Schools Get Money for Quake Retrofitting
Nine Orange County school districts will receive nearly $11 million in federal money to retrofit school ceilings against future earthquake damage.
The money is part of a $106-million grant for Southern California schools that were not damaged by the Jan. 17, 1994, earthquake.
The grant will help ensure that thousands of ceilings and light fixtures in Los Angeles and Orange County schools will be more secure, officials said.
The Santa Ana Unified School District will receive the largest amount of any Orange County district, about $4.1 million.
The North Orange County Community College District, which operates Fullerton College, will receive about $2.4 million, the Saddleback Community College District will receive about $500,000 and the Coast Community College District will get about $700,000, officials said.
Other districts due to receive money are the Buena Park, Centralia, Magnolia and Huntington Beach City elementary school districts. The Huntington Beach Union High School District will get about $1.7 million.
The schools must contribute 25% on top of the grant money--an addition of more than $35 million to the total package, said FEMA spokesman Jay Jazayeri.
Schools that were damaged in the 1994 quake are covered under other disaster assistance programs, Jazayeri said.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
