People of Pajaro feeling unsupported with mounting bills and resources leaving after floods

PAJARO, Calif. (KION-TV)- More and more resources are being withdrawn from Pájaro and residents are feeling the lack of assistance. More doubts about the priority of restoration in that area are forming.

Resources and shelters are being withdrawn from the devastated area in Pájaro. Four months have passed since the Pájaro River levee breached into the community.

Although some agencies say they are available to provide disaster assistance, some residents say that the help they received was insufficient.

"Fema gave us, what will it be, well about $600 dollars, that's what they gave us, but they didn't give us more, that's all they gave us,"  Guadalupe Ochoa, Pájaro resident.

Upon returning to their homes, some residents encountered another problem; utility bills were being charged for the time they were evacuated.

One of the bills came from the Pájaro Sanitation District.

"There are no provisions in that current governing documents for that district, to either refund or suspend payments when the facilities that are part of the sanitation district are not working or in case of an evacuation, and are not being used," said Glenn Church, Supervisor for District 2.

District representatives acknowledge that there is considerable damage to sewer pipelines, and now Monterey County is trying to write a clause in these documents to prevent more bills in the future. In case another disaster "Were to occur."

“In the meantime, is going to be current bill of curse for usage, so they should be paying those, this is going to be something that should be corrected shortly, I think by the Summer, for March, which most people have already paid anyway, so in the future, there will be a refund or credit along the line," said Glenn Church, Supervisor for District 2.

This depends on collaboration between local, federal, and state agencies.

California State Senator John Laird said, "There have been future projects to repair the levee for years….30% financing.”

Another problem was the delay in permitting and land acquisition that Monterey County faced, leaving them out of the repairs as opposed to what Santa Cruz County was able to do. According to both counties' records, the priority for maintenance was determined by the risk of flooding in each region.

However, the first assessments began in 1995, leaving the Pájaro community last.

"All this is a burden for us, anyway, they take our money, they took like 4 or 6 million that they supposedly took to fix the Pájaro River, but it's like they pocketed it all because instead of fixing it, it looks like they made it worse and they threw it all back here again," said Leonardo Torres a 1995 flood survivor.

"In this case, really either side of the levee could collapse first, in this case, it was the Monterey County side that breached," said Mark Strudley with Santa Cruz County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. "As I tell you, this levee is very old and it's been treated for its maintenance."

Meanwhile… Residents are beginning to see a shortage of resources as agencies begin to pull back and shelters close. Immediate recovery efforts housed approximately 250 guests and provided shelter for 60 days, but have stopped receiving new applications for housing.

Several residents have told us off-camera that many undocumented people did not receive services or help because they are afraid to ask for assistance. As a result, there are still people living on the streets.

Pájaro River dam restoration plans begin as soon as this Summer at the three affected points. All are located in Monterey County.

FEMA representatives say they will extend their deadline to apply for federal assistance until the end of July and will try to remain in the area as long as possible.