One Month Later: $86 Million In Disaster Relief Approved Recovery Well On Its Way
Release Date: December 1, 2003
Release Number: 1498-42
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PASADENA, Calif. -- One month after the presidential declaration of the Southern California Wildfires as a disaster area, local residents and business owners continue rebuilding their lives and commerce. More than 17,600 people have registered for aid since fire swept through Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties in October. President George W. Bush made assistance available through the October 27 and October 30 major disaster declarations at the request of former California Governor Gray Davis.
The following summarizes more than $86 million in aid approved to date by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and the California Department of Social Services (DSS).
Government disaster assistance covers basic needs only and will not normally compensate you for your entire loss. If you have insurance, the government may help pay for basic needs not covered under your insurance policy. Some disaster aid, such as individual assistance awards, does not have to be paid back, while other forms of help may come in the form of loans.
Individual assistance – Since President Bush’s October 27 disaster declaration, FEMA has approved $4,518,789 in awards for temporary housing and minor home repairs and $11,896,780 for other disaster-related needs. More than $4.3 million of individual assistance was approved within the first week of operations.
State of California – The State of California Department of Social Services has approved a total of 62 State Supplemental Grants in excess of $480,000.
SBA Disaster Loans – The Small Business Administration has approved $62,154,400 in low-interest disaster loans to individuals and business owners. Those who have received loan applications in the mail are urged to complete and return them to the SBA. It is necessary to complete the loan application to be eligible for other kinds of assistance.
Housing inspections – Inspectors assigned to Southern California have completed 5,739 housing inspections. If an inspector comes to look at your home (done by appointment only), ask to see proper photo identification. There is no charge for the service. Local Assistance Centers (LACs) and Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) – Since October 27, 14 Local Assistance Centers and Disaster Recovery Centers have operated in the five affected counties to provide detailed information to people who had already applied for or needed assistance. They have welcomed more than 13,000 visitors, and seven centers continue to remain open.
Community Relations – For the past month, 21 joint local/federal teams of community relations specialists have canvassed the disaster area to provide information on disaster assistance and the application process. The outreach effort included door-to-door visits to homes and business locations as well as attendance at church services and community gatherings. Special attention has been given to identifying people with special needs in the heavily damaged areas.
Voluntary Organizations – Southern California voluntary and religious organizations were at the forefront of the disaster relief effort. For 16 days, the American Red Cross provided emergency shelter to more than 10,000 people. An estimated 500,000 meals and snacks were served by voluntary agencies. The voluntary and community groups have formed several committees to assist with the long-term needs of those impacted by the fires.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance – Individuals who lost work due to the Southern California wildfires were able to submit claims for Disaster Unemployment Assistance through the California Employment Development Department (EDD) by close of business December 1. All 579 claims submitted have been approved.
IRS – The Internal Revenue Service allows a federal income tax deduction for underinsured or uninsured casualty losses on homes, personal property and household goods. Those eligible may file an amended tax return for the previous year or take the deduction for this year, 2003. For information, call 1-800-829-1040.
Legal and Consumer Advice – Free legal help is available for lease, insurance, or other disaster-related legal concerns. Contact the American Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division Disaster Legal Services Hotline at 1-800-310-7029.
Contractors – The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) operates a disaster hotline at 1-800-962-1125 to answer contractor-related questions from those affected by the wildfires. Use reliable, licensed contractors. Contractors working on a job totaling $500 or more for labor and materials must be licensed. Consumers also can verify a contractor’s license status or order publications on the CSLB web site at www.cslb.ca.gov
Public Assistance Program– Under the Public Assistance Program, affected local governments and certain private non-profit organizations in the designated counties are eligible to apply for federal funds to help pay for debris removal and emergency services related to the disaster. Additionally, three of the designated counties are eligible for repair or replacement of damaged public facilities, such as roads, buildings, and utilities. OES, in conjunction with FEMA, administers the Public Assistance Program. Public Assistance Program personnel explain the procedures for requesting the assistance to officials of governmental organizations and non-profit organizations in “applicant briefings,” which are detailed presentations, typically three to five hours in length.
To date, OES and FEMA have conducted six applicant briefings, one in each of the five designated counties and one for State of California agencies. These briefings resulted in requests for public assistance from 184 organizations. OES and FEMA have held “kickoff meetings” beginning assistance programs for 70 of these organizations and are scheduling kickoff meetings with the remaining 114.
In addition, Public Assistance Program personnel have contacted all 22 of the Indian Tribal Governments in the affected areas and have received requests for public assistance from eight of the tribes. To date, Public Assistance Program personnel have conducted kickoff meetings with five tribes and scheduled kickoff meetings with the remaining three to be held this week.
Hazard Mitigation – FEMA mitigation representatives continue to support the LACs and DRCs with counselors and are hosting a series of mitigation-advice desks at home-improvement stores. FEMA also initiated the development of Post-Fire Advisory Flood Hazard Maps to assist homeowners and local, state, and federal agencies in recognizing and dealing with the increased flood risks. These maps are available to the public at www.capostfirefloods.net.
FEMA Helpline - Those who suffered damage during the fires but haven’t registered for assistance are urged to call the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) toll-free registration line at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Individuals with speech or hearing-impairments can call TTY 1-800-462-7585. The lines are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. The deadline to register is December 26, 2003.
More than 17 federal and 35 state departments and agencies have been involved in the disaster relief and recovery efforts. Twenty voluntary agencies have been involved in the effort.
There have been 363 FEMA staff members involved, and 223 personnel from other federal agencies.
The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services coordinates overall state agency response to major disasters in support of local government. The office is responsible for ensuring California’s readiness to respond to and recover from natural, manmade and war-caused emergencies and for assisting local governments in their emergency preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery efforts.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 09-Dec-2003 12:33:24