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Informed Opinions on Today’s Topics : How Can We Speed Recovery From Quake?

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SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Sunday marks the six-month anniversary of the disastrous magnitude 6.8 Northridge earthquake. Damaged freeways are operable, but still being repaired. Most homes and businesses either destroyed or damaged in the Jan. 17 quake are in various stages of reconstruction. But telltale rubble lies here and there in the streets, still waiting to be picked up. Many damaged apartments and condominium complexes--some in ruins--stand vacant. And this week, owners of the Laurel Plaza mall in North Hollywood said some of its stores may not reopen.

Recently, the City Council asked the Community Redevelopment Agency to establish emergency redevelopment areas so that property taxes can be used for earthquake repairs.

What should the government do to continue helping the victims of the Jan. 17 quake?

Zev Yaroslavksy, Los Angeles city councilman:

“The SBA has to become more responsive to the realities of the San Fernando Valley quake. While FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) has been terrific, the SBA (Small Business Administration) has been virtually as rigorous as conventional services. The SBA has to be more forthcoming with resources to help businesses and apartment buildings, not to mention single-family homes. I think the rules have to be changed and the criteria for loans have to be liberalized so that the SBA can become a positive factor in the recovery of the San Fernando Valley and other damaged areas of the city.

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“The City Council this week approved the development of a redevelopment plan. We are looking at a project in Sherman Oaks that has been reasonably well-received by the public . . . SBA has to become a constructive agent of recovery instead of a source of bureaucratic frustration.”

Liliana Perez, field coordinator for Project Rebound, a FEMA-sponsored agency providing crisis counseling for the mentally ill and other recovery services:

“What the government needs to do is continue with the public relations and with grants to nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles County and, in my opinion, especially in the San Fernando Valley. This information should not just be in English . . . and needs to be disseminated to the school and local organizations . . . They should create more job opportunities for the youth and create more educational classes for adults on disaster preparedness . . . (The government should also make sure that people seeking aid) will not be intimidated because they might not have complete, proper documentation.”

Scott Spooner, president of the Northridge Chamber of Commerce:

“In my opinion, FEMA and the SBA did a magnificent job in getting the information out. They probably could have done a little bit better job at coordinating. We are still getting calls from people . . . who haven’t heard back or don’t know where they are in the loop. What I would love to see is for the SBA or FEMA to come out with a statement about where we are and how long do we expect to go until things are satisfied . . . A quarterly update at least through the end of the year . . . should be sent to the chambers or the communities.”

Marc Littman of the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency:

“The CRA is working closely with the nine districts including the Valley to put emergency projects together. We’re not there for the quick fix. We pick up where the state and federal government leave off. . . . By October or November, the City Council could adopt a redevelopment plan to rebuild abandoned housing tracts and work with commercial strips like Ventura Boulevard. . . .

“We’re not the Lone Ranger. But clearly, with the recent failure of the state bond measure, federal money is limited. Local government has to do more and we’re prepared to help with that. . . . Redevelopment can’t be done overnight. It’s a vehicle for focusing public and private resources to the community. . . . The main thing is we are a tool if the community wants us.”

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