Colleges Allocate $500,000 for Repairs

The Los Angeles Community College District has set aside $500,000 to repair earthquake-damaged facilities, of which about $200,000 has been spent, according to a district spokesman.

Spokesman Fausto Capobianco said about $200,000 has been spent on inspections, structural reinforcements, debris removal, overtime pay for repair work, and facilities equipment and supplies. The $500,000 came from a contingency reserve fund, he said.

The district is counting on being reimbursed when it receives an anticipated grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to restore it to pre-quake operating levels. The district is asking for a $4-million grant, although the amount remains the subject of negotiations with FEMA, Capobianco said.

At a district board of trustees meeting today, the board will consider authorizing the chancellor to submit and sign paperwork for the first installment of the district’s FEMA grant. Capobianco said he expects the grant in one to two weeks.

Of the $4 million in damages claimed by the district, Pierce College suffered $2.1 million in losses; Valley College, $740,000, and Mission College, $135,000.