SAN JOSE, Calif. — President Joe Biden flew to the San Francisco Bay Area on Thursday to visit the wreckage from recent winter storms in Capitola Village and at Seacliff State Beach in Santa Cruz County.
Air Force One touched down at Moffett Field in Mountain View at 11:41 a.m. After walking down the steps, wearing his signature aviator sunglasses, Biden was greeted by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Alex Padilla and U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif. He left on Marine One helicopter a few minutes later for Watsonville airport.
“When you see something, your understanding of it is complete,” said Eshoo afterward, who added that she asked Biden to expand the federal major disaster declaration to Santa Clara and San Mateo counties to help with recovery costs. “It’s heavy and costly damage.”
Late Wednesday, Biden signed an order expanding federal aid to the six counties that he issued major disaster declarations for earlier this week: Santa Cruz, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Sacramento, Merced and San Luis Obispo. Under the order, the federal government will provide up to 100% of the costs to public agencies for debris removal and other measures, instead of the traditional 75%.
Thursday’s visit — the first to Santa Cruz County by a sitting president since George Bush Sr. visited downtown Santa Cruz in 1989 three days after the Loma Prieta earthquake — generated excitement and interest among local residents.
“It’s transition toward hope,” said Santa Cruz County Supervisor Zach Friend, whose district includes Capitola and Seacliff. “We have been living through such a challenging time. The president’s visit really signifies the beginning of the rebuilding process and that the federal government is going to be backing us for the long haul.”
So far the public damage from the storm in Santa Cruz County is at least $55 million, Friend said. That does not include damage to private property or to Seacliff State Park, where a historic wooden pier and 60 campsites were destroyed after waves breached a sea wall. “I expect it will go over $100 million,” he said.
In Capitola, a picturesque seaside village with a population of 10,000 people, huge waves from atmospheric river storms tore a 40-foot hole in the Capitola Wharf earlier this month and smashed waterfront restaurants and other businesses.
Biden’s motorcade arrived in Capitola at 1:36 p.m. to cheers from dozens of onlookers. A guitarist with “Funky Fathers” written in rainbow colors in the lid of his instrument case belted out songs. Surfers rode small waves off the beach nearby, strewn with massive logs, and dog owners walked their pets in the bright sun.
“It’s such a historic event to have a president visit a small town like this,” said Michael Lavigne, a downtown Capitola real estate broker. “I think it’s fantastic.”
Minna and Jeff Lantis, owners of the heavily damaged establishment The Sand Bar on the Capitola waterfront, were there for the event. They expressed frustration at the slow process of reopening, saying they haven’t been able to start tearing out ruined flooring or addressing damage to walls and other infrastructure.
“We’ve had to sit around and wait for the insurance people to do their walkthroughs, to take pictures of everything the way it is,” Jeff Lantis said. “The insurance is fighting to not give us anything.”
Whether their landlord’s insurance will cover any of their repairs and losses remains to be seen, he said. The couple, like other business owners in the village who rented their buildings, did not have flood insurance because it was so expensive, Jeff Lantis said.
“It’s looking very challenging indeed,” Jeff Lantis said. The couple have no idea how much it will cost them to get their establishment shipshape again, or when they’ll be able to reopen, they said. They’ve launched a GoFundMe campaign, Save The Sand Bar Capitola, and have so far raised $16,500 toward rebuilding.
They said they want Capitola city officials to use federal disaster funds to protect the village’s beachfront restaurants.
“I don’t know if they have to fight the Coastal Commission, but they could build up rocks along the front of the buildings that got hit,” Jeff Lantis said.
The last time a head of state touched down at Moffett Field was President Donald Trump in September 2019, to attend a fundraising event a tech mogul’s Portola Valley home.
Along the coast, security officials roamed a fenced-off area near the Capitola waterfront along with business owners.
Pizza My Heart owner Chuck Hammers surveyed the damage to a set of restaurants and pubs, including his original store where a combination of high tides, massive surf and torrential rains inflicted an estimated $500,000 worth of damage. Floorboards were pounded upward by waves hitting below, which also surged through the windows and doors.
Hammers said current laws limit the amount of insurance available to his tenants and he hopes that’s something Biden can help fix.
“Everything I hear about the president is he’s very personable and wants to learn,” Hammers said.
He added that the federal government can help with longer term solutions he thinks are inevitable for shoreline communities from what scientists say is a warming planet and rising sea levels, things like fortifications to protect property.
“We want long term solutions,” Hammers said. “We know where this is going with climate change.”
Hammers said many of the businesses won’t reopen until spring break. But having the president visit, he said, is the thrill of a lifetime.
“It’s totally exciting,” Hammers said. “I didn’t know what to do with myself last night.”
Ray Apolskis, 62, was basking in the sun under a San Francisco Giants ballcap with his dog Benny, watching the security team set up a few hours before Biden arrived.
“I think it’s cool,” Apolskis said. “We’re in a beach town, and to have these hot shots come in is good for them and good for us. It’s good publicity. Our beach is a mess, it’s sad to see this. It’s dead. We need help here.”
———
