Disaster Recovery Centers/Local Assistance Centers Announce Modified Hours & Closing Dates

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(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) – The Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC)/Local Assistance Centers (LAC) will be closing later this month in both north and south Santa Barbara County. The Center at Direct Relief in Santa Barbara’s last day in operation will be Wednesday, Feb. 15, with a temporary closure Feb. 8 through Feb. 10. The Center at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria’s last day of operation will be Sunday, Feb. 26.

The sites will have modified hours effective Saturday, Feb. 11. The new hours for both sites will be 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Residents, business owners, and nonprofits are encouraged to attend a DRC/LAC to receive help applying for federal assistance and disaster loans, update applications, and learn about other resources that are available from state, local government and non-profit partners. Resources are available for undocumented community members as well. Spanish, ASL and Mixteco interpreter services are available onsite. DRC/LAC are also accessible to people with disabilities and those with access and functional needs. For those needing transportation to the DRC/LAC, public transit and paratransit options can be found here ReadySBC.org.

“The DRC/LAC locations have been a valuable space for over 500 community members to get connected with resources they may not have even known existed for them,” shared County Office of Emergency Management Director, Kelly Hubbard. “The County will continue to work with local cities and community to gauge the needs of our residents and provide support even after the closure of these centers.”

In addition to the two local DRC/LACs, FEMA has coordinated with local government agencies to send Disaster Survivor Assistance teams out into various impacted communities throughout Santa Barbara County. These teams have successfully outreached to nearly 1,300 residents in their own communities. These teams will continue their work to support the ongoing needs of impacted community members.

Disaster Recovery Centers/Local Assistance Centers

North County Center:
Open: Until February 26, 2023
Hours February 8-10, 2023: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Hours February 11-26, 2023: 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Location: Allan Hancock College
800 South College Drive,
Santa Maria, CA 93454
Building O-300

South County Center:
Open: February 11-15, 2023
Hours: 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Location: Direct Relief
6100 Wallace Becknell Rd.
Santa Barbara, CA 93117

Virtual Local Assistance Center: Information from the DRCs remains available online in English and Spanish.