Quick Take
The failure of the Pajaro River levee on March 11, putting 33,000 people under evacuation orders or warnings and flooding a largely low-income farmworker community, offered yet another generational disaster for the Central Coast this winter.
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom has requested that President Joe Biden to declare a major disaster for Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito and eight other counties following yet another run of damaging winter storms.
The failure of the Pajaro River levee on March 11, putting 33,000 people under evacuation orders or warnings and flooding a largely low-income farmworker community, offered yet another generational disaster for the Central Coast this winter. Aside from the damage to homes, the March floods washed out agricultural fields in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties ahead of berry harvesting and vegetable planting season, leaving thousands of farmworkers unemployed.
In his letter to Biden, Newsom also highlighted the issues experienced in the Santa Cruz Mountains, where initial assessments estimated that nearly 50 homes and businesses were damaged, though the actual numbers are likely greater. According to the letter, 33% of the county’s population lacks homeowner and personal property insurance, and only 4.6% of the county has flood insurance.
“The county will see significant impacts to long-term recovery as the lack of both homeowner’s and flood insurance will only contribute to delayed rebuilding and repairs to homes and businesses,” Newsom wrote.
If Biden agrees and declares a major disaster, it would be the second this year for the Central Coast. Another presidential disaster declaration would open up federal resources for individual assistance, small businesses, agriculture and hazard mitigation to affected Santa Cruz County residents, property owners and workers. However, Newsom did not include Santa Cruz County in his request that the federal government assist certain local governments with infrastructure and emergency response costs.