ReBUILD LA: Rebuilding Lives, Restoring Hope

Affordable housing and homelessness

West LA San Gabriel Valley

Applying a proven solution to a new issue or sector (using an existing model, tool, resource, strategy, etc. for a new purpose)

The Pacific Palisades and Eaton wildfires burned almost 40,000 acres and destroyed more than 16,000 structures across LA County. In the wake of the wildfires, families are grappling with the loss of their homes and facing large financial burdens. For the moderate- to low-income families who lost their homes, the feasibility of rebuilding is slim as the cost of materials, insurance, and labor skyrockets. The effects of the fires on housing and income will strain the existing housing crisis and the unequal impact this will have on marginalized areas is already apparent in cities like Altadena, one of the first middle-class cities where Black people were free of discriminatory housing practices. This allowed Black families to buy homes and accumulate wealth. Now homes passed down for generations are destroyed. Residents are concerned that low-income families cannot afford to rebuild as rising prices have already changed the demographics of many of these neighborhoods.

ReBUILD LA is a multi-year recovery initiative designed to support homeowners whose lives have been forever altered by the historic wildfires in Southern California. This effort is made possible through our partnership with San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity (SGVHFH). Our response follows a strategic, phased approach to ensure families and communities recover and rebuild sustainably. These phases—relief, recovery, and reconstruction—address immediate, intermediate, and long-term needs for those most in need including low-income, uninsured, and under-insured residents. We have addressed the immediate needs of families and stabilize affected communities through providing essential goods and gift cards, vouchers to our ReStores, and distribution events for those impacted by the wildfires to come pick up furniture and home goods. As the immediate crisis stabilizes, we will offer continued financial support, namely rent and mortgage assistance and gap financing. We will expand on our existing Home Preservation Programs to repair homes and address long-term housing needs for families who are uninsured, underinsured, or low-income. Building homes will be a critical component of recovery. The complete destruction of thousands of homes leaves many families displaced. Habitat LA will play a central role in rebuilding, working to expedite our current pipeline of 75 affordable homes while making plans to rebuild in the Palisades and Altadena.

As the immediate threat of the wildfire subsides and emergency crews begin to withdraw, we are shifting focus to the critical next phase: recovery and restoration. We are working closely with families as they begin the difficult journey of rebuilding. To date, we have received nearly 4,000 applications for assistance. The ReBUILD LA initiative is projected to reach more than 1,500 households and 3,400 individuals through direct construction services, as well as other rebuilding assistance. Through our expanded Home Preservation Program, we will serve hundreds of low-income, uninsured, or underinsured families with urgent home repairs. We are also accelerating our existing new construction pipeline of 75 homes and preparing an additional 20 parcels to deliver another 200 units of permanent, affordable housing—some of which will be made available to families who choose to relocate from high-risk burn zones. Our goal is to ensure that no family is left behind on the long path to recovery.