HIDDEN HILLS : Damage From Quake Set at $1.5 Million

The Jan. 17 earthquake caused $1.5 million in damage to more than 100 homes in the tiny gated city of Hidden Hills, prompting some in the upscale community to apply for the same federal aid sought by residents of less affluent parts of the San Fernando Valley.

“We’ve sent a lot of people to the (Federal Emergency Management Agency) centers,” said Greg Robinson, Hidden Hills building official. “Just because the homes are expensive doesn’t mean the people who live them don’t need assistance.”

The only home deemed uninhabitable had $500,000 in damage, and one declared partly unsafe had an estimated $400,000 in damage. Another 48 were deemed partly uninhabitable, mostly near cracked chimneys, with damage ranging from $500 to $50,000. All told, Robinson and other inspectors found damage at 119 homes in Hidden Hills, where most residences cost between $500,000 and $3 million.

There was no significant damage to public property in the mostly residential enclave. But the planned start-up of an emergency response team in January was, ironically, postponed due to the earthquake.

“Very bad timing, I know,” said James Doran, director of emergency services. “But maybe the earthquake will encourage more people to participate.”

Doran said he had planned to recruit and train at least 15 residents of the city of about 2,000 in first aid and search-and-rescue techniques in late January, modeling the program after the Disaster Response Team in Agoura Hills. The program may begin this month, he said.

Thankfully, extra volunteers were not needed Jan. 17.

Within 15 minutes of the magnitude 6.6 quake, Doran and three other volunteers began checking each of about 550 homes in Hidden Hills for injured residents, fires or other emergencies, but found none.

“Mostly, it was just a case of reassuring people who had come out of their homes and were sitting in their cars or standing around,” Doran said. “There was some nervousness, but everyone was pretty much OK.”