Supervisors OK $9.6M for flood reduction efforts, together with lodging, meals

The county Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted 4-0 to offer further assist — $6.6 million for short-term lodging and $3 million to offer three meals a day for 60 days — to residents affected by the extreme rainstorm and flooding on Jan. 22.

The funding will final via Could 11. Supervisors additionally voted 4-0 to proceed the native emergency declaration.

“These are unprecedented occasions and so they name for unprecedented responses,” stated board Chairwoman Nora Vargas.

She added whereas the county response wasn’t excellent, she and different leaders wished to “be sure that individuals perceive that we’re not taking this frivolously.”

In late January, supervisors voted 4-1 to spend $10 million to help restoration efforts after flooding broken houses in neighborhoods similar to Encanto, Mountain View and Southcrest, and unincorporated communities similar to Spring Valley.

The board’s actions on Tuesday got here after an hour-plus public listening to, the place some 60 residents mentioned how the pure catastrophe upended their lives.

Together with the intense harm to their houses, being kicked out of lodge rooms or not having sufficient to eat, a number of residents talked about how two individuals died in reference to the catastrophe.

“I am bored with seeing my individuals harm,” one girl instructed supervisors. “I am bored with getting the cellphone calls. I am bored with having to mobilize to beg for primary requirements.”

“We’re drained, we’re burdened,” stated one man, who added he lately ended up within the hospital with chest pains. “You guys must hear and concentrate. Put yourselves in our sneakers.”

The person additionally blamed town of San Diego for the present scenario many discover themselves in.

One other man stated he needed to style a mattress out a pallet rack after his house was ruined, and could not consider he was standing earlier than the supervisors asking for assist.

Corinna Contreras, of Local weather Motion Marketing campaign defined how one among her family members was impacted by the storm. After lastly discovering an inexpensive place to stay, Contreras stated “it was taken away.”

Melissa Grace, of San Diego Rise Up group group, stated the extra assist was “a no brainer,” and that she appreciated the county’s efforts.

“I do know there was a steep studying curve,” Grace stated. “There are obvious deficits that must be addressed.”

She added that group resiliency after such a catastrophe “has been essentially the most stunning a part of this whole expertise, however we have to do extra.”

There was additionally criticism of contractor Equus Workforce Options, a agency employed to assist with reduction efforts. Some flood victims stated the agency had not been responsive sufficient to their wants.

Talking earlier than the board, Mark Douglas, president and CEO of Equus Workforce Options apologized for “the burden of all of the ache” that he heard throughout Tuesday’s assembly. “I sit right here, and I personal it,” he added.

Douglas stated his firm’s efforts weren’t adequate, however they might work to make it proper.

Together with compassionate remarks to residents harmed by the flood, supervisors lauded numerous nonprofits, together with the YMCA and Chicano Federation, for serving to individuals.

Vargas stated she needs that she “might simply write a verify” and provides it to these in want, however there’s an official course of in how such funding is dealt with.

Vargas stated the county group has been aware about how the final sum of money was spent. She stated supervisors requested workers members to return with suggestions on how the county can fill any gaps.

She stated a lack of life as a result of January catastrophe “is the form of stuff that I lose sleep over.”

Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer stated she was sorry for the trauma that folks skilled. She emphasised it was shameful that folks suffered this pure catastrophe due partly to a long time of neglect.

“It isn’t random, it is not simply an accident,” she stated, including she was troubled about flood victims not getting wanted meals or being kicked out of their short-term lodging.

Supervisor Monica Montgomery-Steppe stated she appreciated the flood victims’ testimony.

“I’ve heard quite a lot of your tales, however it’s on the general public document and that is essential as we transfer ahead,” Montgomery-Steppe stated. She added that it was not her intention for residents to have beg for requirements.

“It’s some the good issues about what we do as a democracy also can maintain us again,” she stated.

As to those that died, “It isn’t enough to say `I am sorry,”‘ she stated.

Supervisor Jim Desmond stated he supported reduction efforts, but additionally wished a full account of what the county paid for, versus town of San Diego. Desmond additionally referred to as for a long-term plan after county funding ends and a report of how different jurisdictions are stepping as much as assist flooding victims.

Desmond referred to as out town of San Diego authorities for not doing sufficient to assist its personal residents and never sustaining infrastructure.

“The place’s town in all of this?” he requested. “They’ve their very own emergency providers division … Sadly, I really feel we’re rewarding negligence and incompetence of one other jurisdiction, and we should not do this.”

Desmond praised the county’s Division of Public Works by way of vital upkeep. He famous that solely 5% of unincorporated areas had been impacted by flooding.

“Now we have sturdy, secure reserve cash put aside for such crises, that we put that apart and we now have the self-discipline to maintain it there,” he stated.

Desmond additionally instructed that San Diego residents “vote for a complete new metropolis council and mayor.”

Supervisor Joel Anderson was absent Tuesday.