FEMA opens disaster assistance center in Ventura

Jan. 19--The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Friday opened its local center for people hurt by the Thomas Fire, the Montecito mudflows and other regional disasters. FEMA's Disaster Recovery Center is operating out of the parking lot of the Ventura County Credit Union at 6026 Telephone Road in Ventura.

The center will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays. On Saturdays, it's open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and it's closed Sunday.

Read more: With successful appeal, Thomas Fire locals can access federal assistance

On Saturday only, FEMA will open a satellite location from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Stagecoach Station General Store at 12679 Ojai Road in upper Ojai. Additional satellite locations may be opened down the line, according to Ventura County spokesperson Bill Nash.

FEMA's arrival came less than a week after residents in Ventura, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Diego counties became eligible for individual assistance. The disaster relief program -- initially denied by the White House, which makes that determination -- includes disaster unemployment insurance, housing, small-business and legal assistance, and community housing loans, according to area officials.

Residents, businesses and nonprofits can get help through the center.

David Fukutomi, the consultant hired by the city of Ventura to help it through the Thomas Fire, said even if a resident registered with another government agency, they still need to register with FEMA. The information doesn't transfer between agencies, he said.

"Unless you've registered with FEMA, you haven't registered with FEMA," he said.

One of the biggest things the individual assistance declaration does is open doors to other programs, including the Small Business Administration's low-interest loan program and other federal assistance.

"Federal disaster assistance is in all likelihood not going to get them back to where they were before," FEMA spokesman Victor Inge said. But it can help if a home was underinsured, he said.

The average recipient gets around $3,500, with a cap of $34,000 as of October 2017, officials said. The maximum climbs each year based on the Consumer Price Index.

Several agencies will be represented at the Disaster Recovery Center, and FEMA officials are traveling into affected areas and available to answer questions and to register people, Fukutomi said. Look for the blue FEMA jackets.

The process can also be done entirely online at disasterassistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362.

A Local Assistance Center has also been set up in Santa Barbara at the Calvary Chapel, 1 N. Calle Cesar Chavez. It will be open through Feb. 3 from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. It's closed Sundays.

On Sunday, a community gathering will take place in Carpinteria to help people affected by the recent disasters. The event takes place from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Carpinteria Children's Project at Main, 5201 8th St.

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