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Southern California HUD Staff
Recognized for Volunteer Efforts
![Photo 1: Image of certificate and medal](/local/ca/images/hgv-picw-ca-2008-02-19a.jpg) |
Heroes received certificates and medals |
On Tuesday, February 5th, sixty-three HUD staff was ceremoniously rewarded at the Los Angeles Field Office for their unselfish efforts during last October's Federal disaster declaration.
As a result of the President's declaration, Secretary Jackson announced that HUD would speed federal disaster assistance. This included onsite assistance by staff from the San Diego, Santa Ana, and Los Angeles offices under the overall guidance from HUD's Disaster Relief Specialist from the Fort Worth, TX office. Volunteers traveled to ground zero fire locations to help solidify the emerging disaster centers. Many of them were assigned throughout the following days and weeks to one of nine designated Local Assistance Centers. They helped to address displaced individuals and families longer-term housing needs.
Last October's Southern California wildfires resulted in the deaths of 24 people, 740,000 acres burned, and more than 3,500 structures damaged or destroyed. It was undoubtedly one of the worst disasters the state has had to deal with. Very often these worst of times are the catalyst to allow the very best traits in human beings to surface to try to alleviate the suffering caused by an unforeseen tragedy.
![Photo 2: Los Angeles staff display awards](/local/ca/images/hgv-picw-ca-2008-02-19b.jpg) |
Los Angeles HUD staff happily display awards. |
As a result of their collective activities, Certificates of Appreciation -- signed and dated by Secretary Jackson and Deputy Secretary Bernardi -- were personally given to each volunteer by Assistant Deputy Secretary Bob Young and Regional Director Richard Rainey. The certificates stated: "in recognition for your outstanding support of HUD's Disaster Assistance Mission 2007." Additionally, a HUD engraved medallion -- attached with a red, white and blue ribbon -- was also given to each by his/her Field Office Director to recognize that individual's voluntary efforts.
Many of the staff was assigned to the assistance centers located in San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties. The Joint Field Office was in Pasadena. The staff addressed housing issues by the use of HUD's National Housing Locator. This web-based locator combines vacant sales and rental housing data from federal housing resources and three widely used commercial apartment locators.
![Photo 3: Santa Ana Staff.](/local/ca/images/hgv-picw-ca-2008-02-19c.jpg) |
Santa Ana HUD Staff proudly display medals. |
The State of California and the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) supported these Centers. Center staff provided program information and referrals to those individuals who registered for assistance under the October 24, 2007 disaster declaration by the President at the request of the Governor. Residents came from the seven counties -- Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, San Diego and Ventura. Many people applied for FEMA and state recovery aid including grants for emergency disaster housing and essential repairs, individual and household grants for necessities not covered by insurance, resources from HUD, and low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA).
Here are the names of HUD's California Wildfire Workers, our local heroes.
- Pennie Acevedo (Los Angeles Field Policy and Management)
- Ernie Aguirre (San Francisco Information Technology)
- Enid Bera (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
- Debbie Blevins (Phoenix-Southwest Office of Native American Programs)
- Bobbi Borland (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
- Ray Brewer (Santa Ana Field Office Director)
- K.J. Brockington (Los Angeles-Public Housing Director)
- Theresa Camiling (Los Angeles Field Office Director)
- Wilma Cangelosi (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
- Mary Ann T. Carrasco (Los Angeles Multifamily)
- Chin Choi (Los Angeles Community Planning and Development)
- Stephen Clark (Los Angeles Field Policy and Management)
- Bob Cook (Los Angeles Field Policy and Management)
- John Cook (Community Planning and Development)
- Alnita Conley (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
- Alan Danan (Santa Ana Information Technology Support)
- Gary DeYulia (San Francisco Field Policy and Management)
- Thorin Druch (Phoenix Southwest Office of Native American Programs)
- Ed Ellis (Ft. Worth Field Policy and Management)
- Daniel Enright (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
- Jose Flores (Santa Ana Information Technology Support)
- Arthur Fuller (Los Angeles Multifamily)
- Tiana Gaertner (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
- Luis Francisco Gama (Los Angeles Multifamily)
- Maria Granata (Los Angeles Public Housing)
- John Gutierrez (Los Angeles Multifamily)
- Wandashia Shuntai Harris (Los Angeles Multifamily)
- Letitia Henderson (Los Angeles Public Housing)
- Beverly Hill (Phoenix-Southwest Office of Native American Programs)
- Judith Hughes (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
- Nelson Dean Huseby (Los Angeles Community Planning and Development)
- Russell Kasenberg (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
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- Beverly Kendrick (Los Angeles Field Policy and Management)
- Robert Kroll (Phoenix-Southwest Office of Native American Programs)
- Saundra Landers (Los Angeles Office of General Council)
- Joanne Lee (San Francisco Information Technology)
- Tracy T. Lo (Los Angeles Multifamily)
- Morella Lombardi (Los Angeles Field Policy and Management)
- Karen Lopez (Los Angeles Field Policy and Management)
- Pauline Louie (Los Angeles Field Policy and Management)
- Sandra Montgomery (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
- Tammy Massone (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
- Kirby McMillan (Los Angeles Public Housing)
- Sharon Moeller (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
- Ramlah Moussa (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
- Myrna Pascual (San Diego Field Policy and Management)
- Marilyn Patterson (Los Angeles Public Housing)
- Calvin Roberts (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
- Rhonda Rivera (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
- Thomas Rose (Santa Ana Real Estate Owned Division Director)
- Albert Mike Sanchez (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
- Rebecca Sauceda (Los Angeles Multifamily)
- Theodore Skonos (Los Angeles Public Housing)
- Scott Smith (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
- Lisa Sweeney (Los Angeles-Office of Inspector General)
- Percy Taylor (Los Angeles Public Housing)
- William Vasquez (Los Angeles Community Planning and Development Director)
- Nilda Villao (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
- Teresa Vogel (Phoenix Southwest Office of Native American Programs)
- William Ward (Los Angeles Community Planning and Development)
- Judith Wasmuth (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
- Laura Jane Wilson (Los Angeles Multifamily)
- Cheryl Zannitto (Santa Ana Homeownership Center)
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