Any information about the Pacific Palisades Fire

[gregpark]

Don't be surprised if the people who had water front homes on the PCH are not allowed to rebuild

[Baz]

Originally Posted by craigster59

After the Northridge quake if you didn't have earthquake insurance (many Californians don't, not required by mortgage companies) you get assistance through FEMA in the form of an SBA loan.

Contrary to what goes around after disasters, these aren't "grants" and they don't get magically "forgiven" after a few years of payment. You pay the full amount although the interest rate is much lower than a conventional loan.

That is correct, Craig. A loan must be paid back.

FEMA also provides GRANTS....which do not have to be paid back.

These will be of considerable help for those who are not insured....providing they qualify.

CAL FIRES/WIND FEMA page

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by Baz

That is correct, Craig. A loan must be paid back.

FEMA also provides GRANTS....which do not have to be paid back.

These will be of considerable help for those who are not insured....providing they qualify.

CAL FIRES/WIND FEMA page

Good luck with FEMA. Despite the rhetoric, this is the reality.

Per a Jan 13 article:

"Helene damaged 9,234 residential units in Buncombe County, according to County Manager Avril Pinder. Of those, 331 were destroyed and about 8,300 require repairs to make the home safe and livable.

In Buncombe County, officials say there are at least 27 families in temporary housing units and more are on the way."

https://www.bpr.org/bpr-news/2025-01-13/are-fema-rules-to-blame-for-slow-wnc-housing-recovery-heres-what-we-learned

[speeder]

Originally Posted by gregpark

Don't be surprised if the people who had water front homes on the PCH are not allowed to rebuild

I’ve heard that as well but it seems pretty early to know something like that(?)

At any rate, rebuilding with today’s building codes on the water is going to give sticker shock to even the rich people. I had a guy yesterday telling me that it will be more like $2k a square foot to rebuild some of the houses in the Palisades back to the way they were. He told me that his friend’s house that burned to the ground in the Highlands had a $400k home theater.

These are not normal homes, in a lot of cases.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by fintstone

Good luck with FEMA. Despite the rhetoric, this is the reality.

Per a Jan 13 article:

"Helene damaged 9,234 residential units in Buncombe County, according to County Manager Avril Pinder. Of those, 331 were destroyed and about 8,300 require repairs to make the home safe and livable.

In Buncombe County, officials say there are at least 27 families in temporary housing units and more are on the way."

https://www.bpr.org/bpr-news/2025-01-13/are-fema-rules-to-blame-for-slow-wnc-housing-recovery-heres-what-we-learned

Also in the linked article:

According to an analysis of FEMA data from The Washington Post, only about 15% of households in the affected region have applied to the agency for individual and household assistance.

More than 2,000 households are staying in hotels and motels paid for by FEMA and another 700-plus families are using rental assistance provided by FEMA. The agency said it has provided $2.3 million in rental assistance so far.

and

There are still areas that are off-limits to temporary structures or RV’s. While these can get permits in a floodplain, the county won’t allow temporary housing in a floodway – which includes any body of water and its surrounding banks.

“ Placing RVs in a floodway, though, is dangerous,’ Pennington said. “So we don't want to place RVs in the floodway, but we can certainly place them on a temporary basis in the floodplain.”

As of Jan. 7, FEMA said it has placed 88 families throughout WNC in temporary housing units. Most – 52 – are on a commercial site that FEMA contracted; 36 have a FEMA unit on private lots.

FEMA has contracted with 10 commercial parks to be able to place units, and the agency is working with more than 20 other parks for potential contracting purposes.

============

I am not saying FEMA is an end-all solution for everyone. But they are doing a LOT to help folks.

And as previously discussed here......not everyone is going to quality for FEMA assistance.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by Baz

Also in the linked article:

According to an analysis of FEMA data from The Washington Post, only about 15% of households in the affected region have applied to the agency for individual and household assistance.

More than 2,000 households are staying in hotels and motels paid for by FEMA and another 700-plus families are using rental assistance provided by FEMA. The agency said it has provided $2.3 million in rental assistance so far.

and

There are still areas that are off-limits to temporary structures or RV’s. While these can get permits in a floodplain, the county won’t allow temporary housing in a floodway – which includes any body of water and its surrounding banks.

“ Placing RVs in a floodway, though, is dangerous,’ Pennington said. “So we don't want to place RVs in the floodway, but we can certainly place them on a temporary basis in the floodplain.”

As of Jan. 7, FEMA said it has placed 88 families throughout WNC in temporary housing units. Most – 52 – are on a commercial site that FEMA contracted; 36 have a FEMA unit on private lots.

FEMA has contracted with 10 commercial parks to be able to place units, and the agency is working with more than 20 other parks for potential contracting purposes.

============

I am not saying FEMA is an end-all solution for everyone. But they are doing a LOT to help folks.

And as previously discussed here......not everyone is going to quality for FEMA assistance.

Been there and have not seen any evidence of it. You?

Almost 9000 homes destroyed or unlivable and only 27 temp shelters after over 3 months dies not seem like a LOT. That is just one county (the worst impacted with the most dead).

If losing your home in a disaster that insurance does not cover does not qualify for aid, I am not sure what would.

[Tobra]

Going to be a LOT of condos going up in Palisades, housing density will greatly increase

Coastal Commission will deny a lot of stuff

[JavaBrewer]

Thanks for checking in Denis. We disagree on some things but IMO agree on far more. The PP will be rebuilt like you said early on but the residents will be for the most part different. Insurance will pay to rebuild a home but likely no fund a $400k in house theatre. Honestly enjoy your inputs on this discussion.

[KFC911]

I regularly see FEMA contact info, etc. on our local reports from the mtns and here. Just a few minutes ago it was reported that folks in hotels, etc. using FEMA $ would be extended a few more months (until May?) ... they WILL not be tossed out.
Good people will see to that ...

Limited resources, supply lines, etc. but FEMA is not AWOL... but not even close to being everywhere... here, there, and everywhere.

Same as it ever was ... and always will be.

I think 500 FEMA workers were here in NC... the rest are natives, private orgs, local infrastructure support, etc.

And help and $$$ from everywhere...

CA is another fine example of who we are.... thank you!

[speeder]

My limited personal experience with FEMA, (1994 Northridge earthquake), was that they were extremely helpful and efficient at giving out $$. It's a department of the govt. that is basically about giving away $$ to people affected by disaster, kind of the opposite of the IRS. Politicians look bad when people don't get relief and get it quickly, so they direct FEMA to spend their mandate in any given disaster zone quickly and without glitch.

That's my experience, anyway.

As for insurance paying for crazy expensive houses and what was in them, I guess it depends on how much coverage the person had. One difference between the Palisades and most places in the USA is that the land is worth WAY more than the structure sitting on it. So even if your house burns to the ground, you still own something very valuable, unless the bank owned the whole thing.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by KC911

I regularly see FEMA contact info, etc. on our local reports from the mtns and here. Just a few minutes ago it was reported that folks in hotels, etc. using FEMA $ would be extended a few more months (until May?) ... they WILL not be tossed out.
Good people will see to that ...

Limited resources, supply lines, etc. but FEMA is not AWOL... but not even close to being everywhere... here, there, and everywhere.

Same as it ever was ... and always will be.

I think 500 FEMA workers were here in NC... the rest are natives, private orgs, local infrastructure support, etc.

And help and $$$ from everywhere...

CA is another fine example of who we are.... thank you!

Since you are not local, your "local reports" are just people regurgitating FEMA press releases and words by others that are not where the disaster or suffering is happening...followed by you regurgitating the same. But glad they are helping where you are and other places where the destruction was limited. FEMA has really not extended aid beyond the heavily populated areas...and is doing nothing to help rebuild in rural areas. Neither is the state.

Almost 9000 homes destroyed or unlivable in a single rural county and only 27 temp shelters after over 3 months does not seem like a much. That is just one county. That is not a good look for FEMA or the fat cats at the state capital (or those that constantly make excuses for them).

Allowing the few that were put in hotels to extend their stays (only at the last minute due to public outcry) does not really help long term. Many, many have been deemed "ineligible" and turned out into the cold because they did not own homes/have current addresses, apply in time, and other inane reasons...and are still being moved out into the streets in the bitter cold (10F low today and 6F tomorrow). The program has stopped taking any new applications. Many lived in cars, tents, and make-do shelters for a month before admission to the program...and many have not been helped or were unable to (or chose not to) leave their communities and go to the city from destroyed homes without roads.

Briefly extending stays for the few in hotels until March will not help folks a lot (other than the owners of the hotels that would otherwise be largely vacant). People need roads and help with longer-term housing, not platitudes.

Other folks see it differently than you. NC Congressman Chuck Edwards just this past Friday:

"Many Western North Carolinians relying on FEMA’s hotel program don’t have a home to go back to, and it is inhumane to expect these folks to leave the only safe and warm shelter available with only a few days or a week’s notice.

The only real help I have seen has been from private citizens and organizations. Fortunately for the area, when unemployment spiked to more than 10% in October...many folks (that could do so) simply moved away and left everything behind, reducing pressure on housing and jobs. Of course, one does need a very good job to rent or buy (as prices are very high). There were few of those even before the disaster.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by speeder

My limited personal experience with FEMA, (1994 Northridge earthquake), was that they were extremely helpful and efficient at giving out $$. It's a department of the govt. that is basically about giving away $$ to people affected by disaster, kind of the opposite of the IRS. Politicians look bad when people don't get relief and get it quickly, so they direct FEMA to spend their mandate in any given disaster zone quickly and without glitch.

That's my experience, anyway.

As for insurance paying for crazy expensive houses and what was in them, I guess it depends on how much coverage the person had. One difference between the Palisades and most places in the USA is that the land is worth WAY more than the structure sitting on it. So even if your house burns to the ground, you still own something very valuable, unless the bank owned the whole thing.

My extensive experience with FEMA has been one where massive amounts of money was spent to help rebuild disaster areas. We sent people to even remote areas who went door to door. It came very slowly in the area of the country I refer to and really has been very limited. The difference is appalling. Folks that keep assuring us that everything is great simply make it even harder for these people to get help.

Of course, insurance is helpful in CA, but most of the victims of Helene were not on the coast and their insurance covers nothing (from flooding/landslides). Not only were their homes, vehicles, and belongings destroyed, but the workplaces of many were as well. Even the roads that would allow them to go to work are gone. By the time FEMA arrived, most had spent every penny they had to survive.

I hope it is better in CA...and expect it to be. FEMA/State government) will arrive there before it does for the folks in my hometown. They have lost everything...and will never fully recover.

[fintstone]

Lots of help in some areas from wonderful volunteers (but that is slowing). According to some, it is disaster fatigue. Destruction everywhere and FEMA/the state is nowhere to be seen. These folks are out of sight, out of mind. Yes, I will advocate for them and keep reminding folks of the situation.

https://www.wccbcharlotte.com/2025/01/17/months-after-helene-carolinas-suffer-from-disaster-fatigue/

[speeder]

Originally Posted by fintstone

Lots of help in some areas from wonderful volunteers (but that is slowing). According to some, it is disaster fatigue. Destruction everywhere and FEMA/the state is nowhere to be seen. These folks are out of sight, out of mind. Yes, I will advocate for them and keep reminding folks of the situation.

https://www.wccbcharlotte.com/2025/01/17/months-after-helene-carolinas-suffer-from-disaster-fatigue/

It’s good of you to say this. It’s a phenomenon that I’m familiar with and have been stating to people privately for the last two weeks here. The initial rush of volunteerism, which is great, wears off exactly as you describe and help will be needed for a long period of time.

[KFC911]

Fint, maybe the local news stations are lying with their reports and what they show every morning from the west? Their reporters are mostly NC natives spread throughout the mtns and then reports from assistance efforts here ... FEMA has not been AWOL... according to many. The hotel extension was announced this morning...

Maybe it's all fake news?

Editd: Sorry for the hijack.... this thread is about CA ....

[speeder]

For some people, facts are just really inconvenient.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by KC911

Fint, maybe the local news stations are lying with their reports and what they show every morning from the west? Their reporters are mostly NC natives spread throughout the mtns and then reports from assistance efforts here ... FEMA has not been AWOL... according to many. The hotel extension was announced this morning...

Maybe it's all fake news?

Editd: Sorry for the hijack.... this thread is about CA ....

There are no NC native reporters reporting in poor rural areas in the mountains (maybe after the roads are rebuilt). As noted, the ones I see simply parrot FEMA and the state (who are also not there). The facts contradict what they and you keep repeating (neither of you have been to see for yourself). There may be some help in some areas...but there is absolutely none in others. 9000 homes destroyed or unlivable in a single rural county and only 27 temp shelters after over 3 months is pitiful.

A few hotel rooms in one city for the few that qualify is not success. Especially after they were denied for many and many others have already been kicked out (and will continue to be despite extensions).

[mtnrat]

Originally Posted by fintstone

There are no NC native reporters reporting in poor rural areas in the mountains (maybe after the roads are rebuilt). As noted, the ones I see simply parrot FEMA and the state (who are also not there). The facts contradict what they and you keep repeating (neither of you have been to see for yourself). There may be some help in some areas...but there is absolutely none in others. 9000 homes destroyed or unlivable in a single rural county and only 27 temp shelters after over 3 months is pitiful.

A few hotel rooms in one city for the few that qualify is not success. Especially after they were denied for many and many others have already been kicked out (and will continue to be despite extensions).

For some people, facts are just really inconvenient.

[rfuerst911sc]

One suspected arsonist caught while attempting to start another fire ! I hope someone knocks that smug smile off his face while in custody . Then locks him up for 50 years . Idiot .

https://www.yahoo.com/news/man-accused-starting-harlan-county-212837691.html

[onewhippedpuppy]

Are the fires still burning, at least contained?