As the one-year mark approaches for the devastating wildfires that ravaged the LA area, leaving behind a trail of destruction and despair, the reality of rebuilding efforts is starkly evident. With fewer than a dozen homes rebuilt in Los Angeles County since January 7th, when the Palisades and Eaton fires erupted, killing 31 people and destroying over 13,000 homes and other residential properties, it's clear that progress has been slow.
For those who had insurance, it's often not enough to cover the costs of construction. Relief organizations are stepping in to help, but many homeowners are still struggling to come to terms with what they're facing. Ted Koerner, whose Altadena home was reduced to ash and two chimneys, is an exception. With his insurance payout tied up, he liquidated about 80% of his retirement holdings, secured contractors quickly, and moved decisively through the rebuilding process. His home was completed in just over four months.
However, for many others, including families who lost their homes in the fire, the road to recovery is proving to be long and arduous. The streets of coastal communities like Pacific Palisades and Altadena remain lined with dirt lots, while foundations and concrete piles rising out of the sand are all that's left of beachfront homes.
One such family is the Bailey's, who have been living in an RV parked on the empty lot where their home once stood. They're paying for their rebuild with funds from their insurance payout and a loan, but they're also hoping to receive money from Southern California Edison. Several lawsuits claim its equipment was involved in sparking the wildfire.
As the situation remains uncertain, many homeowners are stuck as they figure out whether they can pay for the rebuilding process. Scores of residents have left their communities for good, while more than 600 properties where a single-family home was destroyed in the wildfires have been sold. The reality is that there are hundreds like Jessica Rogers, who's struggling to get her loan application approved after losing her job and having her identity stolen.
The recovery pattern of a December 2021 blaze that erupted south of Boulder, Colorado, destroying over 1,000 homes, suggests that significant progress will be made later this year. However, the question remains as to who will benefit from this progress – only time will tell. The scope of problems is likely to emerge into focus, and concerns about inequality and unequal access to resources are already being raised.
In Altadena, a community that drew aspiring Black homeowners for decades, despite facing redlining and other forms of racial discrimination, the situation is particularly dire. Research by UCLA's Latino Policy & Politics Institute found that 7 in 10 homeowners whose property was severely damaged in last year's wildfire had not begun taking steps to rebuild or sell their home. Among these, Black homeowners were 73% more likely than others to have taken no action.
Despite the uncertainty and challenges, there are still those who remain determined to rebuild. Al Bailey says that his family will rebuild their home, "whatever it's going to cost", as a community should do. As the one-year mark approaches for the devastating wildfires that ravaged the LA area, it remains to be seen how this recovery will unfold – but one thing is clear: it won't be easy.
For those who had insurance, it's often not enough to cover the costs of construction. Relief organizations are stepping in to help, but many homeowners are still struggling to come to terms with what they're facing. Ted Koerner, whose Altadena home was reduced to ash and two chimneys, is an exception. With his insurance payout tied up, he liquidated about 80% of his retirement holdings, secured contractors quickly, and moved decisively through the rebuilding process. His home was completed in just over four months.
However, for many others, including families who lost their homes in the fire, the road to recovery is proving to be long and arduous. The streets of coastal communities like Pacific Palisades and Altadena remain lined with dirt lots, while foundations and concrete piles rising out of the sand are all that's left of beachfront homes.
One such family is the Bailey's, who have been living in an RV parked on the empty lot where their home once stood. They're paying for their rebuild with funds from their insurance payout and a loan, but they're also hoping to receive money from Southern California Edison. Several lawsuits claim its equipment was involved in sparking the wildfire.
As the situation remains uncertain, many homeowners are stuck as they figure out whether they can pay for the rebuilding process. Scores of residents have left their communities for good, while more than 600 properties where a single-family home was destroyed in the wildfires have been sold. The reality is that there are hundreds like Jessica Rogers, who's struggling to get her loan application approved after losing her job and having her identity stolen.
The recovery pattern of a December 2021 blaze that erupted south of Boulder, Colorado, destroying over 1,000 homes, suggests that significant progress will be made later this year. However, the question remains as to who will benefit from this progress – only time will tell. The scope of problems is likely to emerge into focus, and concerns about inequality and unequal access to resources are already being raised.
In Altadena, a community that drew aspiring Black homeowners for decades, despite facing redlining and other forms of racial discrimination, the situation is particularly dire. Research by UCLA's Latino Policy & Politics Institute found that 7 in 10 homeowners whose property was severely damaged in last year's wildfire had not begun taking steps to rebuild or sell their home. Among these, Black homeowners were 73% more likely than others to have taken no action.
Despite the uncertainty and challenges, there are still those who remain determined to rebuild. Al Bailey says that his family will rebuild their home, "whatever it's going to cost", as a community should do. As the one-year mark approaches for the devastating wildfires that ravaged the LA area, it remains to be seen how this recovery will unfold – but one thing is clear: it won't be easy.
. But seriously, 600+ properties destroyed and people struggling to rebuild? It's crazy! And it's not just the financial struggles, but also the emotional toll of losing everything you own. I feel for those families who lost their homes in LA - they're going through a tough time. As for me, I'm just worried about our school's budget... I mean, what if we get hit by another fire? 
The rebuilding process is so slow and it's not just about the homes themselves, its about the people who lost everything 
There are so many families struggling to come to terms with what they're facing, like the Bailey's who have been living in an RV on their empty lot for months. It's heartbreaking to see that some people have had to leave their communities altogether because of this.
Research has shown that Black homeowners are 73% more likely than others to have taken no action to rebuild or sell their home. That's a huge issue here in LA and we need to start addressing it ASAP. 
We need to make sure that everyone has access to the resources they need to recover from these disasters.
The rebuilding process in LA after those devastating wildfires is taking forever! I mean, 31 people lost their lives and over 13,000 homes destroyed and we're still waiting for progress? It's heartbreaking to see families stuck in RVs without a home and not knowing if they'll be able to rebuild. And the fact that some folks are struggling with insurance payouts and loans... it's just not right 
So maybe we can learn from him and each other to make this recovery thing work. Fingers crossed that progress will be made soon! 
It feels like so many people are being left behind... What even is the recovery pattern going to look like if we can't agree on who gets to benefit from it? 
Is it going to be all about equality and access to resources? 
And don't even get me started on the homeowners who are struggling to make ends meet. I mean, insurance payouts just aren't cutting it, right? 
We need to figure out why this is happening and what we can do to help those communities. I'm all for Al Bailey's optimism, but let's be real, rebuilding LA won't be easy 
so many ppl r struggling and the ones who got lucky didnt have to work as hard lol eddy koerner's story is def inspiring but what about all the others who aint got it together like him 
, it's been a really tough road.
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. the insurance payout isn't always enough and relief orgs are trying but it's like, where's the support for those who can't even get loans approved 
. it's not just about individual efforts, but a community effort to rebuild and make sure everyone has access to resources 
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. It's heartbreaking to think about Black homeowners being 73% more likely than others to have taken no action because of systemic racism 
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. Rebuilding takes time, but it's not an excuse for not taking action 
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, he's like the ultimate rebuild master. but for others, like the bailey family, it's a whole different story 
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