Rebuilding can be a costly and time-consuming process, even for those with homeowners insurance. Although county and state officials are working with homeowners on cleanup and recovery it will likely take several years before the first wave of residents rebuild and reoccupy their homes, said Ventura County Supervisor Steve Bennett, whose district covers much of the area hit hard by the fire.
Regardless of the time and money involved, all newly built homes, reconstructed or otherwise, are required to conform to modern building codes for safety reasons. For older structures, that means it may be impossible to rebuild homes as they were.
Although most residents are aware of building code requirements, the cost of reconstruction is catching some people off guard, said Chris Stephens, director of the Ventura County Resource Management Agency.
“The building codes are updated to reflect new and better engineering information, such as relating to earthquakes or energy efficiency,” Stephens said. “Most code things people have heard about, such as double-paned windows or new structural requirements to withstand earthquakes. Most building code things are not surprising, (but) the cost of construction is higher than some people were anticipating.”
Bennett noted that he had received many concerns about mudslides after the Thomas Fire and a series of debris flow safety meetings has been set up. Bennett advised residents impacted by the Thomas Fire to visit http://venturacountyrecovers.org to learn about available resources.
One of the primary sources of available government assistance comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency recovery resources. The agency is currently operating a disaster recovery center in Ventura out of the parking lot of the Ventura County Credit Union at 6026 Telephone Road. The program includes disaster unemployment insurance, legal assistance and housing loans.
To read more of Tyler Hersko's article, visit: http://www.vcstar.com/story/mo...recovery/1025365001/
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