California State Relief Administration

The California State Relief Administration (SRA) was a government agency responsible for administering unemployment relief and distributing state and federal funds to improve conditions in California during the Great Depression.^[1] It was established in 1935^[2] as the successor to the State Emergency Relief Administration (SERA), established in 1933. The SRA was effectively abolished in 1941 when the State Legislature refused to grant it further appropriations at the state level.^[3]

California State Relief Administration (SRA)

Agency overview
Formed	April 19, 1935 (1935-04-19)
Preceding agency	State Emergency Relief Administration (SERA)
Dissolved	June 20, 1941 (1941-06-20)

Leadership

List of administrators of the SERA

No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office			Governor(s)	Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		R. C. Branion	March 24, 1933	November 30, 1934[a]	1 year, 251 days	James Rolph Frank Merriam	[5][6]
2		Vernon D. Northrop	November 30, 1934[b]	January 8, 1935	39 days	Frank Merriam	[8]
3		Roy W. Pilling	January 8, 1935	February 6, 1935	29 days	Frank Merriam	[9]
4		Frank Y. McLaughlin	February 6, 1935	April 19, 1935	72 days	Frank Merriam

Gallery

• 
  Line up for state relief pay day, Arvin, California, 1940
• 
  Close-up of relief queue on S.R.A. pay day, Arvin, California, 1940

See also

• Works Progress Administration
• Federal Emergency Relief Administration

Notes

1. On leave since July 20, 1934.^[4]
2. Acting administrator since July 20, 1934.^[7]