'We're all in the same boat': These neighbors came together to help rebuild after the flood — a 'miracle' for low-income renters

Tony Tricarico says nobody takes care of his properties better than he does. For four decades, the Southcrest resident has owned, managed and fixed homes.

But now, as the 76-year-old is faced with devastating loss after the Jan. 22 storm flooded every single home on his Beta Street property, he’s had to rely on the community’s help in rebuilding.

Tricarico recalls wading through nearly waist-deep waters that day to save his cat as he watched the destruction ensue.

The Navy veteran likened it to a combat zone. Flood water destroyed all 10 of the 1-bedroom apartments in the one-story complex, as well as the three-bedroom house next door and the garage where Tricarico kept some of his prized car collection, including a Porsche and antique BMW. Both were totaled.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do here, but we’re all in the same boat,” he recalls telling his tenants.

Tricarico knew that even with his handyman skills, he wouldn’t be able to tackle this project alone, especially after his two heart surgeries in recent years.

So after he was denied federal aid, Tricarico felt he had no choice but to put the property up for sale — until he received a call from Clariza Marin last month.

Marin, who’s been helping organize flood recovery efforts in Southcrest and neighboring Shelltown, had heard of Tricarico’s situation from some of his tenants who were struggling to find a new home.

Tricarico had been renting all the units at very low rates to low-income tenants, many of whom had lived there for decades.

After the flood destroyed their apartments and left them homeless, Tricarico returned their rent for the rest of January and their security deposits. But nearly all told him they wanted to move back in after he rebuilt.

About a quarter of the residents were also undocumented and therefore in eligible for federal aid.

So Marin offered to rally community groups to help Tricarico rebuild if he'd reconsider selling, let his tenants return and keep the rent low.

Tricarico, who says he never truly wanted to sell, hesitantly agreed.

“I don’t want to, but I’m not walking away now,” he said. “I’ve been here too long to take a bath. This is my main stay of income and equity. … But we’re trying to do this with little to no money, and that’s a big hurdle to jump.”

In the last month, community organizations including the Harvey Family Foundation, YMCA of San Diego County and AmeriCorps have begun helping him rebuild, starting with a day of service last month when about two dozen volunteers mucked out and began gutting units.

“That was a big win,” said Justin Lipford, the YMCA’s director of community engagement. “To me, this is symbolic of all the things that are needed: A property owner willing to stay true to his community, putting them first before his business decision-making, and volunteers coming together to get the job done in an effort led by the community.”

The work hasn’t been easy, as all of the apartment units were built in the 1940s and the home is over 100 years old. But Tricarico is taking the opportunity to improve all of the units and make them as family-friendly as possible.

The units have since been stripped to the studs, and electricians are currently working to rewire. Six large dumpsters have already been filled, with more still to be discarded.

Marin says they hope to have the first six or eight units done by mid-June, before the county’s hotel voucher program ends. They hope to finish the rest by July. The house, which needs the most work, will hopefully be completed in the summer.

Tricarico has begun contacting his former tenants this month to update them on the progress. Three families, including the one that had been living in the house, have already rented elsewhere, which Marin says takes some of the pressure off. But most are hoping to return.

Tricarico is hopeful that once the first tenants move back in and he can start collecting rent again, he can put those funds into quickly finishing the remaining units.

Some residents like Idania LaFon have even come by on their days off to lend a hand in the rebuilding efforts when they can. LaFon, who has lived in her apartment for 20 years, has been staying in a hotel with her three kids since the flood.

“I was looking for another place, but rent was too high, so I hoped there’d be a miracle that Tony would fix it,” she said in Spanish.

Her neighbor Myrna Pelayo, an elementary school teacher, shared a similar story. She found it next to impossible to find an affordable place near her school where she felt safe.

“I'm looking forward to come back to Tony, because it's like a family there,” she said.

The flood, she said, "turned my life upside down.” It took from her 40 years worth of memories from past students inside her home, along with her brand new car. And just this month, she lost her mother and her daughter in a car crash.

“But I’m very grateful for (the community). I have met a lot of beautiful people. I think this had to happen for me to realize how much people care for other people," she said. "We have managed to survive and continue our journey, and hopefully we can go back and have a normal life soon.”

Marin says it was Tricarico’s compassion for his tenants that pushed her to keep fighting for him.

“His tenants care about him,” Marin said, recalling how some have lit up when they speak with a man they know as Mr. Tony. “So I’ve just been calling every contractor that I know, telling them (his) story and begging for help.”

The plumber, flooring and electrical contractors have all offered to help at discounted prices to help, Marin said. But the residents still need additional help, such as drywall and appliances.

Tricarico’s situation unfortunately isn’t unique, Marin says. Some other homeowners have already started rebuilding, but others still haven’t. And many are still struggling to finish.

Community organizations say flood victims still need donations of drywall, flooring, windows, paint and appliances to finish. And they need electricians, carpenters, plumbers and volunteers to do the work.

“I feel like a lot of organizations have backed off because they felt that (elected officials) were just going to come in and save the day,” said Armon Harvey, founder of the Harvey Family Foundation. “Now more than ever is the time to really have a sense of urgency, because we know that the money and resources are running out.”

For Tricarico, who says he's not accustomed to receiving charity, it’s been overwhelming to get such support from the community.

“I see light at the end of the tunnel for what these guys did,” he said. “It would’ve taken me over a year to do what these volunteers did in one weekend.”

This story originally appeared in San Diego Union-Tribune .