So Cal Real Estate News

(11/17/08)  The following links to resources for fire victims are pasted in from the California Association of Realtors’ website.  Feel free to post other helpful information as a comment.  (No comment box below?  Click the blue “Comment(s)” just under the headline.)

Help is available.  Take it one day at a time and, by the grace of God, you’ll get through it.

What To Do After the Fire

Apply for FEMA Disaster Relief Funds
http://www.fema.gov/assistance/index.shtm
Those affected by the California wildfire should apply for assistance by calling toll-free to (800) 621-FEMA (3362).  Disaster victims may register by calling this number.  You do not have to wait to go to a disaster assistance center.  The number for speech and hearing impaired individuals is (800) 462-7585.  Federal disaster assistance available for residents and businesses in the affected counties includes temporary housing assistance, disaster loans and other needs assistance grants.

CARe!
http://www.carehelp.org/
Provides free disaster recovery help, information and guidance in the Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Lakeside and East County.

C.A.R. Legal and Tax Assistance Links
C.A.R.’s legal What’s New page offers links and information on tax, legal and other issues for wildfire victims.

FHA Mortgage Insurance for Disaster Victims
http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/ins/203h-dft.cfm
The Section 203(h) program allows the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to insure mortgages made by qualified lenders to victims of a major disaster who have lost their homes and are in the process of rebuilding or buying another home.

Governor’s Office of Emergency Services: November Southern California Fires
http://www.oes.ca.gov/WebPage/oeswebsite.nsf/Content/BE714C2AD6CF5CC088257503000412BE
The California office of Emergency Services provides information and links to various sites for information about assistance programs for wildfire victims.

San Bernardino County Office of Emergency Services
http://www.sbcfire.org/oes/site_links.asp
The County of San Bernardino has launched a temporary phone service to offer information about resources for wildfire victims, including information on shelters, school, road closures, and various social services.

American Red Cross: Picking up the pieces after a fire
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_569_,00.html
Created by the American Red Cross, this information encourages you to take precautions to help stay safe and speed up your recovery after a fire.  It also offers ideas on what you can do to help make yourself and your home safer in the future.

Disaster Recovery: A guide to financial issues
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/beprepared/FinRecovery/
This free guide offered as a public service of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), AICPA Foundation, the American Red Cross, and the National Endowment for Financial Education® (NEFE®), provides financial recovery information to victims of disaster.

Claims personnel from Farmers Insurance Group of Companies® deployed to SoCal
http://www.farmers.com/FarmComm/catastrophe.html
Customers who have been ordered to evacuate, have suffered damage, or lost their home because of the widespread wildfires, should immediately contact Farmers’ 24 hour claims hotline (800) HelpPoint (435-7764) for immediate assistance.  Customer care centers have been established at
• Kennedy High School, 11254 Gothic Avenue in Granada Hills, CA
• San Fernando High School, 11133 O’Melveny Avenue in San Fernando, CA
• Sylmar High School, 13050 Borden Avenue in Sylmar, CA 91352

Mercury Insurance standing by to assist wildfire victim customers
http://mercuryinsurance.com/corporate/pdf/SoCalWildfiresRelease111608.pdf
Customers of Mercury Insurance who have suffered property loss and/or damage can report claims 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling (800) 503-3724.

Insurance-Related Issues

California Department of Insurance Wildfire Information
http://www.insurance.ca.gov
DOI can be contacted for general information and guidance about insurance claims by calling (800) 927-HELP (4357).

United Policyholders Addresses Insurance Issues
http://www.unitedpolicyholders.org/disaster/tip_recovery.html#CA
United Policyholders, a non-profit charity, publishes reliable, free buying tips and honest, “road-tested” practical claim advice.

Fire Preparedness Information

What to Take When You Evacuate
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_6_,00.html
A list from the American Red Cross about what to take during voluntary and immediate evacuations.

Animals Lost in Disaster
http://www.disastercenter.com/pets/animals.htm
Information for people who have lost pets, livestock, or other animals during a disaster.Tips to Mitigate Risks and Losses Resulting from Fire
Prepared by the American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_584_,00.html

Spanish-language information:
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/foreignmat/resfispn.html

Talking About Fires with Children
http://www.disastercenter.com/guide/fire.html
Information from the California Disaster Center to help prepare families for fire, including developing a family disaster plan.

Information from the American Red Cross about Disasters and…

Children: http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_602_,00.html

Seniors: http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_9_,00.html

Pets: http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_604_,00.html

Farm Animals: http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_11_,00.html

Financial Preparedness: http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_605_,00.html

Creating a Family Disaster Plan
http://www.disastercenter.com/guide/family.htm
Steps to take to create a family disaster plan to expedite voluntary and forced evacuations in the event of an emergency.