Big Sur Fire Relief Fund

In response to one of the largest wild fires ever to impact the Big Sur coast in the summer of 2008, the CPOA board initiated the CPOA Big Sur Fire Relief Fund. This fund was seeded by local residents, and a generous donation from the Big Sur Land Trust David Whitney Legacy Fund. Based on input from the United Way, Red Cross, SPCA, Congressman Sam Farr, Supervisor Dave Potter and community participants, we began a relief effort to provide a financial bridge for our community members impacted by the fire. We have received approximately $500,000 in donations to date.

Our initial relief program has served over 651 impacted community members in the form of emergency grants. Because CPOA’s board members live in Big Sur, and have been personally impacted by this wildfire, within days of the fire we were able to define a program and begin targeted relief efforts for those displaced and most in need.

Now that the fire is contained, CPOA is focused on helping to rebuild our community and prepare our damaged bioregion for winter. We have formed a task force to work with the county, state and federal agencies to streamline the rebuilding process. The Recovery Guidelines drafted by our group were approved by the Board of Supervisors in July. These guidelines address issues such as permitting and tax assessment with the goal of reducing financial impact due to the fire. This task force is also providing pro-bono consulting services to residents who lost structures as well as giving feedback to agencies regarding needed services. Our Workforce Housing committee is researching temporary and permanent housing solutions to enable residents to return to their property as soon as possible.

CPOA is working in tandem with other non-profits, county and state agencies to address the larger question of watershed restoration and protection. We are sponsoring a series of self-help seminars on post fire water system repair and maintenance, mudslide mitigation, and erosion control. We are exploring a combination of public and private funding to address winter preparation needed in areas where property ownership is a mosaic of private and public. Our goal is to have as much appropriate mitigation in place prior to the winter rains.

With your support, CPOA’s Big Sur Fire Relief Fund will continue to provide short and long-term targeted assistance to the Big Sur Community as it recovers.

Donate to the Big Sur Fire Relief Fund

Additional Donation Methods

You may also mail a check payable to CPOA Fire Relief Fund to:
CPOA Fire Relief Fund
PO Box 59
Big Sur, CA 93920

For international transfers the SWIFT code is: WFBIUS6S
Wells Fargo Bank
26600 Carmel Center Plaza
Carmel, CA 93923

Wiring instructions available by emailing info@cpoabigsur.org

Big Sur's CPOA is a non-profit 501c3 organization. Federal Tax EIN # 77-0091132

Thank you for your support!

CPOA's Big Sur Fire Relief Fund Update - September 2008

Your donation is helping the Big Sur Community in a multitude of ways. CPOA is providing the following services as a result of your generosity:

  • Emergency Grants to Residents and Property Owners.
  • Offsetting ash removal and clean up costs for property owners who lost their homes and who are not covered by insurance.
  • Helping the community prepare for winter by: retaining the services of two Post-Fire Mitigation experts to advise the community on best Post-Fire practices and coach us on how best to protect the community this winter; running a series of workshops to educate the community on how to protect water systems, roadways, and structures; driving information sharing meetings with Private Property Owners, the County, State, and Federal agencies regarding Post-Fire Treatments to ensure adequate preparation for this winter; video documentation of fire-related meetings and workshops.
  • Funding English/Spanish translation services for winter preparation materials and running a winter workshop in Spanish.
  • Coordinating the implementation of a Community Emergency Response Team certification program so that our residents can be trained and certified to help out during road closure and other disasters. This will greatly expand the role of the community in self-directing our emergency response this winter.
  • Development of our website as a resource for the community this winter.

Donations to date for the CPOA Big Sur Fire Relief Fund:

  • General donations of $330,666.74
  • Special Events (Auctions) $229,644.66
  • Total raised to date: $ 560,311.40

Expenses to Date for the CPOA Big Sur Fire Relief Fund:

  • Emergency Grants ($300 each) $189,928.32
  • Grants to the Big Sur and Mid Coast Fire Brigades $80,000
  • Fund Raising Costs $37,969.89
  • Costs of Post-Fire Workshops and Consultants $12,723.86

Balance remaining in CPOA Fire Relief Fund as of 9/08 * $239, 689.30

What is next for CPOA, the Big Sur Fire Relief Fund and our community?

Continued preparation for winter and identification of grant opportunities that we can leverage
for the maximum benefit of the community as it recovers and rebuilds.

 
   
 
   
Coast Property Owners Association, P.O. Box 59, Big Sur, CA 93920
www.cpoaBigSur.org
© 2004 by Coast Property Owners Association

 

Untitled Document