Updated: February 11, 2025

More than a month into the aftermath of the most catastrophic conflagrations to hit Southern California, homeowners who lost their homes are still suffering, not surprisingly.

While empathizing greatly with their unique situations, we wanted to help make sense of the many confusing challenges these unfortunate families are facing in the form of a helpful primer.

In the process of writing this guide we were fortunate to have attended a community meeting for Eaton Fire victims, produced and hosted by Realm, an innovative homeowner resource platform for renovations and new builds, based in Southern California. The content and speakers were all quite impressive, inspiring and insightful (listed here).

Virtually all speakers have post-disaster rebuilding experiencing, while a few even experienced losing their own homes due to natural disasters. We mention this meeting as a reminder to those who may be struggling alone that there are good and competent people that understand what you are going through that really can and want to help.

A wise and compassionate attendee mentioned to us that those in the audience were going to be alright, as they are facing the realities of their situations and actively engaging with the process. However, it’s those who weren’t there that really need help, as they likely feel lost. Please keep this in mind if ever encountering someone who may be experiencing the aftermath of sudden trauma.

Possessing fortitude and optimism is a must to get through overwhelming challenges of this nature, as are knowledge, support networks, and the reassurance that many others have successfully made it through this type of labyrinth.

10 Challenges in the Aftermath of the LA Fires

  1. Selling Your Land or Rebuilding Your Home?
  2. Under or No Insurance
  3. Temporary Housing that’s Permanent
  4. The Cleanup
  5. Missing Blueprints for “Like for Like” Rebuilds
  6. Labor Shortage
  7. Financial Time Constraints
  8. Fire Resilience in an Era of Unnatural Fires
  9. Zoning: Preventing a Land Grab
  10. Emotional Recovery

Also see:

If you wish to give support to organizations providing assistance to communities impacted by the LA Fires, please visit: L.A. Works.

 

1. Selling Your Land or Rebuilding Your Home?

There is no hard and fast rule about what you must do upon losing your home in a fire. There are no rules or laws that demand that you rebuild your home, thus the decision to either sell your property or rebuild your home is based entirely on your financial and emotional circumstances and preferences.

 

Selling Your Land

For many fire victims, total devastation can be traumatic and the desire to leave it all behind to start anew may be the preferred option.

Depending on the depth of loss, this might be the time to assess if relocation to another area might make more sense, depending on circumstances such as litigation, bureaucracy and costs that may exceed actual insurance coverage payouts.

Homeowners can use the proceeds of an insurance claim on the property to purchase a new home, as long as the mortgage on the destroyed property is paid in full. As a homeowner of a property that burned to the ground, you still retain the property rights to the land.

In many cases, such as in the Eaton Fire where the land which abutted the beautiful Eaton Canyon Natural Area and Nature Center, the land may be worth more than the properties, especially to developers who look to purchase contiguous lots for larger, denser, housing projects.

95 W Calaveras St, Altadena, California. First lost-home property sold after the Eaton Fire

95 W Calaveras St, Altadena, California. First lost-home property sold after the Eaton Fire

Interestingly, the first destroyed property listed for sale from the Eaton Fire was recorded on January 30, 2025. The burnt out lot of 9,108 square feet, with a listing price of $449,000, was in escrow at $550,000 as of February 10, 2025. The property was listed prior to Phase 1 and Phase 2 Cleanups.

In this situation, the octogenarian owner, who had recently purchased the 1939 built 2 bedroom 2 bath 1636 square foot home in August 2023 for $965,000, rented it as an investment property for additional income. Given the circumstances, such as her age, lack of meaningful equity in the property, and it not being her primary home, it made sense for her to sell to the highest bidder of the land to offset her losses.

Also see:

 

Rebuilding Your Home

Conversely, homeowners who opt to rebuild must contend with a myriad of costs and a protracted building process.

Altadena Rebuilding Together sign in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire

Altadena Rebuilding Together sign in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire

Costs will include: debris removal; toxic remediation; mold mitigation; increases in construction material and labor expenses; and costlier efforts to meet current building safety standards, codes and guidelines.

Ideally, an insurance policy that provides coverage for the value of replacement costs, would cover all the required expenses to get you to a fully “like for like” built structure. However, if your insurance policy is an actual cash value policy, you may be required to pay many of the required costs that exceed your cash value amount, out of pocket.

In either case, the mortgage to the pre-existing property must be paid—in full, if you plan to sell the remaining land, and in continuance, if you are rebuilding the structure. Many homeowner insurance policies offer mortgage payment coverage during the rebuilding process, so it may cover your existing mortgage during this period providing you with some financial relief.

Having fortitude to rebuild is essential, especially in cumbersome regulatory markets such as Los Angeles, as numerous confusing roadblocks, and requirements will likely hinder meaningful, expedient progress for fire victims.

 

2. Under or No Insurance

A major factor in deciding to either sell the underlying land or rebuild the home is the insurance quagmire that many are currently finding to be a significant impediment to moving forward successfully.

Lost home in Altadena from the Eaton Fire, with USAA coverage, white picket fence

A destroyed home in Altadena with USAA coverage

A silver lining for both homeowners and renters, is that standard homeowners’ policies and standard renters’ insurance both cover destruction and damage caused by fires, including wildfires, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III), the most comprehensive source for insurance in the United States.

Included in these standard coverage policies is damage caused by firefighters extinguishing the blaze, as well as Loss of Use, when policyholders are forced to relocate because of a mandatory evacuation order or when their property is deemed uninhabitable.

“California property insurers are acting as financial first responders to help their impacted customers recover from the Los Angeles fires,” III stated in a January 2025 press release.

“This includes providing immediate relief through Additional Living Expenses (ALE) coverage for displaced policyholders. Losses to property and vehicles will be covered up to the limits contained with an insurance policy.”

However, what about the converse? There are many homeowners who were either under insured or had lost coverage just prior to the fire event — how do they recover?

Recent data reveals that hundreds of homeowner policies were cancelled resulting in homeowners having no other option except the dreaded California FAIR Plan for coverage or opting for no coverage at all (for those who owned their homes outright).

Typically deemed the worst option that a homeowner can have for property coverage, the California FAIR Plan is considered to be an overpriced, last resort insurer for Californians in need of some type of coverage.

According to CapRadio, California FAIR plan policies more than doubled between 2020 and 2024, growing to nearly 452,000 insured properties. Rarely does a FAIR plan policy provide the comprehensive coverage of a private insurance company.

Even more egregious, insurance companies have denied fire-related claims for homes that were placed in trusts by the homeowner. If the trust is not listed as the beneficiary on the policy, the property, consequently, will not be covered.

Since homeowners’ policies usually lists the homeowner, spouse or any other family member as the insured party, it is imperative to follow up with adding the trust as a beneficiary to the policy. When placing your home in a trust, individuals no longer have insurable interests in the given home. However, if the named insured is also the trustee, this should not be an issue.

To avoid this misfortune, protect yourself by getting a copy of the transfer deed that was created to place the home into the trust, send it to your insurer so they can add the trust to the policy.

Here is further guidance from the Insurance Information Institute (III.org):

  • Contact your insurance company or agent as soon as possible to begin the claim-filing process. Many insurers have mobile apps where you can file a claim.
  • Ask your insurance professional about claim-filing requirements and deadlines.
  • Take photos of damaged items (if it is safe to do so) and don’t discard damaged items until your assigned insurance adjuster has completed their assessment.
  • Keep all receipts for out-of-pocket expenses, such as temporary lodging and meals.
  • Be safe when going back to damaged areas, by wearing protective gear, including gloves and a mask.
  • Monitor local media reports for important safety information and updates

Also see:

 

3. Temporary Housing that’s Permanent

Not everyone affected by the recent LA Fires has the luxury of having multiple properties that could be accessed outside of the evacuation zone, or friends and family with enough extra space to provide for the duration of being unable to return home.

A resourceful homeowner who lost their home in Altadena, homesteads with a camper and pickup truck, behind a locked gated fence.

A resourceful Altadena homeowner homesteads with a camper and pickup truck, behind a locked gated fence.

As we sat in our evacuation area, we began to plan how we would rebuild with an approach that would give us a sense of normalcy. Our key needs were:

  • Close proximity to our home for the rebuilding phase
  • Comfort; and
  • The ability to recoup costs and/or generate income after the rebuilding process

Hence, we considered two viable options:

  1. Buying a Motorhome
  2. Purchasing a Prefab ADU

 

1. Buying and Parking a Motorhome

Setting up near your pre-existing home site gives you flexibility and stability should you later decide to leave the area or remain and rebuild on your lot. A motorhome (or camper van) comes ready for habitation with just water and electricity hookups needed. The latter of which can be provided with solar power or backup batteries. The vehicle can be later sold, thus recouping some costs versus renting a dwelling, which is a pure sunk cost.

Winnebago Solis Camper Van in an outdoor setting

A Winnebago Solis camper van opened up in an outdoor setting

A motorhome would also provide flexibility for affordable travel, if considering moving to or rebuilding in another California community.

Also see:

 

2. Purchasing and Installing a Prefab Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)

With recent California laws providing incentives to build ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units) on Single Family Residential (SFR) lots, the timing is well-suited to consider this option, if your lot offers sufficient space. A new California state executive order now allows an ADU to be built on fire-affected properties and used as a primary residence for up to 3 years, even if a main home is not yet in place.

Prefab backyard ADU built by Cover

Prefab backyard ADU built by Cover, an innovative LA-based construction company

The fact remains that ADUs, although smaller than primary homes, give rebuilding homeowners many attractive options and benefits:

  • In many cases, an ADU can be a faster build than the main home
  • Purchasing a prefab ADU can help you mitigate construction delays due to an expected shortage of labor
  • Pre-fab ADU builders will have stronger buying power for essential materials compared to smaller construction companies, for better pricing and faster availability
  • Factory built portions of pre-fab ADUs are unaffected by foul weather
  • An ADU can provide stability during the rebuilding of the main home
  • An ADU can be adjoined to the main home as part of the main structure for added square footage
  • An ADU can become a recurring source of income as a rental property once the main home is rebuilt and habitable

Key to choosing this option is speaking with your insurer to clarify if there are any restrictions or exclusions for taking this approach. In our opinion a permanent ADU should be considered a “phase” of the to-be-built permanent main home. However, there may be requirements that the ADU must be attached to the main home.

Also see:

 

4. The Cleanup

The LA Fires were an unprecedented event such that, as of this writing in early February 2025, city and state government officials appear incapable of providing clear direction to help victims begin to move forward.

Altadena Eaton Fire aftermath lot post-Phase 1 cleanup

Altadena Eaton Fire aftermath lot post-Phase 1 cleanup

There are no clear guidelines, steps, processes, or blueprints for victims to follow as the local and state bureaucrats have no idea how to navigate or explain the process.

Altadena after the Eaton Fire, smart meters, EV chargers, electrical panel

Modern houses present new fire risks and cleanup hazards, such as: smart meters; EV chargers; electrical panels drawing more power; lithium batteries; solar panels; etc.

Local fire victim meetings have revealed conflicting information on cleanup times, expectations, processes, and assigned responsibilities. We have only encountered two statements that appear to have cohesive answers, regarding the cleanup phases. However, no one has been able to provide a definitive timeline.

What we know so far on the cleanup and removal is the following:

 

Phase 1: Hazardous Waste Cleanup

Property owners DO NOT need to sign up for Phase 1 household hazardous debris removal.

Altadena lot with proof of Phase I cleanup completed by EPA

Altadena lot with proof of Phase I cleanup completed by EPA

However, if your property has been damaged or destroyed, it must pass a Phase 1 household hazardous debris inspection and clearance by the EPA before being eligible for starting Phase 2 removal of the remaining fire debris. Property owners can get Right of Entry (ROE) forms at disaster recovery centers, online, or by calling (844) 347-3332.

Altadena Eaton Fire red unsafe sign posted by LA Public Works

Altadena Eaton Fire red unsafe sign posted by LA Public Works

 

Phase 2: Debris Cleanup

For Phase 2, property owners need to decide whether to opt in for free cleanup by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, or opt out and pay a specialized, approved contractor to remove the remaining fire debris, following all necessary requirements, rules and regulations.

Altadena Eaton Fire lot to be cleared of debris (Phase 2)

An Altadena lot ready for Phase 2 debris cleanup

The deadline to decide to opt-in for Phase 2 cleanup is March 31, 2025. If you opt for free removal of Phase 2 debris, you must complete a Right of Entry form to allow access to your property. (See Phase 1 details above on where to acquire a Right of Entry form).

Property owners will not be able to get a Phase 2 permit unless they have received Phase 1 clearance from the EPA.

Homeowners will be notified 72-hours prior to when their property will begin the Phase 2 cleanup process. Property owners are encouraged to be actively involved with the cleanup to reduce the likelihood of having to pay for any removal out of pocket. If you want something removed, don’t hesitate to ask for it to be removed.

Cleanup Timeline

The cleanup process may take longer than a year for some properties!

The county and state have not provided actual legislation or any other evidence that they have waived the permit process, plan check process, environmental mandates, or any other of the bureaucratic construction rules for fire victims.

 

5. Missing Blueprints for “Like for Like” Rebuilds

Fire victims, in both the Palisades and Eaton Fires, have been told that they could get expedited approval for permits to begin building, if they planned to build a “like for like” home. “Like for like” constructions are also granted an additional 10% increase in total square footage, as an incentive to streamline the design approval process.

Unfortunately, what many homeowners are discovering is that blueprints for their pre-existing homes are not held anywhere in LA County, not even with the LA County Tax Assessors Office!

Missing plans then raise the following issues:

  • Increased time and work to replicate the plans of the pre-existing structure
  • Uncertainty around what constitutes “like for like”

Once again, poor management and bureaucratic inefficiencies are likely going to make the process of rebuilding challenging and longer than expected.

However, firms such Rocka Builders, are able to create forensic as-built drawings from debris-cleared and cleaned intact foundations, with 80%+ accuracy. Additionally, be sure to request that any new drawing of your to-be-built home also be digitized and archived by the county for a nominal fee of approximately $25.

Another approach to acquiring drawings that can be used for “like for like” rebuilds is to contact neighbors who may have had similar layouts and builds. If you are able to find a still-standing “version” of your home, very accurate as-built drawings could be quickly generated (especially when using AI-powered laser measuring tools).

Lastly, even if you do possess original plans of your home—especially in cases of older homes—the drawings may be simplistic in nature and may require more details.

Also see:

 

6. Labor Shortage

A recurring and distressing topic at many construction industry conferences over recent years is the critical shortage of skilled labor for residential construction.

Carpenter working on a residential construction site in Southern California

Due to a number of factors, the construction industry has lost over one million jobs since 2020, which set the industry back from a previous eight years of steady growth, and the industry has continued to fall behind in replacement hires.

Several factors have dissuaded younger workers from entering the trades: a perceived lack of job security; unpredictable work schedules; grueling physical demands; and misperceptions of low pay, limited career advancements, and sparse opportunities to learn new technologies. Instead, the younger generation of workers have been opting for office- and online-based employment.

Further exacerbating the shortage issue, is a skilled workforce efflux, the result of highly skilled and knowledgeable trade professionals retiring. The lack of succession planning, utilizing these experts, stands to cripple an already scarce labor pool.

The State of California and the Federal Government need to work together to provide incentives to recruit domestic workers to the Los Angeles market, as well as to institute formalized migrant worker programs for qualified Mexican and Canadian trades persons.

The labor shortage also extends to design and permit approval personnel.

 

7. Financial Time Constraints

A stressful challenge for homeowners wishing to rebuild is overcoming several time constraints—all posing serious financial implications. In short, homeowners lacking deep cash reserves must rebuild quickly to end double “rent payments” consisting of both their mortgage and temporary housing costs. They also have to complete their rebuilds within a specific timeframe to prevent their property taxes from skyrocketing due to triggering a significantly higher reassessed valuation to current market value rates.

Property tax assessment

These constraints are formidable because no matter what circumstances homeowners find themselves in, they must expect to make on-time payments on their mortgages and property taxes.

Note: In the case of devastating disasters, such as the LA Fires, property tax reductions, deferrals and/or exemptions can become available through executive orders, in return for completing your rebuild within a specific timeframe.

Though “returning to normal as soon as possible” is understandably the most pressing “time goal”, unmet time constraints can cause homeowners to lose their pre-existing lots:

  • Deadline for opting in for the Army Corps of Engineers Phase 2 free waste removal is March 31, 2025
  • The cleanup process takes roughly 1 year to complete
  • Insurance coverage for temporary housing will likely run out—often referred to as “loss of use” coverage—this typically amounts to 10% to 20% of your dwelling coverage amount, with some insurers instituting a time limit, such as 12 to 24 months
  • Allotted time to rebuild your home before your property tax rate is reassessed at current market values: recently expanded to 5 years for homes incurring damage more than 50% of the prior assessed value within the declared disaster areas
  • To start a speedy rebuild process, local builders recommend hiring a reputable local architect as soon as possible, so your plans will be streamlined through the permitting approval process
  • The average disaster area takes 7 to 10 years to recover in the U.S.
  • The Altadena area will likely take 10 to 15 years to recover fully

Property Tax Relief for Fire Impacted Homeowners

Summary excerpts from GreenbergTraurig’s January 22, 2025 GT Alert:

For most affected property owners, property tax relief options include a temporary reduction in the damaged or destroyed property’s assessed value, deferral of property taxes, and/or one or more options to transfer the damaged or destroyed property’s base year value to replacement property.

A recently issued executive order also provides for a limited suspension on the imposition of penalties, costs, or interest for the failure to pay property taxes or file a personal property tax statement.

Details of possible Property Tax Relief for qualifying properties and circumstances, include:

  • Temporary reduction in the damaged or destroyed assessed value
  • Deferral of property taxes
  • Options to transfer the damage or destroyed property’s base year value to the replacement property
  • Limited suspension on the imposition of penalties, costs, or interest for the failure to pay property taxes or file a personal property tax statement
  • The reduced assessed value will apply from the month of the damage and will remain in effect until the property is fully repaired or rebuilt
  • Special rules may allow reconstructed property to maintain prior base year value, even when adding new square footage or extras, if the damage is greater than 50% of the prior assessed value and the home is rebuilt on the same lot within 5 years of the disaster
  • California State Executive Order N-10-25, issued on January 16, 2025, suspends immediately the imposition of penalties, costs, or interest for the failure to pay property taxes until April 10, 2026, for the following zip codes: 90019, 90041, 90049, 90066, 90265, 90272, 90290, 90402, 91001, 91040, 91104, 91106, 91107, 93535, 93536

Qualifying Property Tax Relief Criteria

  • Loss must be at least $10,000 of current fair market value
  • Claim form must be filed with the county assessor within 12 months of the misfortune or calamity (Los Angeles County form ADS-820: Reassessment of Property Damaged or Destroyed by Misfortune or Calamity)
  • For damages occurring in January 2025, the ADS-820 claim form to request a tax deferral is due by April 10, 2025
  • The proposed reassessment may be appealed within the six months of the mailed reassessment notice
  • If the property is timely rebuilt, the property’s prior assessed value will be restored as long as the property is rebuilt in a like or similar manner.
  • New square footage, or new amenities, such as a bathroom, will be added to the base year value at current fair market value
  • Property tax deferrals are not available where property taxes are paid through an impound account (i.e. when your mortgage bank pays property taxes on your behalf)

 

8. Fire Resilience in an Era of Unnatural Fires

It was necessary to shorten title of this section, but the original version included:

…, Fleeing Insurers & Feckless Leadership

Having written on wildfire resilience, including firescaping, we are troubled by what we have been discovering about residential fires over recent months and in particular California’s incompetence during the recent LA Fires.

A random evening view of Pasadena and Altadena and the San Gabriel Mountains, taken on August 18, 2019

A random evening view of Pasadena and Altadena and the San Gabriel Mountains, taken on August 18, 2019

Based on the aftermaths of several recent destructive fires—e.g. Tubbs; Thomas; Camp; Woolsey; Maui—we are not optimistic about the future of fire resilience across the state of California. Countless insurers cancelling existing homeowners’ policies, as well as terminating the underwriting of any new policies is a devastating vote of “no confidence” against the state’s leadership.

Aerial view of Altadena, in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire

Aerial view of Altadena, in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire

We do not expect that credible, transparent explanations will be forthcoming on the recent LA Fires (Palisades and Eaton), or meaningful corrective actions will take place until a new governor is elected and held accountable. It is our opinion, that California’s irresponsible incompetence towards fire preparedness and forest management has reached the level of criminal negligence.

A recent “ruling” by the California Public Utilities Commission perfectly reflects our cynicism:

On January 30, 2025, the California Public Utilities Commission unanimously approved SoCal Edison’s request to have customers cover the expenses related to the devastating 2017 Thomas Fire, which authorities determined was caused by the utility company’s power lines. Said another way, SoCal Edison customers get the “honor” of having to pay more for the utility company’s negligence.

Thomas Fire raging next to the 101 Highway, December 2017

Thomas Fire raging next to the 101 Highway, December 2017

This ruling is proof that Californians are living in a dangerous, unaccountable world of irresponsible incompetence:

“A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.” — Thomas Paine (via Jester Politics)

In the interim, we will continue to turn to alternative, independent information sources, as well as first-person accounts, to piece together parts of an incredibly perplexing puzzle. In short, we have zero confidence in our state and local governments and the media that “cover” them.

A Video of LA County Fire Damage Inspectors Explaining How They Examine a Fire-Damaged Home:

Damage Inspectors Bring Urgently Needed Info to Public

In light of these challenges, we strongly recommend residents across California get involved with the following fire-related issues:

  • The causes and rebuilding efforts of other significant fire events (Tubbs Fire, et al.)
  • How toxic waste and debris are being removed and where (Citizens of Duarte Protest Against the EPA’s Debris Site)
  • The dangers of lithium batteries: smart meters; EVs; e-bikes; solar battery power plants; home solar-backup generators
  • Changes to zoning laws (i.e. guarding against systematic land grabs)
  • Firefighting labor shortage
  • Irresponsible governmental budgeting and allocation for fire preparedness
  • Inadequate water reserves
  • Under-investing in the upgrading of old power infrastructure, a critical public safety issue
  • Over-investing in irresponsible green mandates at the risk of public safety and affordability (100% Clean Energy by the Year 2045)
  • Inadequate budget and commitment for proactively maintaining brush abatement
  • Budget and new resources for effectively fighting toxic electrical fires (EVs and Battery Storage Plants)
  • Data on the safety of smart meters in residential fires
  • Transparency on toxic waste removals and how to know if your home and neighborhood are safe
  • Findings on material fire performance (what burned, what didn’t burn, and why?)
  • Independent perspectives on Forest Fire Forensics (Arborist Robert Brame)
  • Insurance industry policies that incentivize carriers to issue new policies and help establish more “fire resilient” homes
Fire debris sites of the LA Fires via NBC 4 Los Angeles

Fire “Resilience” efforts continue after a fire is long extinguished, as nearby towns attempt the stop the dumping of toxic waste in their communities
Image courtesy of NBC 4 Los Angeles

Regarding building homes that have elevated fire resilience, builders do not view concrete structures as economically viable for most homeowners. Instead, the following fire features are expected to be popular choices for rebuilders, and likely to become new fire requirements in coming years:

  • Class A roofing materials: metal or clay
  • Fire-resistant siding: fiber cement, stucco and masonry
  • Outdoor sprinkler systems (under eaves and above roofs)
  • Windows that perform better against radiant heat (dual-pane tempered glass) and strong winds
  • Fire-rated composite decking and enclosed eaves
  • Fire-rated drywall (Type X) thicker gypsum boards with 1-hour fire resistance
  • ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms): high fire resistance and thermal protection
  • Steel framing
Tuff Shed survives the Eaton Fire on an Altadena lot

A Tuff Shed that survived the Eaton Fire on an Altadena lot

From the forensic analysis conducted by California arborist Robert Brame, with over 30 years of experience, there are many unanswered questions on fire origins and weird inconsistencies on “what burns” and “what does not burn”. In particular, Brame has photo-documented countless examples of water-heavy trees burning internally from the roots upward, while nearby, highly combustile trees (e.g. Eucalyptus) survive, virtually unscathed:

“Things that should burn aren’t burning, and things that shouldn’t burn are burning” – Robert Brame, California Arborist

Accounts of plastic trash bins surviving fires in recents years add to the mystery surrounding the true nature of these highly destructive “unnatural urban” fires. In fact, Brame states that he rarely encounters “natural wildfires” in his work.

A plastic toy set mysteriously survives the Eaton Fire in Altadena

A plastic toy set that mysteriously survived the Eaton Fire in Altadena, as did a resin hot tub in the far background

Also see:

 

9. Zoning: Preventing a Land Grab

“Unless residents are blocked from rebuilding, the ‘land seizure’ explanation doesn’t really add up”. (via Jester Politics)

For the record, we absolutely expect to see aggressive “land grabs” in both the Palisades and Altadena communities. The Altadena situation will likely be more egregious as this community has less “collective power” and “sustainable financial endurance” than the Pacific Palisades, e.g.: less wealth; larger concentration of older homes and elderly residents; more instances of under or no insurance; less legal and educational preparedness; etc.

The challenges of zoning involve whether or not local governing bodies choose to enforce newer zoning regulation and building codes (e.g. requirements for higher density and more costly building codes) that would prohibit or severely limit how residents can rebuild their collective communities.

Zoning is also tied to the challenge of time constraints, as these communities will dramatically change, likely for the worse, if significant percentages of properties are sold out of necessity to developers.

We have already been hearing stories of “land grabbers” contacting homeowners who lost their homes in Altadena. Examples include real estate agents receiving industry “tips” on how to profit from the misfortunes of others, such as purchasing contiguous lots in order to build and sell larger, more lucrative homes.

Altadena Is Not for Sale Sign posted on property of fire destroyed home

Fortunately, residents of Altadena have already started an “Altadena is Not for Sale” grassroots campaign to educate and strengthen the resolve of residents.

Going forward, we need to keep an eye out to determine if Federal, State and Local governments will protect individual homeowners, or will they legislate in favor of developers?

 

10. Emotional Recovery

The following information is a summary of a presentation given by Bijana Bailleres, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, on February 8, 2025, to persons who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire.

Sunrise over a Southern California hillside not far from the perimeter of the Eaton Fire zone

Sunrise over a Southern California hillside not far from the perimeter of the Eaton Fire zone

Rebuilding is not just about the physical reconstruction of your home, but also the emotional and psychological restoration of you and your loved ones.

Just as homeowners need guidance on progressing through the rebuild process, they and their families will likely need assistance in dealing with such a traumatic, instant loss.

Emotions that will be experienced include:

  • Shock & Numbness
  • Anxiety & Hypervigilance
  • Sadness & Grief
  • Survivors Guilt
  • Anger
Survivor's Guilt: an Altadena home that survived next to two that did not

Survivor’s Guilt: an Altadena home that survived between two that did not

The rebuilding process will present the following emotional challenges, as well:

  • Decision Fatigue
  • Frustration with Setbacks
  • Family Strain
  • Uncertainty About the Future

Developing coping strategies and ways to build resilience include:

  • Grounding Techniques
  • Routines and Structure
  • Seeking Support
  • Balancing Grief with Hope

Key Takeaway:

What small steps can I take today to make this process more manageable?

Ways to facilitate healing, getting stronger, and making progress include:

  • Honor What Was Lost
  • Find Purpose
  • Seek the Power of Connection
  • Take Small Steps to Regain Control

Lastly, be sure to take advantage of free therapy sessions being offered to victims of the LA Fires (individual sessions, as well as group settings).

 

Recovering & Rebuilding Resources

Companies & Speakers at the Realm February 8, 2025 Eaton Fire Rebuild Community Meeting:

 

Recommended Rebuilding Articles

 

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