Pacifica loses $50 million in FEMA funding to pay for a seawall project
The crash of waves along the Pacifica coastline is music to Jennifer Christiansen's ears — it's also a warning sign. As coastal erosion worsens, so too does the threat to homes, businesses, and the very land they sit on.
"When the water breaks, this is uninhabitable," said Christiansen, who owns a gift and pottery shop in on Palmetto Ave. in Pacifica. "So, when the weather is bad, we don't get foot traffic. When the weather is good, we get amazing foot traffic. Mother Nature tells us when people are going to come and visit."
Christiansen's shop is perched just steps from Beach Boulevard, a stretch increasingly impacted by erosion and flooding. A $50 million federal grant from FEMA's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program had been earmarked for a seawall project that locals hoped would protect the coastline. But last month, the Trump administration slashed the funding as part of the president's broader cost-saving initiative.
For Christiansen, the consequences are tangible. "We used to have these amazing benches. We can't have those anymore because they floated away and we can't put garbage cans in a lot of places, because it floats away and then it becomes part of the trash in the ocean," she said. "If we don't do something to protect this infrastructure, it's just going to keep going. So that means all the houses, all the buildings, all the businesses, are going to be impacted at some point."
Congressman Sam Liccardo is one of several local leaders voicing opposition to the cuts. At a press conference Friday, he criticized the decision, citing long-term cost savings associated with proactive infrastructure spending.
"Natural disasters in this time of climate change, if they're not more frequent, they're more severe. We know that $1 of infrastructure can save $13 in damages," Liccardo said.
He said he plans to introduce legislation aimed at restoring the lost FEMA funds. "It is cruel and chaotic to not invest in preventative measures we all know we critically need to prevent harm from these storms," he added.
As the holiday weekend approaches, Christiansen is preparing for another influx of visitors — and hoping they understand the deeper stakes.
"This whole thing could go away," she said. "I have a ton of friends that are like, 'Oh yeah, I used to surf here. I used to do that there.' Great. Could you help us, because we're suffering."
