Post by blackcrowheart on Jan 11, 2008 14:09:16 GMT -5
Pala donates $1M to buy homes for La Jolla tribe fire victims
Some of the fire victims at the La Jolla Indian reservation may soon have a new home thanks to their neighbors, the Pala Band of Mission Indians.
The Pala tribe, which owns a large casino east of Fallbrook, announced Monday that it donated $1 million to buy mobile homes for up to 20 families at La Jolla.
"We felt it was the right thing to do for a fellow Native American tribe," said Pala Chairman Robert Smith.
The Poomacha fire started at the La Jolla reservation near Palomar Mountain on Oct. 23 and burned about 9,000 acres and 60 structures there. It spread quickly, scorching more than 50,000 acres from Palomar Mountain to the Rincon, Pauma and San Pasqual Indian reservations.
The fire also burned more than 1,800 acres at Pala, but no structures were damaged.
La Jolla chairman Tracy Nelson could not be reached for comment, but he released a written statement through Pala.
"We're grateful to the Pala Band for reaching out and committing to help out tribal members put their lives back together," Nelson said.
The La Jolla band, which does not have a casino, is one of the poorest tribes in the county. It sustains most of its government functions by running a campground and with funds from tribal casinos received through a revenue-sharing agreement.
Smith said that 28 families were left without a home at La Jolla. He said the ones in most need, such as the elderly and those without fire insurance, would get the mobile homes first.
Last month, a family at the La Jolla reservation was the first in the county since the October wildfires to receive a mobile home through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
FEMA spokesman Gene Romano said the agency had provided eight mobile homes to fire victims in the county. The mobile homes are provided for up to 18 months, but the time can be extended.
Fewer than 20 applications for temporary homes are pending, he said.
Romano said the mobile homes would be available for fire victims who lived in remote and rural parts of the county where rental units were not available. He said he was not aware if any of the people who could receive a home through the Pala donation had applied for one with FEMA.
Since the fires, the agency has provided $10.3 million to fire victims in the county to help cover housing assistance and personal property losses, Romano said.
Pala Chairman Smith said he did not see a potential conflict between the FEMA mobile homes and those provided through his tribe's donation. The FEMA homes are temporary, while those provided by the donation are the family's to keep, he said.
Members of the La Jolla tribe have also received donations from other tribes, such as Pechanga and Rincon. Both tribes opened the doors to their hotels during the emergency. Other tribes provided gift certificates to replace personal items lost in the fire.
<http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/12/18/news/sandiego/4_03_9912_17_07.txt>
Some of the fire victims at the La Jolla Indian reservation may soon have a new home thanks to their neighbors, the Pala Band of Mission Indians.
The Pala tribe, which owns a large casino east of Fallbrook, announced Monday that it donated $1 million to buy mobile homes for up to 20 families at La Jolla.
"We felt it was the right thing to do for a fellow Native American tribe," said Pala Chairman Robert Smith.
The Poomacha fire started at the La Jolla reservation near Palomar Mountain on Oct. 23 and burned about 9,000 acres and 60 structures there. It spread quickly, scorching more than 50,000 acres from Palomar Mountain to the Rincon, Pauma and San Pasqual Indian reservations.
The fire also burned more than 1,800 acres at Pala, but no structures were damaged.
La Jolla chairman Tracy Nelson could not be reached for comment, but he released a written statement through Pala.
"We're grateful to the Pala Band for reaching out and committing to help out tribal members put their lives back together," Nelson said.
The La Jolla band, which does not have a casino, is one of the poorest tribes in the county. It sustains most of its government functions by running a campground and with funds from tribal casinos received through a revenue-sharing agreement.
Smith said that 28 families were left without a home at La Jolla. He said the ones in most need, such as the elderly and those without fire insurance, would get the mobile homes first.
Last month, a family at the La Jolla reservation was the first in the county since the October wildfires to receive a mobile home through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
FEMA spokesman Gene Romano said the agency had provided eight mobile homes to fire victims in the county. The mobile homes are provided for up to 18 months, but the time can be extended.
Fewer than 20 applications for temporary homes are pending, he said.
Romano said the mobile homes would be available for fire victims who lived in remote and rural parts of the county where rental units were not available. He said he was not aware if any of the people who could receive a home through the Pala donation had applied for one with FEMA.
Since the fires, the agency has provided $10.3 million to fire victims in the county to help cover housing assistance and personal property losses, Romano said.
Pala Chairman Smith said he did not see a potential conflict between the FEMA mobile homes and those provided through his tribe's donation. The FEMA homes are temporary, while those provided by the donation are the family's to keep, he said.
Members of the La Jolla tribe have also received donations from other tribes, such as Pechanga and Rincon. Both tribes opened the doors to their hotels during the emergency. Other tribes provided gift certificates to replace personal items lost in the fire.
<http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/12/18/news/sandiego/4_03_9912_17_07.txt>
