Resources for Loss or Damage to Home, and Temporary Housing

• California Community Resource Guide: an easy-to-navigate online directory to search for State services, resources and assistance.

• MAEVE Mt Washington member Claire Armstrong started a doc of resources for Altadena folks who lost homes https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q_hJ4EWYLEIhAQSCMXsniynsDZajjdQd9fjJ_qlOoQQ/edit?usp=sharing

• Compiled list of resources for families impacted by the fires - lots of great links and info

• MAEVE West Adams compiled list of resources

• Save LA compiled list of resources: https://save-la.org/

• MAEVE Burbank member who works in temporary housing specifically for insurance relocation. She is compiling a list of properties that are available for displaced families. Her info: Jennifer Culouccio 310-562-1356 jen@mlgqproperties.com

• Here is a list of available housing by neighborhood compiled by MAEVE Mt Washington https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TNNyf-B4iWVPixM2Kghw6V919O3maoqr-IM6Gjh8ves/htmlview?gid=0&urp=gmail_link#gid=0

• https://eatonaid.org/ Resource hub

• List of rentals by area across LA (scroll down to see the areas): https://www.compasssocalstrong.com/

• MAEVE Burbank VP of Membership, Courtney McCarson is a Realtor and can send over a list of places to who needs it based on the criteria they are looking for. Courtney McCarson (818) 358-5698 courtney@mccarsonbenz.com

• 211 partners with hotels and Air BnB to provide emergency housing : https://211la.org/LA-Wildfires

• Info that is circulating in the “law mom” circles re: insurance recoveries: "Los Angeles area lawyer moms- I’ve spent the past several years in my law practice fighting insurance companies who refuse to pay, and/or wildly underinsured, people who lost their homes in wildfires. Over the past few years the California Dept of Ins has put a number of protections in place for wildfire victims. Your insurer is now required to give you an immediate payment for alternative living expenses to cover a minimum of 4 months. You can now use your full insurance coverage, including extended replacement coverage and code upgrade coverage, to put towards buying a new home if you’re not up for rebuilding. You can now combine all your coverages to rebuild if you need to. You can group your personal property inventory into categories rather than listing everything individually. The Dept of Ins did a series of wildfire market conduct examinations in 2019- 2020, and investigated many large insurers. It found that most had seriously violated CA law. Some, like CSAA, were forced to make over $40M in additional claim payments it had wrongfully withheld. You can look up your insurer’s market conduct report on the DOI website, they’re publicly available. You will likely run into issues. United Policyholders has a great website providing state-specific guidance on insurance law. And consider hiring a reputable public adjuster if you run into issues. Greenspan is good, but there are lots of them. (Don’t go with the ones hanging around the evacuation hotels trying to sign clients in the lobby!) Reputable public adjusters have lots of experience in pushing the insurer to provide everything that you are owed but do not go that route until you run into problems with your insurer.”

• Children's Institute Inc has put together a comprehensive list of local available shelters, mental health resources, free items and distribution centers across LA.

• Local Assistance Centers & Disaster Recovery Centers are open to the public every day from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. The centers are a centralized space for residents who have been impacted by the fires to obtain county, state and federal services.

• Please visit Recovery.LACounty.gov for the latest resources on recovery. Preliminary maps showing damage assessments have been posted but are incomplete and being updated daily. 

• https://www.ca.gov/LAfires Overview of resources, plus ‘how LA is doing’ tracker for recovery efforts

• Post-Fire To Do List: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G_Q4NxpFsw6A3l9huFPtPjAZSeQtOf1eirMSSNQXrJg/edit?usp=sharing

• Resource for applying for insurance for fire-damage (but not the total loss of home)

  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fire-california-home-insurance-coverage-claim/

• Resource for cleaning smoke damage:

  https://jenkinsrestorations.com/how-to-clean-smoke-damage/

• Ask a CalTech Expert: Paul Wennberg on Environmental Hazards of Smoke includes tips on cleaning homes down-wind from the fires

• How to mitigate post-fire smoke impacts in homes : https://cires.colorado.edu/news/how-mitigate-post-fire-smoke-impacts-your-home

• 211 partners with hotels and Air BnB to provide emergency housing : https://211la.org/LA-Wildfires

• Please visit Recovery.LACounty.gov for the latest resources on recovery. Preliminary maps showing damage assessments have been posted but are incomplete and being updated daily. 

• Health Officer Issues Order for Safe Removal, Transport, and Disposal of Fire Debris (posted 1/15/25): https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/CALACOUNTY/bulletins/3ccfb9e?reqfrom=share

• Right of Entry form is available online for those opting into the government-sponsored debris removal program. Submit the form here. Take advantage of this debris removal program by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers—at no out-of-pocket cost to you. The deadline is March 31, 2025. 

• FEMA DISASTER RESOURCE CENTER OPENS IN PASADENA :

  A FEMA Disaster Resource Center has opened at the Pasadena City College Community Education Center, 3035 E. Foothill Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91107, and will be open to the public daily from 9 am - 8 pm. The Center helps Californians affected by wildfires with home damage, property loss, or emergency needs. It provides federal aid application assistance, updates on FEMA applications, and information on the appeals process. More info at can be found at this link.

  Residents may also apply for disaster assistance by visiting disasterassistance.gov.

• How to appeal a FEMA decision - fact sheet here

• Senator Sasha Perez has created an Eaton Fire Resource Page to help people navigate through this tragedy. Please share with anyone who could use this information. sd25.senate.ca.gov/eaton-wildfire-resources

• How a GoFundMe may impact your FEMA aid: https://www.instagram.com/wendycarrillo/reel/DEx75GhToTs/

• INSURANCE SUPPORT WORKSHOP IN PASADENA :

  The California Department of Insurance will be bringing a team to Pasadena City College to assist our residents in getting help, such as understanding their insurance policies, being aware of the resources available during the rebuilding and recovery process, and answering their insurance-related questions. Participants are encouraged to bring a copy of their insurance policy, declaration page, and any relevant correspondence related to their concerns. To make a one-on-one appointment, please contact CDI's Hotline at 1-800-927-4357. Walk-ins will be on a first-come-first-serve basis.

  Pasadena Dates and Hours of Operation:
  Saturday 1/25/2025: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  Sunday 1/26/2025: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

  Pasadena City College
  1570 East Colorado Blvd.
  Pasadena, CA 91106

• California's largest insurance company, State Farm, said it will offer renewals to policyholders impacted by the Los Angeles County wildfires. State Farm said: "We have paused the notification process on homeowner non-renewals in the areas affected by the fires. Homeowner policies impacted by the fires that were on the books on Jan 7, will have an option to renew with State Farm for another policy term." Read more about this renewal decision at this link.

• Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) Now Available for workers and self-employed people who do not qualify for regular unemployment benefits due to the recent wildfires and windstorms. Workers in Los Angeles County who have lost their jobs or had their hours reduced because of the disaster can apply for DUA or regular unemployment benefits. Claims must be filed by March 10, 2025. Apply Here

• The Small Business Administration (SBA)'s disaster loan programs are now active, and applications can be submitted online or at Disaster Loan Outreach Centers in Camarillo, Pasadena, Los Angeles, Reseda, and Santa Monica. These loans provide financial assistance to homeowners, renters, businesses, and private non-profits affected by the disaster. The programs include Home Disaster Loans for repair or replacement of damaged property, Business Physical Disaster Loans for businesses and non-profits to repair or replace damaged assets, and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for working capital to support small businesses and non-profits in meeting financial obligations impacted by the disaster. Applications can be submitted online here: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance/california-wildfires

• FAQs about Price Gouging following a disaster, from the CA Attorney General

• Working with our friends in the entertainment industry, Zello can provide you with FREE support infrastructure to enable you to have a safe space to live and plan while you rebuild your lives. https://zellosupport.com/

• You can report lost and found animals or animals left behind by calling the Eaton Fire Animal Rescue Hotline at (626) 577-3752. If you need help retrieving your pet from an evacuation area, please call (213) 270-8155. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the Pasadena Humane Society website.