California Governor Brown to announce $1.5B in vacation and hotel aid for California

California Gov.

Jerry Brown has announced $1 billion in holiday and hotel assistance to the state in 2017, a decision that comes as the state struggles to keep up with the demand for vacation and stays during the current economic downturn.

The holiday aid includes an additional $500 million in cash and credits, according to a statement released Friday.

Brown’s announcement is expected to take effect March 1.

In 2018, California will spend $5.8 billion on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides aid to low-income families, according the statement.

More than a million Californians rely on the program for food and cash assistance.

Brown’s announcement comes after a series of recent crises, including Hurricane Florence, which claimed the lives of more than 20,000 people and left more than 3.5 million people without power.

The state is also working to help with Hurricane Maria, which left more 17,000 dead, and a severe drought in Southern California.

California has been hit by a series from the 2016 wildfires to Hurricane Harvey, the deadliest natural disaster in state history.

In 2018, more than 70,000 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed, the statement said.