Earthquake: The Long Road Back : Tiring Run Through FEMA Maze : Aftermath: Simi Valley woman, seeking aid to repair her damaged mobile home, is taken aback by federal bureaucracy.
Fran Kolodziej is not impressed with the federal government. The 65-year-old Simi Valley woman spent Friday morning trying to line up federal assistance to repair her quake-damaged mobile home. An hour and 10 minutes later, she walked away overwhelmed with paperwork and confused as to when she might receive an emergency rent voucher or if officials would even process her application for a grant to fix her home.
“Geez, I don’t believe this,†Kolodziej said after her first experience with federal relief officials. “I think it should have been handled a lot differently.â€
In the time that Kolodziej was at the disaster relief office, she answered more than 60 questions from seven government officials, filled out one long application form for financial aid, and was given another form to apply for rent money.
She was also bounced between different stations in the office, with emergency relief officials giving conflicting directions. Kolodziej said she was not expecting immediate relief, but was taken aback at the bureaucratic maze she would have to maneuver before she could receive any emergency rent voucher or monetary aid.
“My house is uninhabitable,†Kolodziej said. “I’ve been staying with my son, but it’s awkward. They have their own lives, you know.â€
Kolodziej’s encounter with the Federal Emergency Management Agency began about 10:20 a.m., when she entered the Simi Valley center and was signed in by a worker who then directed Kolodziej to wait in a chair.
After about five minutes, the retired medical records keeper was led to a table where FEMA worker Frances Magee began asking questions and handwriting the responses on a one-page form. The initial interview was designed so FEMA officials can direct disaster victims to the services they need, Magee said.
“Is your home destroyed?†Magee asked.
“Well, pretty much,†Kolodziej said. “It’s not livable.â€
Kolodziej then offered a detailed description of her wrecked house at Crest Mobile Home Park in eastern Simi Valley. The quake knocked the house off its supports, and metal jacks now protrude through her kitchen floor.
Most of the metal skirt surrounding the foundation was torn away during Monday’s violent shaking, she said. The porch was left tilted and the gas heater was thrown three feet from the trailer.
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After Magee finished her interview about 20 minutes later, she had Kolodziej wait for a few minutes while her supervisor approved her application.
“They should really have computers here to make the process faster,†Kolodziej said while she waited. “This is really time-consuming. I’m sure all these people here have lots of things to do.â€
When Magee returned, she directed Kolodziej to two tables, one for loans and the other for emergency rent vouchers. Magee told Kolodziej she could wait in either of the lines leading up to the tables--no particular order was necessary.
Kolodziej went to the loan line first, but there were two people ahead of her. So she decided to try the line for the emergency rent vouchers instead.
After a brief wait, a counselor at the rent voucher table told Kolodziej that she must come to her table last, and directed Kolodziej to wait in line for the federal officials handling loans.
When she returned to the loan table, Kolodziej received a blank loan application and was sent to meet with a loan specialist at another table.
When loan specialist Donald Homer looked at Kolodziej’s paperwork, he told her she shouldn’t be seeing him.
“You can’t really afford another loan payment,†Homer told her. “They should have sent you directly to the grant program.â€
Homer said FEMA workers should have noticed that Kolodziej’s $623 monthly income is too low to qualify for a loan program administered by the Small Business Administration.
As Kolodziej waited for Homer to double-check with FEMA workers, she sighed. “Well, I could have gone through something I didn’t have to,†she said.
Kolodziej was then sent to the grant table, where Emil Witzens instructed her about the qualifications and limitations of the federal grant program.
He told Kolodziej that in a few weeks she would be contacted by an inspector who would assess the damage to her mobile home. Then it would be determined whether she qualifies for a grant.
But first, Witzens said, Kolodziej must complete her loan application and be denied before she is eligible for a grant. Grants of up to $12,000 are provided only to low-income households, he said.
Kolodziej then checked with loan officials, who said she does not have to fill out a loan application in order to qualify for a grant. Supervisory Loan Officer Charles Sampson said Kolodziej’s income is below the minimum amount necessary for a loan and took away her blank loan application.
After Kolodziej was reassured that her grant application would be processed, she headed for the disaster housing table.
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There, she received the most disappointing news of the day. Only after her mobile home is inspected and only after her application is approved by FEMA officials, will Kolodziej be eligible for an emergency rent voucher.
It could be as fast as two weeks, or it could take months, housing counselor Bonnie Warrington said.
Even after Kolodziej is approved for emergency rent voucher, she must find an apartment by herself and find a landlord willing to accept the government’s 18-month voucher for payment, Warrington said. A list of possible landlords will be made available, she added.
After Kolodziej finds an apartment, she must also wait for federal officials to inspect it, Warrington said.
In a slight daze, Kolodziej shook her head, took a housing application and then left the disaster relief office about 70 minutes after she entered.
“This is quite a stress on me,†Kolodziej said. “I thought it was their duty to provide something faster than this.â€
How to Help
Ventura County residents who want to help earthquake victims may contact the following agencies:
* The American Red Cross is seeking volunteer nurses and financial donations. Send checks made out to “American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund†to P.O. Box 5850, Ventura, CA 93005. Information: 339-2234.
* The Salvation Army is requesting bottled water, tents, blankets, cots, sleeping bags, packaged food, diapers and toys. Financial donations marked “Earthquake†may be sent to the Salvation Army, 900 W. 9th St., Los Angeles, CA 90015. For credit card donations and assistance, call 1-800-725-9005. Items can be delivered to 155 S. Oak St., Ventura. Information: 648-5031.
* Catholic Charities is accepting money, blankets, tarps and plastic, non-perishable food and clothing, including warm jackets and sweaters, at four locations: 789 E. Thompson Blvd., Ventura (643-4694); 402 N. A St., Oxnard (486-2900); 80 E. Hillcrest Drive, Suite 216, Thousand Oaks (496-1113); and 77 First St., Moorpark (529-0720).
* The Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce, Lutheran Social Services and the city of Thousand Oaks need bedding, sleeping bags, blankets and sheets, flashlights and batteries, diapers, tents or tarps, personal hygiene items, first aid supplies, bottled water and food for Conejo Valley and Simi Valley residents. Supplies are being collected at 80 Hillcrest Drive, Suite 215, Thousand Oaks. Information: 497-6207.
* Food Share Inc., 4156 N. Southbank Road, Oxnard, is accepting bottled water, non-perishable food and money. Information: 647-3944 or 983-7100.
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