A disaster recovery center/local assistance center in northern Santa Barbara County is scheduled to open at Alan Hancock College in Santa Maria at noon Saturday to help those affected by January’s storm, a county spokesperson said.
Another center is scheduled to open at the same time as the Direct Relief Center in Santa Barbara, and both centers are expected to continue operating for at least two weeks, the spokesperson said.
After opening on Saturday, the centers will be open 7 days a week from 10am to 7pm.
Interpreters in Spanish, Mixteco and American Sign Language will be available and the centers are accessible to people with disabilities and can also accommodate access and functional needs, the spokesperson said.
The Virtual Local Assistance Center provided by the county is also accessible online.
The two DRC/LACs are provided through a partnership of FEMA, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, the county, and several cities.
The centers are designed as “one-stop shops” that can provide information and advice on federal, state, county, city and other assistance.
Residents and business owners can get help applying for federal aid and disaster loans, updating their submitted applications and finding other resources, the spokesperson said.
Centers will be staffed not only with local agency representatives, but also with trained FEMA, SBA and state agency personnel.
Specialists can clarify information from FEMA, explain available rental assistance to homeowners and renters alike, scan or copy new information and documents needed for case files, and fax requested documents to FEMA processing centers.
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Small Business Administration representatives are available to provide program information and explain how to apply for SBA low-interest disaster loans for businesses, private nonprofits, homeowners and renters, the spokesperson said.
State representatives are available to help with disaster-related issues with the Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Insurance, Department of Employment Development, and more.
The center can also provide links to local resources for counseling and emotional support, reconstruction assistance, permits, hazardous material cleanup, housing assistance, loss of business or employment, agricultural loss, tax assessments, and basic health and human services.
County and city staff will also be on hand to answer questions and provide resources, and representatives from several nonprofit organizations will be on hand to help those affected by the storm.
The North County Center is located on the O-300 floor of Allen Hancock College, 900 S. College Drive, most easily accessed from parking lot 7.
The South County Center is located at Direct Relief, 6100 Wallace Becknell Road in Santa Barbara.
