SAN DIEGO — The San Diego County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously voted to extend hotel vouchers for flood victims until May 11.
The board heard from some 60 residents about the devastation from the Jan. 22 winter storm as supervisors considered the temporary lodging extension, which requires about $6.6 million from the general reserve.
Supervisors also unanimously decided to continue the local emergency declaration and approved $3 million to provide three meals a day for 60 days to residents affected by flooding.
"These are unprecedented times and they call for unprecedented responses," said board Chairwoman Nora Vargas.
Seven weeks since the floods devastated local neighborhoods, many people are still living in hotels. The vouchers were set to expire in less than two weeks.
"Two weeks is not enough time for us to fix our home. It's not even close," said Anna, a mother who has been living with her two young girls in hotels for weeks.
"We don't know how long it's going to take, but that's not enough time," she added.
Anna said she was living with her parents when floods devastated their home of 35 years. The house needs to enter the demolition process.
Anna said her family lost everything. They've stayed in hotels for weeks, and their voucher was going to expire on March 25.
"That's our only safe space right now," Anna said. "That's our only clean space right now. That's our only clean air."
About 60 people spoke before the supervisor's vote Tuesday morning.
On Jan. 30, the Board of Supervisors approved $10 million in funding for relief efforts as well as a short-term plan to provide emergency lodging for residents who were displaced by the Jan. 22 flood.
Vargas said while the county response wasn't perfect, she and other leaders wanted to "ensure that people understand that we're not taking this lightly."
More than 3,400 residents completed a voluntary survey San Diego County gave residents to gather information on impacts of the storm. A hundred homes were damaged.
WATCH RELATED: Flood victims unsure of where hotel voucher funds will come from as money dwindles (Feb. 16, 2024)