California leaders are working overtime to address the many impacts from devastating fires and some gathered in a virtual town hall last week to talk about what locals can do to recover after the Palisades Fire, as well as the government’s response to the blaze.
On a Tuesday Zoom call co-hosted by the Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades/Malibu Chamber of Commerce, State Senator Ben Allen opened by pointing affected workers in the direction of federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance applications. The assistance is for impacted workers typically not eligible for regular unemployment benefits that lost jobs or hours from the fires. He also stressed the executive order signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, waiving the one-week waiting period for affected workers who qualify for regular unemployment benefits.
Allen, who has been meeting with state and national leaders since the fires began, told impacted residents that they should also check with their insurance company agent “as soon as possible” to confirm coverage and limitations.
He added that consumers should make sure that any insurance agent or public adjuster offering their services has a valid license by checking online with the California Department of Insurance (insurance.ca.gov).
“There have been some scams in this space,” Allen said. “People pop up and try to offer assistance, and then it turns out that they’re scammers. In fact, under existing law, public adjusters are not allowed to solicit business for seven calendar days after a disaster, so if you have been solicited by an adjuster, they are acting outside the law (and) are probably an illegal operator, so just be aware of that.”
Democratic Caucus Chair and Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) hosted a roundtable meeting last week at his Hollywood District Office with California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, colleagues from the Legislature, and local elected officials from across the West Los Angeles area to discuss legislative solutions related to the devastation and damage caused by the recent Los Angeles County wildfires.
“The wildfires have left a devastating mark on our communities. It is imperative that we in the State Legislature do everything we can to help our people rebuild their lives as quickly as possible,” said Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur. “That’s why Speaker Rivas and my legislative colleagues met with local elected leaders from across the West LA area in my district office to understand the immediate and long-term needs of our communities in the aftermath of these fires. I am moved by the work and dedication of the many public servants who attended the meeting today who are doing everything they can to serve our constituents. Assembly Speaker Rivas, my legislative colleagues, and I are all committed to ensuring that the people of Los Angeles recover quickly and stronger than before.”
During the chamber event, Allen offered his condolences and support for the Palisades residents that were on the call, as well as the Santa Monica community coming to their aid.
“Some of those (Palisades) businesses are working with our businesses, and I just know how appreciative all of them are for the way that Santa Monica has stepped up to assist and make a difference here,” Allen said. “It’s been (an) incredibly difficult week for our whole region, and I just want to thank everybody for all they’re doing to help make things a little bit better.”
U.S. Representative Ted Lieu also said on the call that his heart goes out to everyone affected, and stated he and Democrat allies have been “fighting back hard” about the “outrageous things” the Republican caucus has said during the fires. This week, Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin was one of many Republican leaders that stated California aid should be conditional.
“When Mother Nature strikes, she doesn’t care about your party affiliation or where you live,” Lieu said. “We’re all Americans at the end of the day, and we shouldn’t be determining disaster aid based on what party (you) have been registered to or where you live, and so we’re fighting hard to push back on that and try and get as much funding as we can.”
