Local Assistance Center to Open in Cathedral City

City of Cathedral City, Riverside County Partner to Open Local Assistance Center at Cathedral City Library

CATHEDRAL CITY — If you fell victim to Tropical Storm Hilary, do not fret. You are not alone and have not been abandoned. The City of Cathedral City and Riverside County have partnered to open a Local Assistance Center and community meeting times next week at the Cathedral City Library’s Community Room, 33520 Date Palm Drive.

The Local Assistance Center is open to all Coachella Valley residents impacted by Tropical Storm Hilary.

“Hurricane Hilary affected our entire Coachella Valley, including every city and unincorporated community in the valley,” Supervisor V. Manuel Perez said in a prepared statement. “That’s why this Local Assistance Center is open to all residents and businesses in the Coachella Valley. This center will be helpful for people to connect to agencies that are working to help the valley recover.”

The Local Assistance Center will be open Wednesday through Friday next week, Sept. 6-8, 2023,
with key staff from the City’s storm response and recovery efforts available to meet with residents from 2-4 p.m. each day in the Study Room at the Library to address specific concerns and questions.

Overall hours of operation for the Center are included below:

• Wednesday, Sept. 6 from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
• Thursday, Sept. 7 from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
• Friday, Sept. 8 from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

“We’re so grateful to be able to offer this Local Assistance Center for our residents who have experienced devasting damages after Tropical Storm Hilary,” said Cathedral City Mayor Rita Lamb. “We know folks are hurting right now, and by partnering with Riverside County, nonprofits and other agencies, we hope to increase the resources available for homeowners and provide them with a path to recovery.”

Residents living along Horizon Road, at Canyon Mobile Home Park and Terracina at Cathedral City Apartments have been some of the most impacted by Tropical Storm Hilary. The Local Assistance Center will allow them and any other local resident needing services to access resources from the city, county, and state levels and to receive answers to some of the questions they currently have after this unprecedented weather event.

The Riverside County Emergency Management Department encourages residents and businesses to report damages via an online form at https://rivcoready.org/active-events or by calling 2-1-1. This form is not an application for assistance nor a guarantee of any benefits. This form is to assist the County Emergency Management Department in determining the extent of damages from the natural disaster, and provide information that can be used to help the county qualify for any state or federal disaster programs to seek assistance for individuals.

Agencies confirmed to appear at the Center next week include:

County Departments:

• Riverside University Health System – Public Health
• Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health
• Riverside County Office on Aging
• Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
• Riverside County Department of Public Social Services
• Riverside County Housing and Workforce Solutions Department

State and Federal Agencies:

• Social Security Administration
• California Department of Motor Vehicles
• California Department of Housing and Community Development

Non-Government Organizations:

• Salvation Army
• American Red Cross
• Team Rubicon
• FIND Food Bank
• United Policy Holder
• TODEC

The damage left from Tropical Storm Hilary is currently estimated more than $126 million throughout all Riverside County. Rainfall rates approached a 50-year storm for the Coachella Valley floor areas and in excess to a 1,000-year event in some mountain canyon areas. So far, the City of Cathedral City has already spent more than $1 million on recovery efforts.

The Mayor and City Council of Cathedral City, along with the City Manager’s Office, continue to
be in constant communication with elected officials at the state, county, and federal level, especially related to available financial assistance. FEMA, Cal OES, and Riverside County Emergency Management Department were in town on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, for a site visit and formal damage assessment along Horizon Road, Canyon Mobile Home Park, and Terracina at Cathedral City Apartments.

On Monday, Aug. 21, 2023, the Cathedral City Fire Department led a successful evacuation of 14 residents trapped inside a senior care boarding facility along Horizon Drive and Adelina Road. They were assisted by Cathedral City Police and Burrtec, which provided a dozer that proved impactful to the rescue. In total, crews have rescued 62 residents to safety during Tropical Storm Hilary.