Pala donates $1M to buy homes for La Jolla tribe fire victims
By: EDWARD SIFUENTES - Staff Writer | ∞
Some of the fire victims at the La Jolla Indian reservation may soon have a new home thanks to their neighbors, the Pala Band of Mission Indians.
The Pala tribe, which owns a large casino east of Fallbrook, announced Monday that it donated $1 million to buy mobile homes for up to 20 families at La Jolla.
"We felt it was the right thing to do for a fellow Native American tribe," said Pala Chairman Robert Smith.
The Poomacha fire started at the La Jolla reservation near Palomar Mountain on Oct. 23 and burned about 9,000 acres and 60 structures there. It spread quickly, scorching more than 50,000 acres from Palomar Mountain to the Rincon, Pauma and San Pasqual Indian reservations.
The fire also burned more than 1,800 acres at Pala, but no structures were damaged.
La Jolla chairman Tracy Nelson could not be reached for comment, but he released a written statement through Pala.
"We're grateful to the Pala Band for reaching out and committing to help out tribal members put their lives back together," Nelson said.
The La Jolla band, which does not have a casino, is one of the poorest tribes in the county. It sustains most of its government functions by running a campground and with funds from tribal casinos received through a revenue-sharing agreement.
Smith said that 28 families were left without a home at La Jolla. He said the ones in most need, such as the elderly and those without fire insurance, would get the mobile homes first.
Last month, a family at the La Jolla reservation was the first in the county since the October wildfires to receive a mobile home through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
FEMA spokesman Gene Romano said the agency had provided eight mobile homes to fire victims in the county. The mobile homes are provided for up to 18 months, but the time can be extended.
Fewer than 20 applications for temporary homes are pending, he said.
Romano said the mobile homes would be available for fire victims who lived in remote and rural parts of the county where rental units were not available. He said he was not aware if any of the people who could receive a home through the Pala donation had applied for one with FEMA.
Since the fires, the agency has provided $10.3 million to fire victims in the county to help cover housing assistance and personal property losses, Romano said.
Pala Chairman Smith said he did not see a potential conflict between the FEMA mobile homes and those provided through his tribe's donation. The FEMA homes are temporary, while those provided by the donation are the family's to keep, he said.
Members of the La Jolla tribe have also received donations from other tribes, such as Pechanga and Rincon. Both tribes opened the doors to their hotels during the emergency. Other tribes provided gift certificates to replace personal items lost in the fire.
Contact staff writer Edward Sifuentes at (760) 740-3511 or esifuentes@nctimes.com.
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Randy wrote on Dec 18, 2007 6:56 AM:$1 million is an insult, like a wooden nickel. Pala should have dug deep and made a more meaningful contribution, like $100 million.
WAYLON'S#1FAN wrote on Dec 18, 2007 7:00 AM:Oh This is the BEST NEWS I HAVE HEARD ON ANY NATIVE HOME LAND! GOD BLESS THE KINDNESS GIVEN TO THE NATIVES THERE!THANK U CASINO FOR HAVING A BIG HEART FOR THE 1ST AMERICANS
Native wrote on Dec 18, 2007 8:53 AM:Thank-you Pala Tribal Council! and your Tribal Members,And to all the other sister reservations, that have helped in so many ways!! Just knowing other tribes were there for us meant so much. God Bless you all!!!!
a question wrote on Dec 18, 2007 10:45 AM:This is very nice and thoughtful. Kudo's to the tribes helping each other out.....I have a question though... They say the Poomacha fire started via a "house fire". Do they know how that fire started? Have they identified who's house and exactly how? I lost a good portion of my avocado and orange grove as well as some structures on my property in Pauma Valley. I'd like to know if this really was an accident (downed power line, etc.) or some other nefarious act by someone doing something stupid. Has anyone heard the details?
To Question wrote on Dec 18, 2007 12:39 PM:we too are waiting for answer on this fire that started in Poomacha on the La Jolla Indian Reservation,I find it odd that no details have been given,Just that it started in a home!!! im sure with all the specialist in fire, they definety can determine how it started, hmmm it makes you think!!!!
Way to go wrote on Dec 18, 2007 1:41 PM:Pala is awesome and so are its people! I love Pala!! I lived there for 12 years, I'm not Indian and could not have been happier!!!
Thinkin' wrote on Dec 18, 2007 1:41 PM:Us too, being a small community everyone tends to know everyone's business. Apparently, there are eye witness' that seen the fire as well as the irresponbile men drinking, but these eye witness' are scared to come forth. Apparently they haven't lost anything due to the fire. You would think that the fire specialist would have detrmined the start by now. What up?
Randy Dandy Wants More... wrote on Dec 18, 2007 2:03 PM:Randy, whats your trip? People like you send bad messages to others. I'm a fire victim who lost everything. I will be receiving a new home from Pala paid in full. I'm so blessed. It's people like you that are given an inch and you obviously want & take much more than a mile. Grow Up!
Good Karma wrote on Dec 18, 2007 3:28 PM:Good Job Pala
One Good Thing wrote on Dec 18, 2007 5:16 PM:Pala finally did something to get their name in the paper. can't say much for their fire department. I guess Robert Smith is tried of having his name left out.
To: One Good Thing wrote on Dec 19, 2007 11:00 AM:Obviously you don't read much or don't understand what you read, if you know how to read at all. Pala, Robert Smith and Pala Fire Dept. as well as the other successful gaming tribes have done a lot for the communities both Indian as well as non-Indian. Before you post future comments, please do your homework.
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