Additional Coverage:
- A year after L.A.-area wildfires destroyed thousands of homes, fewer than a dozen have been rebuilt (nbcnews.com)
One Year On: LA Wildfire Survivors Face Uphill Battle to Rebuild Homes
LOS ANGELES – A year after devastating wildfires scorched the Los Angeles area, leaving a trail of destruction and heartbreak, the landscape of recovery remains largely barren. While hope flickers for some, many residents are still grappling with the monumental challenges of rebuilding their lives and homes.
On January 7, 2025, the Palisades and Eaton fires roared through communities, claiming 31 lives and obliterating an estimated 13,000 residential properties. Today, a mere handful of homes have risen from the ashes in Los Angeles County, a stark reminder of the long road ahead.
For many, insurance payouts are proving woefully inadequate to cover the escalating costs of construction. Relief organizations are stepping in, but the pace of progress is painstakingly slow, leaving countless families in limbo.
One notable exception is Ted Koerner, whose Altadena home was reduced to a pile of ash and two chimneys. Undeterred by insurance delays, the 67-year-old liquidated a significant portion of his retirement savings, swiftly secured contractors, and navigated the rebuilding process with remarkable speed. Just before Thanksgiving, Koerner was among the first to complete a rebuild, a testament to his determination fueled by the desire to see his beloved 13-year-old golden retriever, Daisy Mae, enjoy a new home.
“That’s the only way we were going to get it done before all of a sudden my dog starts having labored breathing or something else happens,” Koerner shared, his voice filled with emotion. His home was completed in just over four months, allowing Daisy Mae to return to her cherished spot under a 175-year-old Heritage Oak. “We made it,” he declared, tears welling in his eyes as he watched her.
However, Koerner’s swift recovery is an anomaly. The streets of Pacific Palisades and Altadena remain scarred with dirt lots.
In Malibu, only foundations and concrete piles stand as ghostly reminders of once vibrant beachfront homes. Many surviving homes are still uninhabitable due to toxic contaminants, and the nights are eerily dark, with few streetlights replaced.
The Financial Burden: A Looming Crisis
While approximately 900 homes are currently under construction, the financial hurdles for many homeowners are immense. Hundreds have already sold their properties and relocated, unable to bear the burden of rebuilding.
Joy Chen, Executive Director of the Eaton Fire Survivors Network, a group representing 10,000 fire survivors, primarily from Altadena, highlights the critical issue: “We’re seeing huge gaps between the money insurance is paying out, to the extent we have insurance, and what it will actually cost to rebuild and/or remediate our homes.”
A survey by the nonprofit Department of Angels revealed that by December, less than 20% of those who suffered total home loss had finalized their insurance claims. Many insured through State Farm, the state’s largest private insurer, or the California FAIR plan, reported significant dissatisfaction with their experiences, citing burdensome requirements, lowball estimates, and inconsistent adjusters.
In a significant development, Los Angeles County launched a civil investigation into State Farm’s practices in November, leading to a recent flurry of substantial payouts, according to Chen. Still, without clear answers from insurers, many households are hesitant to commit to rebuilding projects that can easily exceed $1 million. “They’re worried about getting started and running out of money,” Chen explained.
An Uncertain Future and Lingering Trauma
Jessica Rogers’ story underscores the complex challenges many face. After the Palisades fire destroyed her home, she discovered her coverage had been canceled.
Her fallback, a low-interest loan from the Small Business Administration, was a grueling process, further complicated by job loss and identity theft. While approved for $550,000 last month, she still faces a significant shortfall.
“Do I empty out my 401(k) and start counting every penny in a penny jar around the apartment?” she wonders.
Now the Executive Director of the Pacific Palisades Long Term Recovery Group, Rogers estimates hundreds in her community are “stuck dealing with FEMA and SBA and figuring out if we could piecemeal something together to build our homes.” Renters, condo owners, and mobile homeowners also face immense struggles.
Beyond the financial strain, the emotional toll of the fires is profound. “It’s not what people talk about, but it is incredibly apparent and very real,” Rogers said, admitting to unexpected moments of tears.
A Slow-Motion Recovery, Highlighting Inequalities
The slow pace of rebuilding echoes the aftermath of a December 2021 blaze near Boulder, Colorado, where over 1,000 homes were destroyed. Andrew Rumbach, co-lead of the Climate and Communities Program at Urban Institute, notes that significant progress, moving from “handfuls to hundreds” of rebuilt homes, typically emerges around the 18-month mark.
As time progresses, the disparities in recovery are becoming increasingly apparent. “You’re going to start to see some real inequality start to emerge where certain neighborhoods, certain types of people, certain types of properties are just lagging way far behind,” Rumbach warned.
This concern is particularly acute in Altadena, a community historically important for Black homeowners. Recent research from UCLA’s Latino Policy & Politics Institute revealed that as of August, 7 out of 10 Altadena homeowners whose properties were severely damaged had not begun rebuilding or selling. Among these, Black homeowners were 73% more likely to have taken no action, highlighting the potential for deepening inequalities.
Determined to Return Home
Despite the obstacles, the spirit of resilience endures. Al and Charlotte Bailey, whose Altadena home was lost in the Eaton Fire, are living in an RV on their empty lot, determined to rebuild.
“We had been here for 41 years and raised our family here, and in one night it was all gone,” said Al Bailey, 77. “We decided that, whatever it’s going to cost, this is our community.”
The Baileys are financing their rebuild through insurance funds and a loan, also hoping for compensation from Southern California Edison, whose equipment is alleged to have sparked the Altadena wildfire in several lawsuits. Their commitment to their community remains unwavering, a beacon of hope amidst the ongoing struggle.