LaMalfa Statement on USDA Grant to Boost Paradise Recovery Efforts

(Washington, DC) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) issued the following statement after the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development announced a $148,300 grant to the Town of Paradise to support the community's recovery efforts from the 2018 Camp Fire. The funds will support renovations to a building that will become the new Building Resiliency Center (BRC) in Paradise that will serve as a permanent home for information and resources available to residents trying to recover and rebuild from the Camp Fire.

LaMalfa said: "It has been exactly one year since California's most destructive wildfire ever, the Camp Fire, was ignited in Butte County and quickly engulfed the towns of Paradise, Magalia, Concow, Yankee Hill and the surrounding area. The destruction is well-documented. Most tragically of all, 86 people lost their lives because of it. A year later, we're still working on solutions to the after-effects. This USDA grant will help expedite the recovery process for many victims of the Camp Fire, and I thank Rural Development for their continued help for the recovery needs of Northern California."

USDA Rural Development State Director for California Kim Dolbow Vann said: "Wildfire may have devastated the landscape of Paradise, but it didn't break its spirit. As we mark the anniversary of the Camp Fire, I am proud to celebrate the strength and resiliency of this community and its residents. As Paradise continues their recovery, USDA remains committed to help."

Paradise Town Manager Lauren Gill said: "We are grateful for the partnership we have with USDA Rural Development. The BRC will be the cornerstone of our recovery from the Camp Fire and serve as the one-stop facility for residents wishing to rebuild in the Town and the Ridge at large. This grant from USDA Rural Development is critical to expedite its opening."

Paradise Town Councilman Steve Crowder said: "We are so grateful to have received this grant to help us open our much-needed recovery center to help our residents get home as fast as possible. The USDA grant allowed us to accomplish this in a much more expedient time frame. Thank you, Congressman LaMalfa and all the other hard-working people that made this happen."

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