As an April 20 deadline approaches for Planada flood victims to apply for relief, some activists say concerns linger regarding the transparency of the process for the distribution of $20 million in state funds.
Merced County Human Services Agency reports about half of the unincorporated community of roughly 4,000 population has applied for aid.
An April 12 breakdown of applications published on a county social media page dedicated to the process shows 673 applications – representing 2,093 residents – have been filed.
Those applications include 580 for requested direct assistance, 360 for housing repair, 336 for lost wages and 102 for vehicle damage. Fifty-five of those applications have been withdrawn.
Merced County Human Services Agency Deputy Director Michelle Roe said applications have dwindled, with the most being received on March 11, when the number of submitted applications started at about 165. An outreach program was launched in February to get more people to apply.
“We worked with our community partners and nonprofits to assist us in that door-to-door outreach as well as getting information out to the area,” said Roe. “Then each week we’ve gone out and done additional outreach, circling back to remind people that we are here, we’re open.”
About 80% of Planada’s population endured some level of property damage, according to research and an analysis by UC Merced’s Community and Labor Center. No lives were lost.
Not only were residents’ daily lives affected by the flood, but several community staples, including the elementary school, the community center, and the local post office, were also impacted.
The school was closed for three months, while the community center reopened in August. The Planada post office reopened last week, after being closed for more than a year. Residents previously had to drive to Merced to retrieve their mail.
Residents can apply for various funds through one application. Earlier this year, the Board of Supervisors approved a relief plan of $8 million for home repairs, $4 million in 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 money came from the state.
“Many residents felt that the allocation of $4 million was insufficient because the county placed a cap of $15,000 per household on this direct assistance for housing and personal property combined,” said Alicia Rivera, Leadership Counsel policy advocate for Merced County.
“The county has indicated that they may shift funding around after they process all of the applications in case any of the funding categories have been underspent and have remaining funds that could be shifted to another category where there is a higher need.”
The county approved the spending plan on Jan. 9, exactly one year after water from a powerful atmospheric river storm system breached the banks of Miles Creek, devastating the community.
What the flood recovery application process consists of
The application process, which Roe said takes about 30 minutes, consists of residents getting registered and then paired up with an assistant who fills out the application electronically. At the same time, they describe the damages they suffered.
“Then the individual is presented with an application to sign at the end,” she said. “They’ll have copies of their application as well as next steps as to what the process is.”
After completing an application, residents proceed to another table where they must present proof of residency — an ID with the applicant’s address or a utility bill. The application is then processed.
“They need to show proof of residency at the time that they actually live in the Planada area, then show some kind of damage to their home so they can show us water outside the home or water in the home,” said Roe. “They get a priority letter right away that tells them as soon as the application is completed.”
Distribution of funds to residents
Priority is based on which area the applicant lived in during the flood and the area of impact.
“If you were on the flooded streets with actual water, on your streets, and in your homes, that’s priority one,” said Roe. “Then there’s priority two and priority three. If you’re just applying for vehicle loss, or if you’re in an area that wasn’t damaged as badly, then that’s your priority.”
Applications for those in higher-priority areas are processed first. There will be an appeals process once applicants are notified of the amount of money they will receive. Information on the number of denied or appealed applications won’t be available until after the April 20 deadline.
Roe explained those who apply will have 30 days after submittal to bring back any required verification.
Residents get a letter explaining any needed verifications, which are also on a checklist they are presented with. They sign that to show they understand those are still required to continue their case, said Roe.
Payment through United Way of Merced County, the relief funds’ financial agent, is expected to be sent out starting April 22.
Residents’ response to the process
Roe said people have been happy with the process and told her they were surprised it was as simple as it was, or they expected it to be more complicated. “We do not ask for proof of citizenship in any way, and they were very grateful for that as well,” she added.
Rivera said her organization has heard residents are frustrated with the cap on the amount of money they can receive and what they say is a lack of communication and transparency from the county.
“Some feel insulted by the amount they’re receiving, with one resident stating, ‘They are giving us cents compared to everything we lost,’” she said.
“It’s been more than a year, and residents are exhausted. They’re experiencing a range of emotions. Some simply want to receive the funds promptly, while others feel offended by the amount they’re being allocated — in some cases, they expect to receive much less than the value of what they lost or the amount they’ve already spent to recover.”
When asked about those concerns, Roe said she has not been made aware of such issues. Roe said she meets with the nonprofits every two weeks to get feedback.
“When the residents come in, if they have questions, we do everything we can to answer those questions,” she said.
Several lawsuits have been filed against government agencies in the aftermath of the flood, alleging overgrown vegetation in the creeks and lack of maintenance contributed to it. Those lawsuits are still pending in civil court.
Rivera said that due to the alleged lack of communication between residents and the county, some of the plaintiffs involved in the lawsuits have withdrawn their applications, thinking they cannot sue if they receive any aid.
“Merced County has confirmed that participation in the lawsuit does not in any way affect a resident’s ability to apply for funds from the $20 million recovery fund,” she said. “There just cannot be duplication of benefits.”
She does, however, encourage residents who have yet to apply to do so since they advocated for the money, and it belongs to them.
“Many residents are exhausted from mistrust and a year of waiting, but they deserve to receive this support — and more — to help recover from this tragic event,” said Rivera. “From the feedback gathered from residents, it’s evident that the process could have been more effective.”
Furthermore, Rivera said that Merced County needs to address several issues to regain the public’s trust.
“The absence of transparency has further eroded residents’ trust in the county, leaving them feeling disrespected,” she said. “It is crucial that the county make distribution of the $20 million fund as accessible, transparent, and equitable as possible.”
The application center at the Planada Community Center, 9167 Stanford Ave, will continue to operate until April 20 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Christian De Jesus Betancourt is the bilingual communities reporter at The Merced FOCUS, a nonprofit newsroom covering Merced. The Merced FOCUS is part of the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative.