"The housing problem is bigger than any of us expected," said Henry G. Cisneros, the Secretary of Housing, as he surveyed the scene at the Northridge emergency office. "Houses that we thought were marginally damaged are proving to have basic foundation damage. I expected a lot of people but not this many."

He told ABC News: "When you fly over it you really can't see the problem. But then you get down on the road or in front of the house, and you see that it's fallen off its foundation and it is completely unsafe and is going to have to be demolished." 'We Need Money and Food'

At the relief center in Northridge, one of 11 to open today, people who had been waiting since dawn shouted and jabbed their fingers at the face of Lourdes Pagano, a FEMA volunteer, who arrived at midday and announced that only those few hundred who had made appointments over an emergency hotline could be helped today. The others were told to get an application and return another day. Officials warned that a completed application did not guarantee aid.

"Just give us somewhere to stay, just a roof," said Jaime Narvez, 16, who has camped out in a playing field with his family since the earthquake. "We need money and food. We need a place with running water."

At the relief centers, FEMA was taking applications for grants of up to $12,200 from low-income victims. Residents could also apply for Small Business Administration loans of up to $120,000 for rebuilding businesses or homes.