Planada residents who have yet to apply for flood assistance from Merced County’s winter storm relief fund will have more time to do so, as the application window has been extended to May 1.
According to a social media post from a county-run page dedicated to the process, residents can continue to apply on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Planada Community Center, 9167 Stanford Ave. in Planada.
Additionally, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays the center will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. specifically for residents needing to submit verification paperwork.
The process, which began on March 11 and is being administered by the Merced County Human Services Agency, aims to provide assistance to Planada residents who suffered losses during the Jan. 9, 2023 flood.
A single application from each household allows access to various funds available.
Local legislators secured funding
The total spending plan allocates funds for the entire community as follows: $8 million for home repairs, $4 million for direct assistance, $3 million for infrastructure, $2.5 million for other considerations, $2 million for administrative and inspection costs and $500,000 for business support.
The Merced County Board of Supervisors approved the plan precisely one year after a powerful atmospheric river storm system caused water to breach the banks of Miles Creek, devastating the Planada community.
Through the state budget process, state Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Merced and Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, D-Fresno, secured $20 million for direct aid for residents, regardless of immigration status.
The money was meant to help those affected to cover the gaps in coverage as immigration status, informality of cash jobs and rent payments prevented them from receiving federal aid through FEMA and unemployment.
Most Planada residents affected
Research and analysis by UC Merced Community and Labor Center showed that about 80% of Planada’s population endured some level of property damage. No lives were lost.
Several community institutions, including the elementary school, the community center, and the local post office, were also impacted. All buildings have since been reopened and are available for residents to use.
An April 22 breakdown of applications published on a county social media page dedicated to the process shows 773 applications – representing 2,428 residents – have been filed.
Those applications include 670 for requested direct assistance, 416 for housing repair, 416 for lost wages and 134 for vehicle damage.Sixty-one of those applications have been withdrawn.
For more information on how the flood assistance deadline has been extended for Planada residents visit the website www.planada20m.com or leave a voice message at (209) 354-2556.
