Bush Declares Quake Area a Disaster

President Bush issued a disaster declaration Tuesday making federal funds available for individuals, businesses and government agencies affected by the Dec. 22 earthquake in San Luis Obispo County.

“That’s very welcome news,” said Jim App, city manager of Paso Robles, the town hardest hit by the 6.5 magnitude quake. “We’re a small community, and not an overly wealthy one. This help is very important to us.”

Bush issued the declaration from Monterrey, Mexico, where he is attending a summit meeting with Mexican President Vicente Fox and other top Mexican officials.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who had asked for the declaration last week, said he was grateful that the president had responded quickly.

“I have instructed the Office of Emergency Services to facilitate the application [for] and disbursement of these funds in an expeditious manner,” the governor said. “We must continue to do everything we can to get help to victims as soon as possible.”

The White House said the federal assistance would include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property loss and other programs to help individuals and businesses recover from the quake, which caused damage estimated at more than $250 million, killed two people and injured more than 50.

The temblor, centered near San Simeon, devastated the historic downtown business core of Paso Robles, destroying or severely damaging more than 40 commercial structures and causing as yet unknown losses in business inventory.

“People are back in the area, but a lot of them are just looking at the damage, so it’s hard to say how much business is being done,” App said.

Barbara MacGregor, who has an antiques and collectibles shop downtown, said she was doing only about 20% of the business she did before the quake.

She rents space in a building that was heavily damaged on Dec. 22.

“The windows broke out, the ceilings fell in and the fire sprinklers went off, causing a flood,” she said. MacGregor estimates she lost about $10,000 in inventory, plus $15,000 in sales during the weeks it took to clean up and repair her shop, New To You, before she could reopen.

The president’s promise of help was welcome news.

“I think it’s great!” MacGregor said. “I could use some help because my insurance didn’t cover earthquake damage.”

Barry Barnes, who lives in a modular-home park on the outskirts of town, said that although his unit escaped serious damage, he was concerned about senior citizens in the area whose homes were destroyed.

“I’m glad to hear there’s help available for them,” he said. “I just hope everyone who needs help will be told about it and how to apply for it.”

Federal funds also will be available for the repair or replacement of public facilities in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties that were damaged by the quake. Additional federal funding will be available for hazard-mitigation projects.

“This will be a big help to the local taxpayers, many of whom already have suffered private losses,” City Manager App said.

Among the public facilities in need of major rebuilding are the main fire station in San Luis Obispo, which suffered $500,000 in structural damage. Fixing the historic City Hall in Atascadero could cost between $10 million and $20 million. A middle school in Paso Robles may have to be rebuilt.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said residents and business owners who sustained losses could call (800) 621-3362, or (800) 462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing- and speech-impaired, to apply for funding. The toll-free numbers will operate seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.