News

ARTICLE
Date ArticleType
4/19/2022 Member News

Grant Programs to Help Those Affected by Wildfires in Clackamas County


Two state wildfire rebuilding grant programs of $10 million each, for fire hardening and energy efficiency, that passed during the 2021 legislative session are finally on the ground and available to help those rebuilding after the 2020 wildfires. HBA worked with OHBA last summer to bring builders together to discuss the best ways to get these funds to those affected by the wildfires, the homeowners and the contractors rebuilding their homes. Although they could have easily ended up being bureaucracy-heavy processes at the state level, the efforts of OHBA, based on our previous discussions, created programs to make distribution of these funds easier. In fact, the fire hardening funds were distributed directly to counties, as we had suggested, for an easier application and award process. In addition, these funds can be awarded retroactively for work already done as part of the rebuilding process.

For builders or homeowners looking to apply for the fire hardening funds contact the Clackamas County permitting team at bldservice@clackamas.us or 503.742.4240. If you are looking for more information regarding the energy efficiency program, visit the Oregon Department of Energy’s website to learn more and apply.