PACIFICA (KRON) — The dangerous, crumbling cliffs in Pacifica are now getting national attention.
On Wednesday, congresswoman Jackie Speier was out near the bluffs getting a first-hand look. The congresswoman stood out on the cliff’s edge at the end of Esplanade to see for herself the damage the waves have been doing.
Asking questions of Pacifica city officials and members of the San Mateo Office of Emergency Services, she also took a look at the back of the yellow-tagged apartment building on Esplanade.
“It’s frightening….We’re just very fortunate that they got a wake-up call,” Speier said.
The bluffs have been taking a beating as the El Nino storms have rolled through. The congresswoman was joined by FEMA and the state Office of Emergency Services for part of the tour.
Time Lapse:Google Earth images of cliff erosion
She said she is working on getting their help for this area. A local emergency has been declared, but the state would need to declare a state of emergency as well in order for the displaced renters to get access to federal funds.
She did take a tour of one man’s apartment and heard first hand about his plight. Formerly homeless himself, he has been staying in the Red Cross shelter since he was ordered out, but he wants permanent housing.
“I am not going back that road,” resident Michael McHenry told Speier. ” I have worked very hard to get here, and I’m not giving up ground, and I’m not going backwards. But I need your help.”
The congressman and the mayor of Pacifica pledged to help and said McHenry will be able to access funds from the county, which brought him some relief.
The man is continuing to move his things out and into storage until he finds a new place to call home.