The county Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed Tuesday to waive county document fees for residents affected by severe winter storms and flooding in late January.
The waiver, proposed by Supervisors Joel Anderson and Nora Vargas, applies to documents issued by the Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk's Office.
When Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in the wake of winter storms, the county ARCC Office was authorized to issue vital records — such as birth, death and marriage certificates — at no cost to residents harmed by the disaster. However, county officials said the relief didn't cover all the documents issued by the ARCC Office.
The ARCC Office is a repository for property-related records, such as property ownership, which "are necessary for families to qualify for relief funds and services from local, state and federal agencies," according to the county.
Residents may also need documents to claim insurance benefits and prove property ownership.
A recent report showed that more than 1,000 San Diego residents suffered damage to homes, businesses and personal property in the Jan. 22 storm, with a majority of them in the neighborhoods of Mountain View, Encanto, Mount Hope, Shelltown, Southcrest and Rolando.
The storms also impacted some unincorporated communities, including Spring Valley.
"As the safety net for our communities, it's crucial that we do everything in our power to help San Diegans devasted by the floods recover, including authorizing strategic relief and connecting them with the resources they need," Vargas, the board chairwoman, said in a statement.
Anderson said a constituent request led to the proposal, as a way to help people who lost documents such as property deeds.
He said he was grateful to Assessor Jordan Marks and Vargas for their partnership on the initiative.
"Though it may seem like a small gesture, it could make all the difference for a family to begin the rebuilding process and find relief," Anderson added.
Marks said the vote was "another positive step forward empowering my Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk Office with another resource to rebuild San Diego together."
Tuesday's board vote follows the San Diego city government's recent announcements of fee waivers for demolition, recycling and other recovery efforts, and passport applications.
Previous county efforts to help storm victims include $10 million for recovery, along with an eviction moratorium and resolution vowing to rebuild damaged buildings.
