Flood recovery resource center opens in Mountain View for San Diego flood victims

The City of San Diego opened a new local assistance center in Mountain View on Saturday — just ahead of the next storm.

The Mountain View Community and Recreation Center is expected to be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Saturday, Feb. 3 through Friday, Feb. 9. Language interpretation will be available, including American Sign Language interpreters on site.

Jasiel Leyva puts into perspective what most people living in the flooded area of Beta Street are feeling after two weeks.

"Rough. Traumatic. I can't sleep every time I go to bed. I keep thinking of my house," Leyva, a flood victim, said.

Two doors down, Gerardo Hernandez is experiencing the same nighttime affliction, but for different reasons.

"Just last night, I slept on a mattress. I've been sleeping on an air mattress," Hernandez, another flood victim, said.

Leyva gutted his entire house. He has no walls, flooring, furniture or appliances. What he would really like is a change of clothes and maybe money to rebuild.

"I am hoping the city will give us a grant or the federal government can help us," he said.

Hernandez hopes for even more.

"We need storm drains," Hernandez said. "Those ones you see downtown — that's what we need here."

All services are being diverted to the Mountain View Community Center

The Spring Valley Public Library local assistance center was shut down on Wednesday after serving 314 families and more than 1,200 people, according to the Salvation Army. NBC 7 has learned that the flood assistance program at the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA is also shutting down. The city wants to funnel all services to the Mountain View Community Center on Saturday.

Government agencies are expected to offer the following to flood victims at the assistance center:

• Passport replacement information
• Building permit information
• Short-term hotel stay information
• Information on tax breaks for property damage over $10,000
• Hiring a licensed contractor information
• Insurance questions answered

The participating NGOs are providing:

• Limited pet assistance
• Volunteer support
• Muck-out services
• Ready-to-eat food items

"Tooth brushes, clothing, everything was ruined in the house, and that's what is happening to people," Major Amy Reardon with San Diego's Salvation Army said.

Reardon and her husband are coordinating relief efforts throughout the county. She was at the Spring Valley center before it closed and ranks this recent disaster at the the top of her list of experiences.

"We gave socks to somebody on Wednesday who said she hadn't had a clean pair of socks on for four days," she said. "For me to see these broken people, it's one of the worst cases."

Reardon says flood victims are still in deep need and that the community must realize there is no quick fix.

For more information on the center, click here.