GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - Construction on the temporary housing community for displaced Camp Fire survivors in the Gridley Industrial Park has begun. Federal, state and local officials said Camp Fire survivors are expected to move into the 400 manufactured housing units (MHUs) by late July. To expedite completion of the temporary community, construction on the site will operate 24 hours a day, six days a week.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), along with its disaster recovery partners – the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal-OES), Butte County and the City of Gridley – selected the Gridley site, in part, for its proximity to the homes survivors lost in the Camp Fire. The location of other facilities, including employment, medical and other essential services was also considered during the selection process.

The Gridley location is the largest of four temporary housing communities now in development in Butte County. Eligible households may qualify for Temporary Housing assistance while they locate or rebuild permanent homes. Survivors licensed in to a temporary housing unit, must meet with a caseworker monthly to determine a permanent housing plan and make progress towards this plan. Continued housing eligibility is determined on a case-by-case review.

Construction of the FEMA temporary housing, which will leave the city with new permanent infrastructure, is a boon to Gridley’s economy and to the city’s taxpayers and utility consumers, officials say.

The 72-acre temporary housing community is located at 1221 Independence Place at the Gridley Industrial Park. All MHUs are newly built – none have been used in previous disasters.

FEMA, which constructs and demobilizes the temporary communities, says that, in addition to housing displaced Camp Fire survivors, they offer other benefits: Temporary communities for Camp Fire survivors keep these Butte County residents in Butte County; The Camp Fire survivors remain Butte County consumers, patronizing local businesses and assisting in the economic recovery; Survivors will recover sooner with the help of their Butte County neighbors not impacted by the Camp Fire.

The FEMA temporary housing community site is now under the strict control of the construction crews. Hundreds of workers and vehicles will soon be on site. The area is no longer a public space. Only authorized construction personnel are allowed in the Industrial Park. For the safety of construction personnel and of the public, unauthorized visitors will not be allowed in the construction zone. Trespassers may be confronted by security personnel and could be charged with trespassing.

Drivers are strongly encouraged to be vigilant and to drive safely! Traffic in the Gridley area – already very heavy by any measure – is expected to be even more so, especially in the vicinity of State Route 99 and West Liberty Street. A traffic light has been installed at this intersection and it is expected to help regulate the increased flow of traffic caused by debris trucks and construction vehicles participating in the Camp Fire recovery. In addition to the security personnel, the entire project site will be monitored 24/7 by high-definition state-of-the-art video.

All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585 (TTY/TDD).

FEMA’s mission: Helping people before, during, and after disasters.

For more information, visit https://buttecountyrecovers.org/fema-group-site-information/ and http://gridley.ca.us/news/fema-gridley-camp-fire-community.