Months after Hurricanes Vicky and Wasi, residents of Manu’a whose homes were damaged and who applied for loans from the Development Bank of American Samoa have not received any assistance.
The reason is because bank inspectors have not been able to do an assessment of the damaged homes.
(KHJ News had reported earlier that the damages were from Hurricane Gita however this was incorrect. They were from the hurricane events, Vicky and Wasi, in February this year. We apologize for the error).
DBAS President Dr. Ruth Matagi-Faatili testified at a hearing of the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee Monday that she requested that DBAS be part of the assessment teams from the Department of Homeland Security and Public Works to visit Manu’a after the hurricanes, but there was no response.
She said because of the coronavirus pandemic which suspended regular flights to Manu’a they were unable to send their teams to Manu’a. So she requested for Public Works which has staff in Manu’a to conduct the assessments.
She reported that the reports which were submitted of the damages in Manu’a did not have details needed by the bank for example the costs of damages and the household contents that were destroyed or damaged.
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The DBAS President said the assessment reports for the whole territory from Hurricane Gita shows that 114 homes were destroyed or significantly damaged and the total cost needed to replace or repair the homes was $511,000.
DBAS received only 10 loan applications of which one has been approved and 1 is awaiting approval of an amendment that DBAS has proposed for HUD funded loans.
The bank president said because the extent of damages from the hurricane did not meet the threshold for a presidential disaster, the amendment is needed in order for US Housing an Urban Development (HUD) funding to be applied to such loans.
Two of the loan applications are from Manu’a.
Manu’a Rep Vesi Fautaunu said many have complained that they wait ages for their loans and some give up due to the litany of requirements. He asked about why the bank is even requiring a life insurance policy.
According to Matagi-Faatili the life insurance policy of the loan applicant is required for new home loans and this will ensure payment of the loan in the event of death and not burden survivors or those living in the home. It would also allow the survivors to maintain good credit and qualify for DBAS loans themselves.
Other Manu’a lawmakers, Tiaoalii Fau Sai and Fetu Fetui were amazed that after all this time the bank still hasn’t been able to send an assessment team to Manu’a. Fetu advised the bank president not to depend on Public Works inspectors to do the assessment but to try and get their own team to Manu’a.
During yesterday’s House session, it was decided that the directors of Public Works and Homeland Security would be called in to explain the delay in inspecting damaged homes in Manu’a.
