.
The extension is worth $600,000 with 4-Leaf Inc. which will allow the recovery permit center to give wildfire survivors an additional six months of service.
The Recovery Permit Center will be open to the public which will be at the Community Room located at the Santa Cruz County Government Center at 701 Ocean Street.
The center has been opened since 2021 to expedite navigating insurance, FEMA paperwork and environmental codes.
The extension will last until Dec. 31, 2024 and will allow wildfire survivors an additional six months of priority service.
Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors to consider proposal to extend recovery services for families affected by the CZU Fire
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors could consider approving a proposal that would offer more help for families who are still rebuilding their homes from the CZU Fire.
The Board of Supervisors will consider a $600,000 contract extension with 4-Leaf Inc.
The proposal would allow the recovery permit center to give fire survivors an additional six months of priority service.
The center was established to help fire victims the rebuilding process like navigating insurance, FEMA paperwork and environmental codes.
“It's really trying to help our fire survivors out and I think it helps the broader community by making sure that these folks stay in the neighborhood so that they’re not forced to move elsewhere," Santa Cruz County Public Information Officer Jason Hoppin said. "We think that’s good for the whole community.”
A county report stated that 158 permits for single-family homes are currently in construction.
The report said that 65 percent of homes have submitted pre-clearance applications while 35 percent of impacted parcels have never submitted a pre-clearance application. A total of 193 CZU-impacted parcels have been sold.
The county so far, has been issuing one or two housing permits a week.
On May 14th, the Santa Cruz board of supervisors will be considering extension to recovery services through the permit center for CZU fire survivors and their families.
This new service will be open to the public and return to the community room at 701 ocean street. CZU survivors will have priority access, which includes same-day appointments and walk-ins with expedited pre-clearance and building permit review.
The CZU fire destroyed a number of homes in the Bonny Doon and San Lorenzo Valley areas.
