CLEARLAKE OAKS >> In a long anticipated step toward normality — temporary normality, at least — survivors of the devastating summer wildfires will soon be able to move into housing provided by FEMA.
The first occupants will be residents of Lake Village Estates, a senior-living community in Clearlake Oaks, and will start on the road to rebuilding livelihoods affected by the blaze.
In total, 15 manufactured housing units (MHUs) in various sizes will be located in the park, housing senior refugees and their caretakers. So far, nine units have arrived and some have been installed, others await construction and arrival.
According to Lake Village Estates co-owner and administrator Dena Barron, senior refugees and their caretakers may possibly move in by the end of this week. However, the keys will only be given out once the MHU’s have been given a thorough inspection by California Human Development and then FEMA.
“We can’t place a home unless it’s a safe environment,” Chris Anderson of the CHD said. On Tuesday, his department along with representatives from CalOES, Lake County, and employees of Baxter Mobile Home Transport, Inc. planned to complete five inspections at the site, which is located at 400 Sulphur Bank Road.
Each inspection performed by a small team requires multiple steps, taking the state team approximately 30 minutes to complete. Electrical tests for continuity and safety of non-circuit metals, Anderson said, is one of the major tests because the MHUs run primarily on electricity, which is controlled by a 200-amp breaker.
Other tests are standards for California mobile homes. From earthquake and wind protection to water connections, each home requires a checklist meeting these requirements.
Normally, putting in a new mobile home would require a lengthier process and stricter requirements, but Gov. Jerry Brown’s executive order in September eased the regulations of legislation, such as the Mobile Home Parks Act, to expedite the recovery process.
For example, fees and detailed plans for external structures, like the wooden ramps or stairways, were exempted from the current development. Yet, they must be properly installed and inspected.
“It cuts down on the time while providing the same level of safety,” Anderson said.
Once the state’s check is completed, FEMA will do their inspection
The Homes
Inside each MHU, a fully-furnished living space with appliances can be found.
The kitchen contains all the fundamentals of a house: a stove, oven, sink, cabinets, microwave, and even a coffee maker. In the same room, a dining table joins a couch for a small living area. This room also contains telephone and cable hookups.
The number of bedrooms in each one varies, but every sleeping quarter contains a full-size bed, a place to store clothes, and a National Weather Service radio, which according to Anderson doesn’t receive reliable reception in the area.
Other basics are available, such as a functioning bathroom and properly lighting. The only things not provided, although the hookups are available, are the washer and dryer.
The utilities — gas, sewer, and water — are supplied by terminals located on each lot. Along with the rent, these utilities are covered by FEMA, according to Barron. FEMA, which sought her business out for the temporary housing, could not confirm that claim.
Newcomers will also receive added perks like the use of the pool during the summertime and the community’s other amenities. They will also receive a discount at Yia Yia’s Coffee House in Clearlake, which she said is owned by her daughter.
“They’re going to be treated like any other resident,” she said, adding that the current residents of LVE were welcoming of them. “We’ve developed a great relationship with our residents; we are always rallying for them.”
Future sites
According to Barron, the 1,750 square-foot pads in the estate have been leased by FEMA for 18 months with a possibility of a six month extension.
“We’ve had a pleasurable experience with them,” she said. “Every applicant that I have spoken to seems very positive.”
Now that the wheels are in motion for the park, the next steps will be to add more at different sites. FEMA Public Information Officer Steven Solomon said that 40 more pads have been leased at Clearlake Resort, which have not been installed, but proper utility connections have been hooked up.
FEMA, which has approved $3.4 million housing assistance for approximately 600 homeowners associated with the fires, could potentially use Grange Road in Hidden Valley Lake, but approval hasn’t been given. If approved, the site could host 30 more pads.
In addition to providing shelter, Solomon said the federal government has approved rental help for more than 600 renters and nearly $3 million in “other needs” or individual assistance. Sixty-two people have also been approved for maximum grants of $32,900.
“FEMA continues to do everything it can to help the state to ensure that Valley Fire survivors are lodged as the weather gets colder,” he said. “We’ll be here as long we’re needed.”
