HomeMy WebLinkAbout11.5.21 CalHOME Disaster Assistance Program Requirements and Challenges
From:Hatcher, Casey
To:BOS
Cc:Boston, Shelby; Daneluk, Paula
Subject:CalHOME Disaster Assistance Program Requirements and Challenges
Date:Friday, November 5, 2021 11:21:41 AM
Attachments:CalHome DA OOR Program Barriers and Recommendations.docx
Good morning Board Members
th
During the October 26 Board Meeting, questions were raised about the CalHOME program and
why we’ve had challenges using the funds to assist fire survivors after the 2017 and 2018 fires.
Attached is a summary to outline the challenges jurisdictions are seeing that have received these
funds.
HCD requested we work with its staff to see if challenges can be resolved with regulation or policy
changes before going to the Legislators for changes. We have begun those discussions.
Please let me know if you have any questions about the summary.
Thank you.
Casey
Casey Hatcher
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
Butte County Administration
25 County Center Drive, Suite 200, Oroville, CA 95965
T: 530.552.3336 |
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CalHOME Disaster Assistance Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation/Reconstruction Program
Butte County received $500,000 for CalHOME Disaster Assistance (DA) Owner Occupied
Rehabilitation/Reconstruction (OOR) after the 2017 fires (Round 1) and $10,080,000 after the 2018 fires (Round
2). To date, the County has not expended any funds or moved any applications forward to assist 2017 or 2018
fire survivors due to constraints in the program design.
Butte County contacted several jurisdictions with CalHOME DA OOR awards to better understand if they were
experiencing similar challenges and see if there may be opportunities for program modifications to better serve
disaster survivors. Butte County contacted Nevada County, Yuba County, Shasta County, the Town of Paradise,
Habitat for Humanity Los Angeles, and Habitat for Humanity-Lake County. Each jurisdiction or entity Butte
County contacted received a 2017 or 2018 CalHOME DR OOR award. Every jurisdiction of entity expressed
concern over its inability to assist fire survivors with the CalHOME DA OOR funds a result of the program design.
Only two organizations have been able to assist fire survivors with the CalHOME DA OOR funds, and only well
below their full allocation.
Butte County asked about the barriers preventing the jurisdictions or entities from awarding funds to fire
survivors to help rebuild homes after recent fires. These barriers are listed below.
market value limitations fire survivors desires a grant not a loan
clouded title assistance took too long to arrive and fire survivors left the
area
income limitations grant time for implementation is too short
funding amount will not fill gap duplication of benefits
increased construction costsbureaucracy and confusion with other programs
prior structures were not permittedapplicant was not an owner at time of fire (renter)
The jurisdictions and entities had the following suggestions to improve the CalHOME DA OOR program to assist
fire survivors and help rebuild housing stock after disasters in California.
1. Raise Market Value to assist rural owners or areas with higher land values.
a. This could be done by allowing the Medium Market Value to be tied to the neighborhood
instead of the County.
b. Determine Market Value only by house size and not land value.
2. Increase eligible household income.
3. Make the assistance, or a portion of the assistance, a grant or convertible loan.
4. Allow Exemptions for certain property liens, such as child support, debtor liens, medical liens, fines, etc.
5. Increase the maximum award to account for current rebuilding costs and location of the rebuild.
6. Deliver program sooner after a disaster.
7. Allow for extensions to deliver the program or roll funds over to other local assistance.
8. Allow more flexibility when evaluated allowable uses for duplication of benefits.
9. Allow previously unpermitted structures to qualify with property documentation from the jurisdiction to
indicate evidence of a structure prior to the disaster, such as the CalFIRE DINS report.
10. Allow renters to purchase property and qualify for OOR in areas where significant housing stock is lost to
put the focus on rebuilding housing units.
11. Allow renter-occupied reconstruction with an affordability covenant.