County Eligible for Federal Disaster Aid

President Clinton on Thursday declared Orange County eligible for federal disaster assistance in the wake of mudslides and heavy rains this week that damaged more than 200 homes and left two men dead.

The declaration came after James Lee Witt, Federal Emergency Management Agency director, inspected the damage from a helicopter and also toured a devastated neighborhood in Laguna Canyon Thursday morning. The decision makes disaster funds available to homeowners and renters who suffered damage to property or belongings and for repairs that must be made by the county, cities and other government agencies since a series of El Nino-generated storms began battering the county Feb. 2.

In anticipation of the president’s action, more than 115 people had already phoned in applications seeking disaster relief for damage to their Orange County property, said Patti Roberts, a spokeswoman for the federal agency.

The total for this month’s rain-related costs to county facilities, including roads, storm channels, beaches and parks, has risen to $7.5 million, but that figure does not include damage from Monday’s deadly storm. The amount is expected to rise dramatically in coming days, said Loletta Barrett, manager for the county’s Emergency Management office.

Clinton’s declaration was enthusiastically welcomed in Laguna Beach, the area hardest hit by Monday’s storm.

“I’m so pleased,” said Laguna Beach Mayor Steve Dicterow. “I had hoped and expected the president to do this but not this fast. I think the [FEMA] director coming down and seeing things for himself sped up the process.”

Like the mayor, City Manager Kenneth C. Frank said he was especially grateful for the declaration because hundreds of Laguna Beach residents affected by the El Nino storms would have been otherwise ineligible for emergency relief.

“It’s more important for the private property owners than us,” Frank said. “This makes available Small Business Administration loans that are low-interest, 30-year loans to private businesses and private residents. Those are the people who really got hit hard this year.”

Witt arrived on the West Coast with President Clinton late Wednesday afternoon. While Clinton toured Northern California areas hit by flooding, Witt arrived in Laguna Beach about 10 a.m. and talked briefly to city officials before he toured the canyon area.

The 30-minute visit highlighted the toll the recent storm wrought in Laguna Beach, which has ridden a terrifying roller coaster beginning with the 1993 firestorm that destroyed or damaged 400 homes, severe flooding that followed the next year, and this year’s damage.

It also marked a turning point in the city’s relationship with Witt, who declined to offer assistance in many cases after the wildfires because he disagreed with the city’s building permit policy.

“Right now we have 200 homes that have been damaged to some extent by this storm and we have 15 of which are heavily damaged,” Dicterow pointed out as he headed a reception of city officials that walked Witt down Laguna Canyon Road.

After the tour, Witt said of the storm’s aftermath: “It does look bad.”

As Witt walked down the mud-caked road, he turned into an automobile repair shop where he greeted Debra Ripley, 42, one of dozens left homeless this week.

“He asked me what we lost,” Ripley said later. “And I told him our old Cadillac. It’s buried in 4 1/2 feet of mud, like everything else.”

Ripley was among the last to see her neighbor, Glenn Alan Flook, alive. The 25-year-old construction framer helped Ripley escape from a mudflow that swallowed both their homes. He later sought refuge at another home, but was killed when part of that structure collapsed.

The body of a second victim, Nicholas Allen Flores, 43, was found in the remains of his house Wednesday, buried beneath tons of mud and debris.

Witt also spoke to other victims such as Kirk Davis, who lived with Ripley in their canyon cottage until disaster struck Monday night. On Thursday, Davis and his two brothers-in-law still couldn’t enter his house through a door because of the weight of the mud. They broke a window to get in and retrieve what little they could.

When Witt stopped and met Davis, he shook his hand and offered him sympathy and a business card, saying: “I want you to call this number and see what they can do to help you.”

Davis said he told Witt that he had lost his belongings, clothes, furniture, “everything.”

The emergency declaration will especially help victims such as Davis and Ripley.

Gov. Pete Wilson earlier this year declared Orange County a disaster area, making public agencies eligible for state funding for repairs. But until Thursday’s federal declaration, people such as Davis and Ripley--whose cottage was located on private property--had to rely on personal insurance for assistance.

Canyon resident Todd Tingley said the emergency declaration made him “very, very glad.”

“I’m glad the president declared it a disaster area, because it’s nothing short of that,’ Tingley said. “I’m sure those needing help will be seeking assistance.”

On Thursday, the president also designated Trinity, Stanislaus and Los Angeles counties as federal disaster areas, bringing to 35 the number of California counties that can take advantage of federal relief.

Already, 11,673 people in 31 counties statewide have applied for aid, according to the agency.

David Reyes can be reached at (714) 966-7700. His e-mail address is david.reyes@latimes.com

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How to Get Disaster Help

County residents who have sustained property damage due to El Nino-related storms since Feb. 2 can now apply for state and federal assistance:

TO REGISTER

* Have basic information at hand such as name, permanent address, daytime phone number and address of property that sustained losses.

* Include insurance coverage, if any, and any other information that helps substantiate losses.

AFTER REGISTERING

* An inspector will contact you within seven to 10 days.

* After losses are verified, eligible applicants may receive a check within another seven to 10 days.

FEMA PROGRAMS

Two Temporary Disaster Housing Programs available:

1. Rental Assistance: Provides temporary housing for homeowners, renters with uninhabitable homes; homeowners receive three months, renters two months; extensions available.

2. Minimal Repair: Grants awarded to homeowners to repair home.

* U.S. Small Business Administration loans: Homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes.

* Individual and Family Grant Programs: Provides medical, transportation, essential personal property replacement, home repair and other serious disaster-related relief not covered by insurance or other federal, state and charitable programs.

* Advisory Benefits Program: Legal, veterans benefits and Social Security matters.

* Crisis Counseling and income tax assistance also available.

COUNTY PROGRAM

* Disaster Unemployment Assistance: Applies to those who are not ordinarily eligible for state unemployment and who are unemployed as a direct result of damage, including field workers and self-employed.

WHO TO CALL

* To apply for a FEMA program, or to find out more about different programs available, call either 1-800-462-9029 or 1-800-462-7585, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week.

* To apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, contact one of several Employment Development Department offices around the county. For more information, call (714) 558-4294.

Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency; Researched by DAVID REYES / Los Angeles Times