GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - According to Katrina Palomar, Senior Emergency Services Coordinator with the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), the Direct Housing Extension Request for FEMA residents has been approved.

Local and state government agencies, alongside FEMA and CalOES, submitted the request for a year-long extension for FEMA housing, like the FEMA park located at Gridley's Industrial Park, early this year. The hope was that FEMA temporary housing would remain accessible for Camp Fire Victims still transitioning into long term housing but the future remained unknown until just now. The quickly approaching deadline, whereas residents would be required to vacate the premises or pay rent, May 15th 2020, has been extended until May of 2021.

At this time, according to information shared by FEMA Voluntary Agency Liaisons and CalOES representatives that work with the Gridley Relief Group, there are currently 210 households in the Gridley FEMA group site. Under the pressure of the looming deadline, seven households have transitioned out of the park in the last two weeks. Residents are required to present a list of rentals or potential housing opportunities that they have investigated to FEMA case workers on a monthly basis. 

CalOES workers have been accompanying the FEMA re-certification case workers, those responsible for keeping track of the residents search for long term housing solutions, to get an idea of the progress of FEMA group site residents. With the deadline now extended for a year, it will take a little pressure off the residents but FEMA and CalOES will keep the momentum going. Palomar says that, “CalOES and FEMA will continue to work through the conditions necessary to keep the program moving forward and helping the community to find a permanent solution.”  

Communities, organizations and Long Term Recovery Groups, alongside groups like Gridley's Recovery Group, will wait for updates on what the next steps will be as Palomar works with the FEMA partners.