NorCal CRT Seeks Help From Local Contractors & Suppliers
(an open letter from Don Ajamian)
To my community,
I wanted to bring your attention to a group I am volunteering with, NorCal CRT, that is dedicated to the Long-Term Recovery our community from the devastation experienced from the Carr and Delta Fires.
The NorCal Community Recovery Team (CRT) was formed in the days after the Carr Fire swept through our community. The NorCal CRT follows a template for recovery that was established by FEMA and involves many, if not all of the applicable local non-profits, governmental agencies, national relief organizations, as well as the private sector.
The attached flyer will give you a quick overview as to some of the tasks we are called to. As well as serving the unmet needs of Shasta County residents with food, furniture, shelter, etc. it has been identified by FEMA that there are up to 300 properties that have been lost to the fires that were uninsured or under-insured and will have no way to rebuild without significant help.
That’s where I came in. I was asked by the executive team of the NorCal CRT to lead the Construction subcommittee. Our task is to take the lead and find a way to rebuild these homes for our Shasta County friends and neighbors that have limited means or coverage to do so on their own. This is a monumental task, but I think you’ll agree that it’s a critical component to the future growth and prosperity of our region and community.
To help us achieve our task, we are partnering with a faith-based organization by the name of Hope City. Hope City, which is run by Kevin Cox, has a proven, developed program of rebuilding homes for the uninsured and under-insured in disaster areas. At the heart of his program is a nationwide system of volunteers recruited from churches all over the country who send teams to the reconstruction sites for one and two week stays to work on home construction. In addition to the labor effort, Hope City has national agreements with major manufacturers for items like appliances, HVAC units, etc. for substantially reduced costs on those items.
To make this happen, Hope City donates
- Focus our initial efforts on rebuilding those structures impacted in the county as opposed to the city. To that end, I have reached out to the Shasta County Board of Supervisors and asked them to eliminate all permit fees, eliminate the requirement for a garage/carport, and eliminate the requirement for fire sprinklers if the lost home didn’t have them at the time of destruction.
- Ask local companies to donate or heavily discount materials that can only be supplied locally such as concrete, trusses, etc.
The less we have to pay out, the more people we can help…and that is why I am writing you. I would respectfully ask you to join me in reaching out to help those that have no way of helping themselves at this time. We in the construction industry are experiencing a boom because of the fire tragedy…I think that the least we can do is give a little back, so here’s my ask:
- Would you be willing to help with a donation of goods or services? Of course, you would be the hero for a full donation but, I don’t expect any single company to donate their goods or services for every single home we will rebuild. Instead, if each of us could commit to donating for a certain quantity of homes per year that would lessen the financial impact and allow all of us to support this as a profession. To use trusses, for example:
- If I can get the three truss suppliers in town to each commit to several homes per year, we can spread the load and cover a lot of bases.
If a full donation is out of the question would a significant discount for at or below your costs be a consideration? I realize what I’m asking for and I’m leading by example—personally and professionally. My commitment to all of you is that I am donating 100% of my time and my company’s time to the management efforts of the rebuilding efforts for the CRT for as long as it takes to complete this rebuilding effort.
There are three attachments to this email:
Please consider how you might be involved. We expect to start work by mid-Spring. I can tell you that every organization that donates and/or discounts their goods and services will be recognized in future marketing and fundraising efforts.
Thank you sincerely for taking the time to read this all the way through. Please feel free to pass this on to anyone and everyone in the local construction industry.
Sincerely,
Don
Don Ajamian Construction, Inc.
1870 Twin View Blvd.
Redding, CA. 96003
(530) 223-3977
www.DonAjamianConstruction.com