San Diego wants to rebuild

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With the embers still hot, San Diegans are beginning to talk about rebuilding burned-out neighborhoods.

The county Board of Supervisors moved today to lift building fees for anyone rebuilding a home destroyed or damaged by the Witch Creek, Harris, Rice, or Poomacha fires, or any of the lesser blazes. Permit processes will be expedited.

“We’re going to do everything possible to put the tools in their hands to get started,” said Supervisor Ron Roberts, chairman of the county Board of Supervisors.

But, as the rebuilding process after the 2003 Cedar and Paradise fires showed, with rebuilding comes rebuilding scams and unscrupulous charities.

Dist. Atty. Bonnie Dumanis warned of debris-clearing scams, price gouging, phony movers, bogus charities, manipulative insurance adjustors, and unlicensed, unbonded contractors.

“Some individuals use this time of crisis to take advantage of others,” Dumanis said.

-- Tony Perry