Go broad or go deep? That鈥檚 one of the big questions state lawmakers are debating as they grapple with how to most effectively use $that voters approved last year for projects to reduce the impact of California wildfires.
That money comes from , the November ballot measure that authorized a $10 billion bond to pay for climate-related projects such as water systems and wildfire mitigation.
In his January budget proposal, Gov. recommended that $325 million of the bond money should be allocated in the upcoming fiscal year to a variety of wildfire prevention programs. The remainder would be spent over the next five years.
But Democratic Assemblymember , chair of the budget subcommittee on climate, energy and transportation, told the administration in a hearing on Wednesday that the state should pursue a focused strategy to make the most use of limited resources.
鈥淚t can鈥檛 be a little bit here, and a little bit here, and a little bit here,鈥� said Bennett, who represents Oxnard. 鈥淲e need a comprehensive plan to say these are the resources we have; by linking these things together, this is how we could maximize our effectiveness.鈥�
Robyn Fennig, assistant director for Hazard Mitigation for the state鈥檚 Office of Emergency Services, described the proposal for the upcoming fiscal year as one part of a broader strategy that might include trying to secure matching federal funds.
Bennett also noted that the state faces an enormous challenge to address the threats from climate change.
鈥淭here has been a sea change in terms of what鈥檚 happening as a result of climate change,鈥� Bennett said. 鈥淭he home insurance crisis was serious, but it鈥檚 now going to be unmanageable for California if we don鈥檛 find a way to decrease our losses when these wildfires sweep it near or into communities.鈥�
State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant, defended the administration鈥檚 approach.
鈥淚 completely agree that [home-hardening] has to be a focal point, but our strategy has to be doing all of these things together,鈥� he told lawmakers. 鈥淚f we鈥檙e not managing the forest, we鈥檙e going to have large forest fires that burn right into our communities. 鈥�
The bond measure language, approved by the Legislature last year, offers some flexibility on how to spend the money, Rachel Ehlers, a policy analyst with the Legislative Analyst鈥檚 Office, said at the hearing.
But that flexibility leaves some questions for lawmakers, she said, flagging a proposal in the governor鈥檚 budget plan to add an additional $9 million to a pilot program that gives homeowners financial assistance to make their homes more fire-resistant.
鈥淒o you want the funding to go deep and have fewer structures that are protected, but have more of them covered? Or do you want it wide, where you鈥檙e giving smaller grants that won鈥檛 protect the whole structure, but maybe more properties get access to it? What regions of the state do you want to focus on?鈥�
For the pilot program, established in 2019,the administration鈥檚 approach was to target the most vulnerable communities, Berlant said.
Six counties currently are participating in it, based on factors including population health and age, as well as wildfire risk and other climate data. The state reports 17 homes have completed the fire-proofing process and another 23 are in progress. The additional money could expand the program to two more counties.
The selection process could be similar for one of the new programs proposed under the Prop. 4 funding: providing financial assistance to vulnerable Californians to create a five-foot zone around their home that could protect it from burning down.
鈥淵ou talked about, how do we prioritize? We can鈥檛 help everybody,鈥� said Berlant. 鈥淲e can educate everybody, but those that are most vulnerable who can鈥檛 physically do this work, who can鈥檛 financially afford to do this work, this program will provide funding to assist them.鈥�
The administration noted that Newsom鈥檚 budget proposal is a work in progress 鈥� one that was drafted prior to the Southern California wildfires.
鈥淚 recognize we have to do all the above and I recognize it is fiendishly difficult to try to figure out, 鈥淒o we do 10% here, etcetera there,鈥� Bennett said at the hearing. 鈥淚n my mind, there has not been enough focus yet on (home) hardening and I think we鈥檙e starting to recognize that.鈥�