REALTOR® Magazine-Daily News-Calif.: REALTORS® Assist Fire Victims

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Daily Real Estate News | November 3, 2003 | Calif.: REALTORS® Assist Fire Victims The wildfires sweeping through Southern California have become state's most costly disaster ever, killing 20 people, destroying 2,900 homes, charring a Rhode Island-sized 747,000 acres, and inflicting an estimated $2 billion in damage, according to one Oct. 30 estimate. But even as the fires raged, REALTORS® in the affected areas and throughout the state were mobilizing to help the victims. “Practitioners have been overwhelming in their support and have been on the front lines with help,” says Marilyn Schultz, executive officer of the Inland Valleys Association of REALTORS®, with offices in Riverside and San Bernardino, a hard-hit area. Within days of the start of the conflagration, the California Association of REALTORS® had announced the launch of a foundation to collect assistance funds for victims and waive dues requirements for affected members. Others, including local REALTOR® associations, real estate companies, and lenders, have also begun relief efforts. Among them, the Inland Valleys Association has approved a program to provide financial assistance to victims, launched a clothing drive, and provided office space for the displaced staff of the Rim o’ the World Association of REALTORS®. Broker Rick Hoffman's company, Coldwell Banker Associates in the devastated Scripps Ranch area of San Diego, has set up a fund to assist displaced associates, staff, and customers. And several lenders, including Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Washington Mutual, have together committed to about $1 million in assistance through the Red Cross. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA have extended mortgage relief to affected households, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing aid. “Everyone has come together as a community,” says Hoffman, a past president of the San Diego Association of REALTORS®. Barring unforeseen problems, all the major fires are expected to be contained by Nov. 6, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Although practitioners say the fires will have a short-term impact on closings, they’re upbeat about the area’s future. “I haven’t talked to one person whose house burned down that isn’t optimistic and will rebuild,” Hoffman says. “The president of my escrow company had already made the decision to rebuild.” To contribute to relief efforts, contact the California Association of REALTORS®, 213/739-8200; Inland Valleys Association of REALTORS®, 909/684-1221; or the Red Cross of America, 866/438-4636. For other fire disaster resources and information, visit CAR's site. —Robert Freedman, with reporting by Paul Beakley, for REALTOR® Magazine Online