PPCC Meeting Includes Updates From Congressmember Sherman, SBA

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Pacific Palisades Community Council hosted a board meeting the evening of Thursday, August 14, which included updates from Congressmember Brad Sherman and the Small Business Administration.

PPCC President Sue Kohl announced the board had voted unanimously on three items: approving several PPCC bylaws amendments, a motion to support subway options for Metro’s transit corridor project in the Sepulveda Pass, and a motion to support Councilmember Traci Park’s motion in the City Council about city compliance with AB 747 and evacuation planning.

Kohl asked Sherman to give a report on possible federal funding.

“I began the morning at Rustic Coffee meeting with Traci Park, and I reviewed with her some federal earmarks in process, which should be approved in September,” Sherman said. “A little more than $1 million for the West LA Real Time Crime Center, $2 million to improve fire stations across my district—this is on top of the $3 million that I got for that purpose a couple years ago—and a bid of more than $1 million for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to do brush clearance.”

Sherman acknowledged John Alford’s work in the Constituent Service office.

“If you’re dealing with FEMA or the SBA, whether it be on the grants that FEMA provides, the FEMA-provided temporary housing or the SBA low interest loans for homeowners … the problem with SBA loans is they’re limited to $500,000 for real property and $100,000 for personal property, including cars and furniture,” Sherman explained. “Those limits are too low. The governor has asked for $40 billion in supplemental appropriation. I don’t think we’ll get that much, but I’m fighting to increase the amount of loans people can get from $500,000 per homeowner to $2 million, and to try to increase the amount of the grant, which is currently limited to two grants of $43,000.”

Sherman said that following his meeting with Park, he joined Governor Gavin Newsom downtown for his rollout of an initiative to create new Congressional districts.

“I insisted that if I was going to support it they had to keep two things in my district: my home in Sherman Oaks and the Palisades, because for the last six or seven months, this has been a very important part of my life and I don’t plan to hand it off to anyone else,” Sherman said. “So you can vote against the initiative or you can vote for the initiative, but in either case, the Palisades stays in my district. We’re joined at the hip.”

Corey Williams, a public information officer with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Disaster, Recovery and Resilience, spoke next during the meeting.

“The deadline to apply for homeowners and renters expired on May 31 after which SBA offered a 60-day grace period,” Williams said. “I have encountered people in Pacific Palisades who didn’t apply, so if you as a homeowner or renter didn’t apply, it’s critical that you go to one of the state survivor locations (the closest one is on Sawtelle) or the disaster loan outreach center at the American Legion Post 283 in the Palisades.”

Applications need to be completed in person.

“You need to state an ‘overcoming reason,’ like you suffered emotional or mental trauma, you were caring for a family member or had an existing medical condition that precluded you from being able to apply at the time,” Williams said. “The deadline to apply for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program is October 8. If you get the first unsecured $50,000 as a business owner or a nonprofit, that may be all you need, but once you’re in our system you have up to two years to apply for increases in loan amounts.”

Williams explained that they look at “credit history and payment ability.” They will need most recent tax returns (2023). For businesses, “financial statements or statements of liabilities” may be needed.

“The first $50,000 is our unsecured amount,” he explained. “That may be all you need, and in that situation, no other signature documents are required. If you haven’t received that first $50,000 I suggest you wait until you’re about one month away from being able to build to request that initial $50,000 disbursement because as soon as it’s disbursed, that 12-month clock of no payment and zero interest accrual start to tick. If you’re not close to starting your rebuild don’t request a disbursement.”

Williams cited a three-month time frame at the end of which the offer can expire if not extended.

“If you’re receiving emails about needing to disburse money or deactivate your loan, respond that I’d like to extend my loan disbursement period another three months,” he added. “Don’t make my loan inactive. Put it in writing, not a phone call.”

Williams cautioned that taking the initial $50,000 in June then waiting nine to 24 months to see if more is needed is risky since, even if the home isn’t rebuilt in June 2026, the actual payment of the loan will be the full amount.

“You’d be paying the full interest and principal on the $500,000, even though you haven’t yet been advanced the full amount of funds,” he said. “You can always request increase in loan amounts for two years.”

Williams said that “communication is key,” recommending sending a message through the portal or by email to the case manager twice per month.

The next PPCC meeting will take place Thursday, September 11, via Zoom. Tentatively scheduled to give presentations are representatives of Friends of the Palisades Library and Pali Long Term Recovery Group.