Homeowners, renters and businesses affected by the destructive Montecito debris flows can apply for federal disaster relief, and may be eligible for other forms of assistance.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency granted the state’s request to expand disaster assistance in response to the mudslides in Montecito and other southern Santa Barbara County areas.
FEMA amended the Major Disaster Declaration in the areas affected by the Thomas Fire, according to the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
At least 20 people were killed by the Jan. 9 debris flows, and another three were still missing as of Wednesday night.
Twenty eight people were treated at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with storm-related injuries, and five remained hospitalized, two in critical condition, as of Wednesday.
Officials listed 128 destroyed single-family residences and another 307 homes as damaged, six destroyed commercial structures and 17 damaged commercial structures.
Santa Barbara County has an interactive online damage assessment map, though officials emphasize that the information is preliminary and subject to change as crews conduct more detailed searches of the area and vet the information.
David Passey, a FEMA representative who spoke Tuesday at a community meeting in Santa Barbara, said state partners and federal and county agencies are dedicated to restoring Montecito and surrounding communities.
FEMA has approved public and individual assistance for Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, which means infrastructure repair project costs are more likely to be reimbursed and people affected by the Thomas Fire and subsequent flooding and debris flows can apply for financial assistance.
Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, released a Fire and CA Storm Recovery Guide Tuesday, with information on FEMA assistance, disaster unemployment benefits, replacing lost documents, housing assistance, legal assistance, and business assistance.
Click here or scroll down to view the guide.
Santa Barbara County opened a Local Assistance & Recovery Center Wednesday with representatives from FEMA and other agencies to answer questions and help residents apply for various kinds of assistance.
The center is open from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, and closed Sunday at Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara, 1 N. Calle Cesar Chavez. It will be open to the public through Feb. 3.
Residents can also apply for FEMA disaster assistance online by visiting disasterassistance.gov or www.disasterassistance.gov/es (Spanish), or by phone at 800.621.3362 or 800.462.7585. There is also a free mobile app.
Passey said Tuesday that people who suffered losses not covered by insurance may be eligible for disaster financial assistance or low-interest loans.
Even if people did not have property damage, they could be eligible for help with things like hotel costs if their home is within a mandatory evacuation area.
“If you suffered loss — renters, homeowners or business owners — you are now eligible to apply for federal and state disaster assistance,” Passey said. “We go from disaster to disaster helping people prepare for, respond to, recover from, and hopefully protect from future losses.”
If people are worried about asking for help in their language of choice, or because of immigration status, FEMA wants them to know the agency wants to help as many people as it can, he said.
Government disaster assistance typically only covers basic needs and usually will not compensate for the entire loss, according to FEMA.
Flood insurance
The National Flood Insurance Program, which is administered by FEMA, has a Referral Call Center at 888.379.9531 for information or questions about an existing policy. Residents can get information about filing a claim here.
Most standard homeowners’ insurance policies do not cover flood damage, and flood damage policies typically have a 30-day grace period between buying and filing a claim.
There may be exemptions for the 30-day waiting period, Carbajal’s office said last week when encouraging people to confirm their flood insurance policies and immediately apply if they did not have coverage.
FEMA currently allows for a case-by-case review of those affected by flood and has exemptions for property affected by flooding on federal land, where flooding is caused or exacerbated by post-wildfire conditions on federal land (including Los Padres National Forest), and flood insurance was purchased within 60 days after the wildfire containment date, according to Carbajal’s office.
Residents can search the FEMA Flood Hazard Map to see if their home or business is in a flood zone.
County water resources manager Tom Fayram noted that these hazard maps are for flooding, not post-wildfire debris flows.
The Water Resources Division has additional information and resources available regarding flood control, flood preparedness and Thomas Fire recovery.
Resources for affected businesses and employees
Workers can apply for disaster unemployment, with more information online here.
The Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Chamber of Commerce for the Santa Barbara Region have been sending resources to their members, including ways to apply for disaster loan assistance through the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The SBA is offering federal low-interest disaster loans to businesses, some nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters.
“SBA is now offering federal low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners, & renters. Businesses may borrow up to $2 million to repair/replace disaster property damage. Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary residence and homeowners or renters may borrow up to $40,000 to replace personal property, including vehicles,” the Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce said.
There is a CarpStrong Food Drive co-sponsored by the Carpinteria Children’s Project and the Carpinteria Food Pantry, and the Chamber of Commerce is also a drop-off point for food donations
Donations, in cash or check made out to Carpinteria Children’s Project, can be delivered from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Family Resource Center, 5201 8th Street, Room 310.
The Chamber of Commerce of the Santa Barbara Region has a list of hotels offering discounted rates for evacuees, available rental housing, and furnished rental housing.
Scroll down to view a list of local hotels offering discounted rates to evacuees.
How to Help Montecito Mudslide Victims
Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland contributed reporting to this story.
— Noozhawk managing editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
Montecito Storm Evacuee Hotel Rate List Jan. 18, 2018 by Giana Magnoli on Scribd
Thomas Fire and California Storm Recovery Guide
