Ventura making it easier for Thomas Fire victims to rebuild

VENTURA, Calif. (KABC) -- Government agencies in Ventura are making it easier for residents to rebuild.

FEMA has set up shop at the Ventura County Credit Union on Telephone Road near the government center. This is one-stop shopping for those who suffered losses in the Thomas Fire, from applying for federal government assistance to help rebuilding homes and businesses.

The Small Business Administration is here to help residents who lost everything with low-interest loans to rebuild homes and businesses as well.

All you need when you show up is your ID and address to get the process started.

The Thomas Fire destroyed over 500 homes in the city of Ventura. Monday night, the Ventura City Council voted to approve a streamlining measure to make it easier to get the permits needed for homeowners to start rebuilding.

It's been a month and a half since the Thomas Fire roared through Ventura destroying hundreds of homes.

This is part of the city's efforts to make the rebuilding process easier.

Jeffrey Lambert, the Ventura community development director, said "we're trying to get ahead of the workload that's coming. We have 520-something homes that were lost and need to be rebuilt."

"So what the city council did last night is give me $1 million to start - that allows me to staff up with contract services to make sure we provide that service to those homeowners that want to rebuild. We have homeowners who didn't know they were going to be rebuilding their house so they're going to need a little more hand holding and support and we're here to provide that support."

To get the permits to rebuild you need to make an appointment with the city of Ventura. For financial assistance, you can come in person or apply online.