PRESIDENT JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR. APPROVES MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATION FOR CALIFORNIA [https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20230115/president-joseph-r-biden-jr-approves-major-disaster-declaration-california] Release Date: January 15, 2023 WASHINGTON – FEMA announced today that President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared on Jan. 14, that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of California to supplement state, local and tribal recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides beginning on Dec. 27, 2022, and continuing. The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Merced, Sacramento and Santa Cruz. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can apply for disaster assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov [https://www.disasterassistance.gov/], by calling 800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA App [https://www.fema.gov/about/news-multimedia/mobile-products]. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. Federal assistance is also available to state, tribal, eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and debris removal in Merced, Sacramento and Santa Cruz counties. Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. Andrew F. Grant was named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas.