SACRAMENTO, CA - A Natomas homeowner who received $132,000 from his insurance company to repair damage from a garage fire will have to wait for Congressional approval.
David Beahm discovered that a three-year-old federal flood zone building moratorium applies to major repairs as well as new construction.
"I was dumbfounded this could happen," Beahm said.
A fire that began in the garage of Beahm's rental house at 5401 Banderas Way on Nov. 2 destroyed the front of the house and caused extensive smoke and water damage to the rest.
Beahm got a settlement from State Farm and signed a contract in early January with Altec Construction to repair the home, but the contractor was unable to get a city building permit.
Altec Construction project supervisor Calvin Tollini was told by city officials that because the cost of repairs exceeded 50 percent of the home's value, the repairs were prohibited under the moratorium.
"We can't fix this house," Tollini said.
Sacramento City Councilwoman Angelique Ashby, who represents Natomas, said she's aware of several cases where homeowners have been unable to make necessary repairs.
"All 100,000 people who live in the basin are one disaster away from not being able to repair their homes," she said. "I am outraged."
Ashby said the building moratorium could be lifted by a Congressional vote approving the flood control work that's already been done with local funding.
She said a House of Representatives ban on local earmarks has held up the vote.
David Beahm, the fire victim, said he's contacting Rep. Doris Matsui and California's two senators for help in getting the moratorium lifted.
"I think if people knew that even though they're paying insurance they might not be able to rebuild their homes, they might have second thoughts about buying in Natomas," Beahm said.
by George Warren, GWarren@news10.net
News10/KXTV