LA Nonprofits Help Fire Victims Rebuild Faster

Nonprofits in Los Angeles are helping fire victims rebuild their homes more quickly by collaborating to simplify the rebuilding process. Habitat for Humanity and The Foothill Catalog Foundation have developed a pre-approval process to skip through much of the permitting process, allowing families to obtain a building permit quickly. This has helped residents like Marisol Espino, whose childhood home was burned in the Eaton Fire, to start rebuilding with hope. Only about a thousand rebuilding permit applications have been filed so far, but community efforts are making progress.

Los Angeles is slowly but steadily moving forward in its recovery efforts from the devastating wildfires that swept through Southern California six months ago. Despite the slow progress in rebuilding, community efforts are making significant strides in simplifying the process, particularly through the collaboration of nonprofits like Habitat for Humanity and The Foothill Catalog Foundation.

Habitat for Humanity, in collaboration with The Foothill Catalog Foundation, has developed a pre-approval process to expedite the permitting process for rebuilding. This innovative approach allows families to obtain building permits more quickly, saving both time and money [1]. Marisol Espino, who lost her childhood home of 29 years in the Eaton Fire, found solace in this initiative. "Definitely giving us hope in this, you know, chaos that’s been in the last six months for our family...we knew that we were going to do everything in our power, whatever we could, to keep our property," Espino shared [1].

The Foothill Catalog Foundation provides a catalog of pre-approved home designs that victims can choose from, reducing the complexity of the rebuilding process. "Then, all they would have to do is provide a site plan and make sure that that home fits on their site, fits with their budget and then work with a contractor and a builder to actually execute that design," explained Alex Athenson, Co-Founder of The Foothill Catalog Foundation [1].

This collaborative effort aims to help victims rebuild more efficiently, with the ultimate goal of reducing the timeline from months to weeks. "Last time I did one in Altadena, it was about nine months, so hopefully we’ll bring that down to a matter of weeks and going," said Brian Stanley, Construction Director of San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity [1].

In addition to these efforts, the Pasadena Community Foundation has established the Altadena Builds Back Foundation to focus on the long-term recovery and rebuilding of Altadena. The foundation has secured $55 million from generous donors to support its initiatives, with a primary focus on housing and preserving the community's diversity [2].

The rebuilding process remains challenging, with only about a thousand rebuilding permit applications filed so far. However, community efforts and the support of nonprofits like Habitat for Humanity and The Foothill Catalog Foundation are making significant strides in simplifying and accelerating the process. As Los Angeles continues to rebuild, these collaborative efforts offer a beacon of hope for families like the Espinos, who are eager to start anew.

References:
[1] https://www.foxbusiness.com/fox-news-weather/nonprofits-help-la-fire-victims-rebuild-homes-more-quickly
[2] https://www.altadena-now.com/main/category/town-life/