Thousand Oaks Homeowners at Top of Quake Relief List

Thousand Oaks residents with quake-damaged homes will get first crack at a $501,000 federal relief grant--but city officials have not yet determined how much money will be available to homeowners or how it will be distributed.

The continuing uncertainty about how best to use the windfall has frustrated at least one City Council member.

“We’ve had it on our agenda for two weeks in a row, and it’s just been five people stumbling around trying to figure out what to do with the money,” Councilman Frank Schillo said.

Because city staff has not yet tallied a precise damage estimate, council members this week decided to postpone a decision on allocating the money.

Instead, they simply set out general priorities: Homeowners will get first dibs, and leftover funds will be used to repair masonry walls around housing tracts or along main streets.

Councilman Alex Fiore dissented, arguing that the city should devote more resources to fixing tilted cement-block walls. “Someone could get hurt walking down the sidewalk if one of those walls topples,” he said. “It’s a health and safety issue.”

Residents who have suffered property damage are encouraged to file claims with the city. But the federal funds will be granted only to individuals who have exhausted other sources of money, including Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration and private insurance. Households with low to moderate incomes will probably receive priority, officials said.

Given the limited amount of money, Schillo warned residents not to expect too much. Council members have already received several pleas, Schillo said, adding that “it’s not our responsibility to go out and promise everyone they’ll get full funding.”