Contractor focused on flood relief for Wisconsin businesses

Daily Reporter (Milwaukee), Aug 28, 2008 by Sean Ryan

Despite the widespread damage caused by this summer's floods, fewer businesses than expected have applied for federal aid.

But Bill Fuchs, president of Total Team Construction LLC, is on a mission to change that.

Fuchs surfed the Internet and tracked down the federal disaster recovery center in a warehouse on Watertown Plank Road. He also found the names and numbers of the people at the Small Business Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency that help flood victims apply for money to repair damaged houses and businesses.

Connecting potential clients to disaster assistance is not part of a contractor's job description, but Fuchs figured it would help Total Team both get more work and further recovery efforts.

"We're looking at (the research) as an investment," he said. "We probably have, all total, between 100 and 120 hours invested so far."

Fuchs said he offers the assistance for free.

The SBA mailed disaster loan application forms to eligible businesses and residences, but only 17 percent were returned, said Greg Dawson, SBA public information officer. Those people could tap into $33.5 million in low-interest reconstruction loans.

Despite efforts to get people to apply, such as having representatives go door to door and host town hall meetings, the number of applicants fell shy of the 20 percent return rate the SBA expected.

"You can lead a horse to water," Dawson said. "You can't make them drink."

Fuchs said people who are eligible for federal help may not know how to navigate the paperwork and network of government phone numbers and offices. He's hoping Total Team can help them make the right contacts so they can file an application.

People don't apply for the FEMA loans for a variety of reasons, said Gil Hoel, southwest Wisconsin team leader for Project Recovery, which offers support services for flood victims.

"There's a lot of misunderstandings about FEMA funding when people go through disasters like this, especially in rural areas where people consider any government money as sort of a handout," Hoel said. "It certainly isn't part of a welfare system, but there's sort of a rugged individualism in these rural areas where people shy away from anything that could be considered a handout."

Also, compared to other natural disasters such as a tornado or hurricane, it can take longer for residents to realize how much damage flood waters have caused, Hoel said. Added to that is the time it takes to recover from the shock of losing personal possessions. This means it often takes people a while to realize they need a loan, he said.

Other people are on fixed incomes and can't afford even a low- interest loan.

"For people who haven't been through these things, you would think it's almost common-sense that people would get a low-interest loan," Hoel said. "But there's a lot of extenuating circumstances."

Earlier this month, the federal government extended the deadline for residents to submit their applications to Sept. 15.