SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – The San Diego City Council on Monday approved the waiving of fees for building and demolition permits, with the intention to help Jan. 22 flood victims save thousands of dollars with the rebuilding process.
It will be one less financial burden for the nearly 1,000 flood victims in communities like Mountain View, Encanto, Mount Hope, Shelltown, Southcrest, and Rolando.
On top of waiving the fees, the City Council also designated reconstruction permits to be a high priority – meaning they will be reviewed and approved faster to streamline the process.
The city expects the fee waivers to save residents around $2.5 million in total.
Residents who have already paid out of pocket for any building or demo permit fees to the city will also be eligible for reimbursement.
Mayor Todd Gloria said, "The city has the back of the residents who suffered major damage in the disastrous storm, and we're bringing every resource to bear to ease their burden. Lowering the costs of rebuilding is just one of the many ways residents have told us we can help them recover and rebuild their lives, and these fee waivers can save them thousands of dollars."
The city also established a Debris Assistance Program in which the city partnered with the Environmental Services Department to deliver containers and dumpsters to the flood-impacted areas for proper handling, recycling and/or disposal of demolition waste.
However, some flood victims who showed up to the council meeting Monday said it's still not enough.
Jacalyn Marshall, a flood victim, said, "I don't see it helping that much. Maybe if you have enough money to remodel your house, but what about the people who need money right now? They need money to put floors back on."
The city's Local Assistance Center has been transferred to an online portal at https://www.sandiego.gov/recovery. There, residents can apply for permits, get information on how to locate lost vehicles, document replacement and other recovery efforts.
In addition to the online services, assistance will be available to anyone in-person at the Mountain View/Beckwourth Library, 721 San Pasqual St., on Tuesdays from noon to 7 p.m., and Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
City News Service contributed to this report
