On Dec. 20, 2022, a 6.4 magnitude struck Humboldt County. Following the initial earthquake, the county experienced over 200 aftershocks, one of which being a 5.4 magnitude on New Year’s Day that resulted in a significant increase of reported structural damages. As a result of these earthquakes, approximately 381 dwelling units were affected, impacting approximately 24.58% of the City of Rio Dell’s housing stock, including 90 structures deemed unsafe to occupy.
Immediate results in long-term disaster recovery are challenging to achieve, and nearly one year later, the County of Humboldt, in coordination with the state and many local partners, continues to contribute to earthquake recovery efforts. Progress is being made and the City of Rio Dell recently reported that 79 of the 90 red tagged dwellings have been repaired, leaving 11 red tagged homes which remain unsafe to occupy and approximately 200 yellow tagged homes still in need of repairs.
Background
While significant earthquake-related damage was sustained to the local community, the reported damages did not meet the high federal requirements for a federal Major Disaster Declaration, which may have provided various funding opportunities for services like temporary housing and/or home repairs. Until regulatory changes are made in Washington DC, this critical assistance remains out of reach for rural communities like Humboldt County. Despite these obstacles, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 10 took significant steps to assist Humboldt County and Rio Dell residents experiencing earthquake-related displacement, allocating $1 million to create an Earthquake Recovery & Assistance Program.
Emergency Shelter Voucher Program
Over $375,000 of this funding was spent on the county’s emergency shelter voucher program which provided temporary shelter to residents experiencing earthquake-related displacement. In total, 95 households were served by this program from January to April in 2023. The program closed when all participants had the opportunity to return home when safety repairs were completed or had secured new, safe residences. The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) has recently confirmed that the county will receive reimbursements for 100 percent of the costs for this program from the state. While this program is closed, work to end earthquake-related displacement is ongoing.
Local Disaster Case Management Services
Following the earthquakes, the county and many local nonprofit partners worked to facilitate the organization of Disaster Case Management (DCM) services for Rio Dell residents who were impacted by the earthquake. In April, the County of Humboldt helped facilitate an agreement between Arcata House Partnership, Changing Tides Family Services and the Humboldt Eel River Valley Long-Term Recovery Group to provide disaster case management services to the local community. This program is not funded or overseen by the County of Humboldt. Initial funding for DCM services was provided by the Humboldt Area Foundation and Wild Rivers Community Foundation (HAF+WRCF), who designated $1.2 million from its Disaster Relief, Recovery & Resiliency Fund for nonprofit organizations, tribes and government entities helping Rio Dell and Humboldt County residents who have been impacted by the earthquakes.
Since the local DCM team was established, local disaster case managers have worked to connect residents affected by the earthquake with other nonprofits and resources, funds to cover unmet needs, as well as appropriate state and federal funding sources which may be available to qualifying residents. The local DCM team has assisted over 200 clients to date and continues to work to connect community members to services and earthquake recovery resources.
Residents who have been impacted by the earthquakes are encouraged to reach out to the DCM team to inquire about support services and funds, even if repairs to homes have previously been completed. To access or inquire about DCM services, please call 707-382-5890.
Habitat for Humanity
After the earthquakes occurred, the County of Humboldt worked in partnership with the City of Rio Dell and Cal OES to identify and coordinate partnerships with nonprofit agencies that have experience in disaster recovery, including repairing and rebuilding homes.
In March, the county formalized an agreement with Habitat for Humanity Yuba/Sutter to assist low-income residents whose homes need extensive repair. Of the $1 million in the county’s Earthquake Recovery & Assistance Program funding, $500,000 has been allocated to Habitat for Humanity. Per the county’s agreement with Habitat, the initial amount of $250,000 was paid upon the receipt of Habitat’s earthquake disaster relief business plan. Additional compensation in an amount of $250,000 may be paid to Habitat upon the completion of work described in the business plan when the county deems the work acceptable.
The partnership between Habitat for Humanity and the county aims to help displaced low-income families by repairing and/or replacing earthquake-damaged homes of private property owners that do not need to meet low-income guidelines and are willing to offer their home to rent as affordable housing stock to low-income families for a term of two to five years. As part of this agreement, Habitat is working with local disaster case managers to coordinate recovery grant and loan applicant intake forms and partner agency caseworkers with qualifying low-income families, rental property owners and non-profits.
To date, Habitat has two property owners entering contracts for repairs who are willing to rent their homes to low-income families working with local disaster case managers. These contracts will utilize funds provided by the county’s Earthquake Recovery & Assistance Program.
The county remains engaged with Habitat and other local long-term earthquake recovery partners to help guide certain parts of Habitat’s recovery program. Habitat also has contacts and expertise that has allowed them to leverage and access other opportunities for earthquake recovery funding support, including securing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) disaster relief funds for Humboldt County residents. Habitat currently has four homeowners who are in the final stages of the lengthy USDA disaster relief application process.
Habitat continues to engage with local property companies to identify outstanding earthquake repairs in Rio Dell. Property owners with homes or investment properties in need of earthquake repairs who are willing to offer their property as affordable housing stock are encouraged to contact Habitat for Humanity for more information at 530-742-2727 ext. 2013.
McLean Foundation Partnership
In March, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors authorized a Memorandum of Understanding with the McLean Foundation for fiscal agent services to aid in the long-term recovery of the City of Rio Dell and surrounding areas. The McLean Foundation has assumed responsibility for the administration of Earthquake Recovery & Assistance Program funds in the amount of $250,000 to assist residents with earthquake-damaged home repairs. Their efforts include allocating funds to meet unmet needs regarding earthquake-related home repairs. Examples of unmet needs include funds to replace a water heater damaged by the earthquake or funds to cover storage fees while earthquake-related repairs are made on homes. To date, McLean has authorized approximately $80,000 in Earthquake Recovery & Assistance Program funds to cover unmet needs brought forward by the local DCM team.
McLean will continue to work with the DCM team and recovery partners such as the Eel River Valley Long Term Recovery Group and Pay It Forward Humboldt to provide earthquake-related home repair assistance to affected residents. For more information about unmet needs funds, please contact the local DCM team at 707-382-5890.
Dec. 20, 2022 Earthquake Anniversary Community Gathering
To allow the community time to spend with their loved ones this holiday season, Pay It Forward Humboldt and the Eel River Valley Long Term Recovery group will host a community gathering from 4 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024 to connect with the community and acknowledge the anniversary of the Dec. 20, 2022 earthquake. The location will be announced as more information becomes available. Please visit Pay It Forward Humboldt’s Facebook page for updates.
The County of Humboldt extends its gratitude to the City of Rio Dell, Cal OES, Changing Tides Family Services, Arcata House Partnership, Pay It Forward Humboldt, the Humboldt Area Foundation and Wild Rivers Community Foundation, Habitat for Humanity Yuba/Sutter, the McLean Foundation, the Humboldt Eel River Valley Long Term Recovery Group and many others whose efforts have been critical on the long road to earthquake recovery this past year. The county acknowledges there is more work to be done and will continue to support earthquake recovery efforts in the new year.
For updated information and available resources regarding earthquake recovery, please visit humboldtgov.org/earthquake.