WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Kevin Kiley (R-CA) has offered to meet President Biden for a tour of Grizzly Flats, CA while the President vacations at Tom Steyer’s nearby 4,000 square-foot, $18 million dollar mansion. 

This comes after Kiley’s letter to the President last week, insisting he fulfill his promise of aid to Grizzly Flats residents who lost their homes in the 2021 Caldor Fire. Nancy Ward, Director of the Office of Emergency Services and an appointee of Governor Gavin Newsom, supported Kiley’s request to the President for individual assistance.

“The President broke his promise to the people of Grizzly Flats,” Rep. Kiley said. “The least he could do is take a little time during his vacation to see for himself the consequences of that broken promise. Victims of the fire continue to struggle, some living in RVs and trailers.”

Background: The town of Grizzly Flats had an elderly population more than double the state and national averages, with triple the percentage of households relying on Social Security income. In August 2021, the town was devastated by the Caldor Fire, with 785 homes being destroyed. On September 12th, 2021, President Biden issued a Major Disaster Declaration that neglected to include Individual Assistance for victims of the fire in Grizzly Flats – despite the fact that such assistance was approved for nine other fires in 2021 that destroyed fewer homes combined than the Caldor Fire did on its own.

After surveying damage with Governor Newsom shortly after the fire, President Biden pledged “we’re going to take care of them…there’s a lot we can do, and it starts off being a federal responsibility, in my view.” Yet the President and his Administration have repeatedly denied individual assistance. Last week, Representative Kiley sent a letter to the President calling on him to finally fulfill his promise to the people of Grizzly Flats.

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