San Diego, California — More than two years after devastating floods swept through parts of San Diego County, many families are still struggling to rebuild their lives. Now, California officials are offering a new opportunity for eligible homeowners to receive financial assistance through the ReCoverCA Housing Program, which is designed to help close the remaining gaps in disaster recovery.
The January 2024 storms displaced more than 1,200 people and damaged thousands of homes across the region. While many residents received assistance from insurance providers or the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), numerous homeowners continue to face costly repairs that remain out of reach.
ReCoverCA Program Aims to Help Eligible Homeowners
The ReCoverCA Housing Program is intended for low- and moderate-income homeowners who owned their homes at the time of the disaster and continue to have unmet recovery needs.
Funded through the Federal Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Program, the initiative focuses on helping homeowners rebuild, repair or restore single-family homes damaged during federally declared disasters.
According to program officials, assistance is designed to fill recovery gaps that other aid programs may not have covered.
To qualify, applicants must:
- Own the damaged home affected by the January 2024 disaster.
- Live in an eligible disaster-designated area.
- Have a household income below 120% of the Area Median Income.
- Complete an application and eligibility review process.
Officials will evaluate each application to determine what repairs or rebuilding assistance may be available.
State Officials Encourage Residents to Apply
Maziar Movassaghi, Assistant Deputy Director for the Federal Recovery Program, said the initiative was created for homeowners who still need help long after the initial disaster response ended.
“Here we are two and a half years later and people still don’t have the help that they need and they’ve been asking for the resources,” said Movassaghi.
He explained that the program is not meant to replace emergency assistance already provided by agencies such as FEMA or the Small Business Administration.
“It’s not intended to be an initial program offered by FEMA or the Small Business Administration in the early stages of the disaster. This is intended to cover gaps in their recovery needs.”
Officials say every homeowner’s situation is different, which is why they encourage residents to complete an application even if they previously received other forms of disaster assistance.
Some Flood Victims Say Recovery Has Been Difficult
Despite the launch of the new program, some residents remain frustrated after years of trying to rebuild.
Flood survivor Blanca Murillo said previous attempts to receive additional financial help were unsuccessful.
“It’s a waste of time. Every program we tried to get, the answer is no, no, no,” Murillo said. “They don’t give us any money. Only FEMA was the only thing that we got since, then no more.”
Murillo said her family was forced to permanently eliminate one room from their home because they could not afford the necessary repairs, even after receiving insurance payments and FEMA assistance.
She described returning home after the flood as one of the most heartbreaking experiences her family has endured.
“We lost everything. To come home and see everything was like a tornado,” Murillo said.
According to Murillo, it would cost at least $50,000 to fully repair the remaining damage to her home.
Application Workshops Continue Throughout July
To help homeowners complete the application process, state officials are hosting free in-person assistance workshops.
Initial workshops were held July 7 through July 9 at the Mountain View/Beckwourth Library. In addition, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) will continue offering twice-weekly application assistance at the Malcolm X Branch Library through the end of July.
Officials hope more eligible homeowners will take advantage of the program before assistance opportunities expire.
“We really encourage folks to apply, to come in and talk to us to see what you’re eligible for because everybody’s recovery path is very different,” Movassaghi said.
Do you think enough has been done to help families recover from the 2024 San Diego floods? If you or someone you know has been affected, share your thoughts and experiences respectfully in the comments below.