In response to the extensive damages wrought by the catastrophic fires across the Los Angeles Region, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has made a move to offer much-needed support to the affected communities. A series of extensions to application deadlines and the opening of funding opportunities are among the measures being implemented by the HCD, reflecting their profound commitment to aid those in the throes of recovery.
HCD has already pushed back deadlines for several federal and state housing programs to give leeway to stakeholders sidelined by the blaze's impact. Distressed by the anguish of meeting near-term commitments and looming deadlines, the clarity comes that these extensions are a lifeline for communities in rebuilding their homes and lives, as reported by the HCD. Specific federal program extensions detailed by HCD include the HOME Investments Partnership NOFA, which will see its application deadline extended by 60 days to May 24, as well as a six-month extension for fire-impacted applicants to submit Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) NOFA applications. State programs are not left behind, also seeing deadline shifts. Among these, the deadline for Affordable Homeownership Projects and Programs under the Homeownership Super NOFA is now March 13.
Recognizing the staggering task of recovery, HCD will not demand pre-approval for impacted jurisdictions desiring to amend their existing approved five-year plans, allowing for changes in the service of fire recovery efforts. Yet, the directive offers hope, despite the chaos wrought by the fires, that documentation and deadlines should not be an obstacle to rebuilding communities in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Moreover, HCD is extending support to housing element rezones and easing enforcement processes, crucial to land use planning. Cities and counties under the Southern California Association of Governments now have until March 12, before HCD commences enforcement in these areas.
For individuals and business owners grappling with the fires' destruction, HCD directs them to CA.gov/LAfires, a centralized hub for accessing information and resources from multiple government agencies. Additionally, guidance on applying for disaster assistance through various channels, including DisasterAssistance.gov and FEMA's smartphone application, is provided, offering some semblance of a lifeline as they navigate the recovery journey, the HCD noted.
