VENTURA, Calif. – On Tuesday, January 24, the Board of Supervisors, voted to ratify the proclamation of a local emergency put forth by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services in order to provide assistance to residents in relation to the storms that affected the county beginning on January 8. The vote to ratify occurred following the date of the proclamation since the Board was not in session on the date the proclamation was authored.
“We are hopeful that our county will soon receive approval from FEMA for the Individual Assistance Program,” said Patrick Maynard, Director of Emergency Services. “This program is vital to supporting residents through the recovery process. The Individual Assistance Program provides several types of help to residents including temporary rental assistance as well as funding for debris removal and repairs. We are working closely with our federal elected representatives to advocate on behalf of Ventura County ensuring residents receive the assistance they need.”
The January storm is believed to have been the strongest experienced in the region since 2005. Mandatory evacuations were ordered in numerous areas across the county and affected several thousand residents. Communities that were significantly impacted include La Conchita, Ojai, Oak View, Casitas Springs, Ventura, Piru and Fillmore. Both private structures and public infrastructure were impacted due to flooding and mudflow. Currently, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services estimates that there is over $30,000,000 in local damages. Throughout the county, 85 structures on private property have been identified to have some level of damage, some of which were completely destroyed.
“The prospective funding that we would receive from FEMA is essential to our ability to support Ventura County residents in the recovery process,” stated Dr. Sevet Johnson, County Executive Officer. “We hope that these funds will soon be available and can begin to be used to assist residents as they navigate repairing damages they have experienced to their homes and properties.”
The Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services continues to collect information on damages to private property and agricultural operations. Residents looking to report damages to their homes or property can do so at www.vcemergency.com.
