RCRC briefs Board on broadband, forest‑health and housing work; local programs highlighted

Mary Ann Womerdam, senior vice president for government affairs at the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), briefed the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors on the group’s strategic plan and affiliate programs and described several initiatives that affect rural counties.

Womerdam said RCRC focuses on four priorities — equitable access, impactful advocacy, healthy communities and operational excellence — and described affiliates that deliver programs and financing to rural areas. She highlighted the Golden State Connect Authority (GCSA), a 26‑county affiliate working toward municipal open‑access broadband to serve underserved mountain and rural communities; she said RCRC is "terribly close" to winning funding that would underpin a bonding authority to build regional projects.

On housing finance, Womerdam described the Golden State Finance Authority (GSFA) and the National Homebuyers Fund (NHF) and cited long‑running assistance programs that help county employees and low‑ and moderate‑income families with down‑payment and loan financing. In the presentation RCRC cited historical program figures for GSFA and NHF as part of its case for continued investment in housing tools.

Womerdam also described a proposed approach to forest overburden — material removed during fuel‑reduction work — that would be pelletized at proposed sites (two sites referenced) and shipped by rail to the Port of Stockton for export. She framed pelletization as a bridge strategy to reduce fuel load in forests and to finance further forest‑health activity while noting community concerns around industrial uses and the need for labor agreements and local mitigation.

RCRC noted one of its affiliates, ESJPA, received a CalRecycle grant of $330,000 for technical assistance to member counties on organic‑waste diversion obligations under SB 1383 and SB 54. Womerdam also described a research agreement with UC Santa Barbara on emergency health care in rural areas and noted RCRC’s "behind the curtain" tours for legislators to highlight rural infrastructure and workforce challenges.

Supervisor questions focused on how local residents can tap GSFA down‑payment assistance, and Womerdam directed interested residents to the GSFA website and participating lenders for program guidance. The Board thanked Womerdam for the briefing and closed public comment on the item without requests to speak.

Because the presentation covered multiple RCRC affiliates and statewide advocacy, board members said they value the county’s continued RCRC membership and collaboration on broadband, forest health and housing.