THOUSAND OAKS : Deadline Set for Seeking Quake Aid

Eager to start mailing out checks, Thousand Oaks council members have set a mid-June deadline for residents to request earthquake relief funds, despite a warning from staff members that a one-month application period might be too short.

Homeowners looking for help repairing quake-damaged property must apply by June 16 to receive a portion of the city’s $501,000 federal earthquake-recovery grant. At least 50 residents have already requested city aid.

As part of their applications, residents must prove they have tapped every other possible source of money, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Small Business Administration and private insurance. But that requirement, coupled with a deadline just four weeks away, could create problems for homeowners whose requests for FEMA funds are still pending.

FEMA will continue accepting requests for money until July 17, so residents might receive federal grants well after they have applied for city loans.

“I don’t know how this is all going to work, timing-wise,” said quake victim Michele Relkin, who will not hear from the Individual Family Grant program until at least mid-June. “It’s like living on the edge.”

Recognizing the time crunch, council members said they would accept some incomplete applications. But they defended the June 16 deadline as necessary to help city staff members get a swift and accurate assessment of residents’ needs.

“Just because FEMA’s taking too long doesn’t mean we need to take too long,” Councilman Frank Schillo said.

Once applications are in, the council will decide how much money to give homeowners and how much to spend on repairing masonry walls along arterial streets. They will also vote on whether to structure the housing rehabilitation aid as free grants or low-interest loans.