Gualala on the Map

On November 21, 2025, the County of Mendocino notified the Gualala Municipal Advisory Council (GMAC) that the US Census Bureau approved the application to redesignate Gualala as a Census Designated Place (CDP).

What this does for Gualala is clearly define the geographic boundaries and allows for accurate census data collection used for state and federal grants. The local population numbers are also used as part of the funding formula for County Measure P money distributed to South Coast Fire Protection District.

On August 21, 2023, the County of Mendocino let GMAC know that Gualala was a census block area. A census block area does not have clear boundary lines and is usually combined with other undesignated geographical areas. As a direct result of the census designation, the County also clarified that the Gualala community center did not qualify for funding assistance to rebuild as a resiliency facility.

GMAC took on the task in 2023 to work with the County to have Gualala re-classified as a CDP. On February 27, 2024, the Board of Supervisors directed staff to start the process with the US Census Bureau to reclassify Gualala as a Census Designated Place. The new CDP classification is scheduled to be effective January 2026.

It is the hope that the new census data and reclassification will allow the county and local community groups to pursue grant programs that will address local housing issues, park enhancement projects (i.e. RCRC pavilion), funding support for South Coast Fire Protection District and Coast Life Support and a grant for the community center project.

Thank you to the members of GMAC for engaging with Supervisor Williams and the County to encourage the processing of the application and monitoring the progress through completion.