FEMA money is beginning to flow.
So far, officials for the Federal Emergency Management Agency have handed out $14.4 million to flood survivors, they say. The money is for residents and business owners who suffered property damage during the Jan. 22 floods. In particular, it is for people whose property was uninsured or “under insured,” as FEMA officials put it.
At least 5,500 people have applied for assistance. It’s unclear how many of them have received FEMA money.
After a person applies for FEMA assistance, officials send out an inspector to verify property damage. So far, FEMA officials have inspected 4,200 properties.
On average, FEMA officials have been paying out between $4,000 and $6,000 per property, they said. The cap on assistance per household is $42,500.
One key step: A FEMA spokesman told Voice of San Diego that some applications are denied because residents fail to schedule inspection appointments. It’s a key step in getting assistance. Residents can appeal the agency’s decision.
We reported in February that more than 1,000 San Diegans had been displaced by the Jan. 22 floods. The majority of residents hit hardest by the floods lived in the neighborhoods of Shelltown, Southcrest and Mountain View. Our Will Huntsberry reported how so many residents in those neighborhoods feel let down by local governments’ delayed recovery efforts.
More info: Flood survivors don’t need to pay back FEMA grants. However, they can also apply for loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration. NBC 7 has more on that.
San Diegans affected by the floods have until April 19 to apply for assistance.
Dems to Issa: Are You In or Out on Border Sewage Fix?
As Congress barrels toward finishing a massive spending bill by Friday, some wonder whether California Rep. Darrell Issa supports emergency funding to fix a broken wastewater plant at the border that’s key to keeping Tijuana sewage out of San Diego.
What they’re saying: “Inland dude, Darrell Issa, has decided to now get involved in the sewage issue by making it as hard as possible to fix a broken sewage plant. Thanks dude,” wrote Serge Dedina, former mayor of Imperial Beach, the California town most blighted by Tijuana’s border sewage spills, on X in response to a Voice of San Diego story on the matter.
Background: Issa, a Republican from Bonsall, has been questioning how the International Boundary and Water Commission, or IBWC (the binational federal agency in charge of the plant), allowed the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment plant to fall into such disrepair. The IBWC leader, Maria-Elena Giner, provided detailed responses within weeks but Issa still doesn’t seem satisfied.
Other interested parties are suspicious Issa hasn’t been supportive of funding the plant in the past and his sudden inquiry into the IBWC might be directed at trying to kill the funding. Issa’s team says he’s just trying to protect taxpayers.
Report: City Workforce May Not Need So Much Space After All
As San Diego still weighs whether they should build a sparkling new City Hall or buy existing downtown property, a new report by a real estate consultant concludes that the city can do less with more. The report found that the city could reduce space by nearly 240,000 square feet – a 29 percent reduction – while simultaneously increasing the number of workers by nearly 200, to 3,060.
To accomplish that, though, it will need to significantly shrink the square footage allotment of desks and embrace a hybrid work model. City workers currently do not share desks, but the city’s risk management department will soon pilot a desk-sharing program.
The top concern for city employees, according to the report, is ensuring there’s ample parking. Councilmember Joe LaCava pointed out that encouraging vehicle trips by building more parking ran counter to the city’s climate goals.
Exactly what a new City Hall will look like is still up in the air. Mayor Todd Gloria’s efforts last year to attract a buyer for the Civic Center property didn’t attract any interest.
Song of the Week
Obed Padilla, “Sabor,”: “Sabor,” has a classic San Diego sound. It’s nonchalant, filled with the gentle strums of an acoustic guitar and the dulcet squawks of a Latin music-inspired trumpet. It’s hip-hop, but it’s not making a big deal out of it. Padilla’s silky-smooth Spanglish vocals have just a touch of nostalgic sorrow. It’s a fabulous tune that will keep you coming back for more. Read more about the Song of the Week here.
Like what you hear? Check out more of Obed Padilla.
Do you have a “Song of the Week” suggestion? Shoot us an email and a sentence or two about why you’ve been bumping this song lately. Friendly reminder: all songs should be by local artists.
In Other News
- Get ready for more great content. We’re partnering with KPBS to deliver our stories, civic education efforts and Politifest content across more platforms. Here’s what’s new at Voice. Shameless plug: If you value local journalism and the work we do, consider becoming a Voice member today. Learn more here.
- Despite a rate reprieve in January, San Diegans are set to get hit with another SDG&E rate hike this month, shortly after the utility reported record profits last year. (KPBS)
- Four years after the KAABOO went kaput, the music festival is poised to make a comeback this September. Now, a lawsuit filed by the city of Solana Beach alleging the festival’s potential negative environmental impacts haven’t been studied may delay the return. (Union-Tribune)
The Morning Report was written by Will Huntsberry, Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, MacKenzie Elmer and Jakob McWhinney. It was edited by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña and Scott Lewis.
Thank you for taking the time to write this. It’s very useful.