The San Diego City Council approved Mayor Todd Gloria’s proposal to waive building and demolition fees for people affected by a major atmospheric river storm that saturated the region last month.
The plan will also reimburse recycling costs associated with the reconstruction of damaged private property.
Additionally, the city has established a debris removal program, to will be coordinated through its Environmental Services department, to assist with collecting, handling, and disposing of demolition waste connected to the flooding.
At least a thousand San Diego residents are recovering from damage to homes, businesses, and other property in the historic January 22 storm. The communities of Encanto, Mountain View, Mount Hope, Rolando, Southcrest, and Shelltown were among the hardest hit.
“The city has the back of the residents who suffered major damage in the disastrous storm, and we’re bringing every resource to bear to ease their burden,” Gloria said in a statement.
“Lowering the costs of rebuilding is just one of the many ways residents have told us we can help them recover and rebuild their lives, and these fee waivers can save them thousands of dollars.”
The fee waiver will cover reconstruction or repair of structures the same size as the one that was damaged, and it is projected to save locals around $2.41 million. Anyone who has already paid building or demolition permit fees to the city is eligible for reimbursement.