$11.2 Million In The Hands Of California Wildfire Victims
Another $1.6 million approved for state grants and more than $47.8 million approved for SBA loans
Release Date: December 7, 2007
Release Number: 1731-070
» More Information on California Wildfires
PASADENA, Calif. -- Today, $11.2 million in housing and other disaster-related assistance is in the hands of Southern Californians who live in the disaster-designated counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.
Individual assistance is available for disaster victims in the counties listed above. Public assistance grants also will be made available to state, county and local governments for emergency work such as debris removal and reimbursement for protective measures. President Bush amended the Oct. 24 declaration on Nov. 8 to allow the counties of Orange, San Bernardino and San Diego to apply for additional assistance for work such as road repair, public utilities, public buildings, and public parks.
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Disaster assistance summary:
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$8 million - Housing assistance grants for rental expenses, home repair or replacement.
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$3.2 million - Other needs assistance grants for losses and damage to personal property; vehicle repair or replacement; moving expenses; and other disaster-related costs.
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$1.6 million - Approved California State Supplemental Grants for those who have received the maximum grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
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$47.8 million - Approved SBA low-interest loans.
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18,394 Californians have registered for state and federal disaster assistance online at www.fema.gov or by phone at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585. Currently phone lines are open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Beginning Monday, Dec. 10 the hours change to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed on Sunday.
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The deadline to apply for federal and state disaster assistance is Jan. 9, 2008. Those who have registered are reminded to call FEMA or go online at: www.fema.gov/assistance/process/update_assistance.shtm to report any changes in personal or insurance information and check the status of their application.
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7,958 FEMA inspections have been completed in the disaster-designated counties.
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14,408 people have visited assistance centers seeking disaster assistance and mitigation information in English and many Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and other languages as needed. U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) representatives are onsite to assist with loan applications for homeowners, renters and business owners.
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18,706 residents, 6,023 businesses, and 1,994 other organizations and agencies have received disaster assistance information from FEMA's community relations specialists.
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Crisis counseling for wildfire victims is available. Those who may be feeling overwhelmed as a result of the wildfires or need disaster-related counseling may call the hotline number for their county:
Los Angeles (800) 854-7771
Orange (866) 830-6011
Riverside (800) 706-7500
San Bernardino (888) 743-1478
San Diego (800) 479-3339
Santa Barbara (888) 868-1649
Ventura (800) 671-0887
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People living or working in the seven disaster-designated counties whose jobs were affected by the California wildfires may be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) from the California State Employment Development Department. The deadline to apply is Jan. 9, 2008.
The fastest and easiest option for individuals to file claims for DUA benefits is online at www.edd.ca.gov/fleclaim.htm.
Claimants can also file by telephone:
English………………… 1-800-300-5616
Spanish…………………… 1-800-326-8937
Cantonese……………........ 1-800-547-3506
Mandarin…………………1-866-303-0706
Vietnamese………………. 1-800-547-2058
TTY (non-voice)………….1-800-815-9387
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The California State Bar has a legal assistance hotline at 1-866-636-9041. Wildfire victims can call the line with disaster-related basic legal questions, such as those on replacing lost documents, housing-landlord-tenant disputes, and insurance issues.
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Free professional advice to help home and business owners rebuild will be available in Fallbrook and several other Southern California communities through next Thursday, Dec. 13.
Rebuilding specialists will provide information Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Monday through Thursday, Dec. 13, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at:
Joe's Hardware
640 S. Main St.
Fallbrook
Rebuilding specialists are available between 7 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. through Thursday, Dec. 13 at the following locations:
Home Depot
28033 Newhall Ranch Road
Santa Clarita
20021 Lake Forest Drive
Lake Forest
Lowe's through Dec. 13
620 W. Mission Ave.
Escondido
2318 Northside Drive
San Diego
19601 W. Nordhoff
Northridge
304181 Avendia De Las Flores
Rancho Santa Margarita
Unmanned self-help information booths are available at the following stores:
Escondido Lumber True Value
310 S. Quince St.
Escondido
True Value
532 B St.
Ramona
Ramona Ace Hardware
652 Main St.
Ramona
Lake Drive Ace Hardware
23895 Lake Drive
Crestline
Rim Forest Lumber
26491 Pine Ave.
Rim Forest
Cedar Glen Hardware
28946 Hook Creek Rd.
Cedar Glen
Penasquitos Hardware
13179 Black Mountain Rd.
San Diego
Griffin Ace Hardware
10511 4S Commons Drive
San Diego
Griffin Ace Hardware
3880 Valley Center Drive
San Diego
Agua Fria Hardware
26890 Highway 189
Blue Jay
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Recent rainstorms punctuate the need to be prepared for possible flooding and debris flow. Flood insurance, backed by the federal government, is available. In the seven-county wildfire disaster area, 81,000 California property owners have flood insurance-only 1 percent of the 7 million households.
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Three assistance centers will close at 7 p.m. today, Dec. 7. They will reopen as Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Outreach Centers at the following dates and locations:
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23805 Stuart Ranch Road, #100, Malibu, beginning Monday, Dec. 10 at 9 a.m.
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Robert Hootman Senior/Community Center, 2929 Running Springs School, Running Springs, beginning Saturday, Dec. 8. at 9 a.m.
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900 Rancho San Diego Parkway, El Cajon, beginning Saturday, Dec. 8 at 9 a.m.
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FEMA, even before the official disaster declaration, approved eight Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs) to cover the costs of fighting the Harris, Canyon, Buckweed, Witch, Ranch, Santiago, Grass Valley and Rice fires. The FMAG program allows for the mitigation, management and control of major wildfires.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Monday, 10-Dec-2007 09:18:31