Santa Fe Community Foundation launches fund to aid flood victims

Sept. 09--When thunder rumbles above Santa Fe, Paul Thompson's heart echoes in panic.

For six weeks, his breathing has quickened at the sound of raindrops. He wonders if the weather will deepen the nightmare that began when a historic flood devastated parts of the city in July and created a stream through the front door and out the back of Thompson's two-story home off Morris Place.

"You could've whitewater rafted through my house," Thompson said.

After that storm damaged his roof and ruined most of his flooring and furniture, life hasn't been the same.

Climbing the stairs past his damaged kitchen, Thompson peers at the ceiling and wall in his guest and master bedrooms, searching for drips. It's force of habit: A laundry basket full of towels was his only defense until Tuesday, when his roof was finally mended for a little less than $20,000.

"This place was my sanctuary," he said of his house, which will need tens of thousands of dollars more in repairs. "I don't have those same feelings right now."

In order to try to fill the gap between insurance coverage and federal loans for some of the nearly 300 homeowners and business owners affected by rainfall, the Santa Fe Community Foundation is launching an initiative to offer some reprieve to those in need of critical repairs.

The campaign, Fund for the Flood, is designed similarly to The New Mexican's Empty Stocking Fund around Christmas, enabling community members to apply for aid. Funds will be disbursed to contractors or businesses to provide repairs for applicants selected to receive help.

The application process will open once $10,000 has been raised, organizers said.

"We're still seeing a great need in the community," said Jamie Aranda, the communications and marketing associate for the Community Foundation. "We can help fill that gap."

Aranda said the fund's initial goal is to reach $100,000. A website has been developed and is available to take donations.

Once applications are completed, a committee composed of the Community Foundation, Habitat for Humanity and possibly other local organizations will review them. She said applicants should prioritize the key areas of their home in need of repairs.

"It's at least something to get going," Aranda said. "The biggest thing is to see how much money comes in."

Sevastian Gurule, the city of Santa Fe's director of constituent services, said that as the city assessed damage, it found many people were living in dwellings designated as affected but habitable. He said the fund could help address many problems for those still struggling.

"We can move forward together, united as one," he said. "We're not going to be waiting for assistance that we as a community can come together and serve."

David Silver, the city's emergency management director, said a community-driven resource such as Fund for the Flood will be a great asset for those who need help to begin rebuilding, even on a small scale.

"Most of the damage we saw out there was minor in the grand scheme," he said. "Fund for the Flood can be fantastic on getting people back on their feet. ... It will really help with that minor damage cleanup."

Flood victim Andrew Flores has been waiting for a response since contacting the city about the damage to his home and a downed retaining wall on the edge of his property in early August. When water flooded the converted garage where his 74-year old mother stays, he said he was in shock.

Weeks later, with the carpeting ripped out and the drywall damaged, Flores, a detention officer for the Rio Arriba County jail, said he is tired of words and forms.

Even the basics of rebuilding, he said, are difficult when balanced against daily costs that don't go away just because there was a flood.

"It's things I know I could do," he said of repairs, "but out of pocket, I've got other bills."

He said a Fund for the Flood is a great idea, but he is leery of getting too hopeful.

"I don't want [my mother] staying in that room through Christmas," he said.

As the season turns and the air chills, Thompson also is struggling to make his house a sanctuary again. The roof is repaired, but he worries about spending the winter with much of the insulation torn out of his walls and ceilings. Whether he's working through insurance settlements, loans from the Small Business Administration or an application through the Fund for the Flood, Thompson said he is trying not to give up -- and remembering there are many worse off.

During a trip to Cambodia earlier this year, he said he saw many people in the provinces living without running water or electricity. A memory of seeing a boy sitting on the dirt floor of a hut has helped keep his own situation in perspective.

"I saw some real poverty -- that's what I relied on the most to not get depressed," Thompson said. "It keeps me from falling in the abyss."

To donate

The Santa Fe Community Foundation is accepting donations for its new Fund for the Flood on its website: www.santafecf.org/give-now

When donating, click the drop link specifying the cause and select Fund for the Flood.

Checks also can be mailed to:

Santa Fe Community Foundation

P.O. Box 1827

Santa Fe, N,M, 87504-1827

Businesses wishing to offer in-kind services may contact Jamie Aranda at 505-988-9715, ext. 7004.

Other assistance

Although the Santa Fe Community Foundation's Fund for the Flood hopes to bridge gaps for homeowners whose dwellings suffered damage in the aftermath of a historic rainstorm July 23, there are some options for assistance.

The Small Business Association is offering low-interest federal disaster loans to residents and businesses affected by the flood through Oct. 15. Loans of up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged real estate, and up to $40,000 for homeowners or renters to repair or replace damaged personal property.

For information: disasterloan.sba.gov/ela

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