FORT BRAGG, CA., 10/20/25 — On Oct. 13, the Fort Bragg City Council unanimously approved a resolution to offer financial assistance to residents needing help paying utility bills through a Community Development Block Grant.
Fort Bragg received a first-time federal grant of $300,000 for the 2024 funding year to facilitate a Utility Bill Assistance Program that would provide payments directly to utility providers on behalf of qualified households and cover staff expenses.
“This is assistance in its purest form,” City Grants Coordinator Lacey Sallas explained at the most recent City Council meeting. “This helps them dig out from an emergency. It’s a one-time payment to aid Fort Bragg residents who are in danger of having their utilities turned off.”
City Manager Isaac Whippy said in an interview that now, once the resolution is passed, the focus will now shift to spreading the word on how people can apply. “Reaching out to our utility customers,” he said. “It’s income qualification and sending it specifically to our past due customers in paper utility bills or in the form of an email notification.”
Whippy says notices will blanket Fort Bragg social media, and the City Manager e-newsletter will spotlight the application process, which anyone can subscribe to via the City of Fort Bragg website. He says the city also wants to work with local nonprofits like Project Sanctuary to ensure as many people as possible know about the program and have the chance to apply.
Qualifying households must be within the Fort Bragg city limits with an income at or below 80% of the area median income for Mendocino County. Payments can be applied to water/sewer services, electricity, waste collection and gas services.
“This iteration attempts to combine elements that make the program accessible, efficient and equitable,” Sallas said in the meeting. Residents can receive up to $800 in assistance as a one-time payment and can reapply if additional aid is needed.
This is not the first time Fort Bragg has stepped up to aid its own. City officials offered financial aid to low-income families in need twice before in recent years. The city operated a utility bill program from 2021 to 2023 to address needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also offered water and sewer bill assistance from 2015 to 2017 through the HELP H2O program.
“We see it every day,” Whippy said. “Folks sometimes struggle to pay bills on time and end up getting shut-off notices. We always want to be flexible by having the utility companies offer payment plans, waiving late fees, etc. Programs like this really fill the gap and help. We’ve seen it the two previous times we’ve offered similar aid. We want people to get caught up on paying the necessary bills.” He said these programs go a long way to relieve pressure on hardworking families at a time when energy costs are on the rise across the country.
Aid will be distributed through 2028 or until the funding runs out.
Anyone wanting to apply for assistance can do so by picking up an application at City Hall at 416 North Franklin St. or emailing ed@fortbragg.com for a copy. The city finance department is also offering guidance on how to fill out the form and can be reached at (707) 961-2825.