NEWS stories
Groups call on SoCal Edison to advance urgent housing relief for families displaced by Eaton Fire
A coalition of community groups came together to present a plan to prevent a worsening housing crisis in Altadena due to the Eaton Fire, and they want SoCal Edison to pay for it.
The coalition, led by the Eaton Fire Survivors Network, the Eaton Fire Collaborative Leadership Council, the Clergy Community Coalition and the Altadena Town Council, unveiled a housing relief proposal on Tuesday morning. In a joint media release, the groups said the plan is aimed at “stabilizing families so that the Eaton Fire recovery can proceed.”
Eaton Fire survivors demand housing funds from SoCal Edison
Survivors of the deadly Eaton Fire and local officials on Tuesday called on Southern California Edison to pay for rental housing as many displaced Altadena residents struggle with disaster recovery.
A coalition of fire survivors, activists, elected officials and area residents gathered nearly a year after the January wildfire to warn that recovery has stalled because families are struggling to stay housed. According to the Eaton Fire Survivors Network, Edison bears financial responsibility because the utility’s equipment sparked the blaze.
Edison president discusses Eaton Fire, compensation program for victims
Nearly a year after the Eaton Fire ripped through Altadena, destroying thousands of buildings and homes and killing at least 19 people, the Edison International president is addressing the devastating blaze and the company's work to help victims.
Pedro Pizarro, President and CEO of Edison, the parent company of Southern California Edison, says that despite there being no official cause of the destructive inferno, the company has started to pay out to victims through a compensation program.
Eaton Fire survivors urge Southern California Edison to provide temporary housing support
A coalition of Eaton Fire survivors and advocates is urging Southern California Edison to provide housing support for those still struggling after losing their homes.
The Hidden Toll of Wildfire Smoke: It’s Time Insurers and Lawmakers Treat Smoke Damage as Deadly
Our client, Luis Cazares, thought he was lucky.
When the Eaton Fire tore through the foothills of Altadena, his home—unlike many of his neighbors—was still standing. But relief didn’t last. The air inside was thick with chemicals, ash, and toxins. Within minutes, he felt sick. Smoke had soaked into walls, furniture, and ventilation system, rendering the house unlivable.
Luis isn’t alone. Thousands of Californians returned to homes spared by flames but poisoned by smoke. A 2025 JAMA study found that Los Angeles County experienced over 440 excess deaths following the Eaton and Palisades fires, far beyond the 31 official fatalities. And analyses summarized by the Salata Institute at Harvard link wildfire smoke to dramatic spikes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, in some cases reaching 70% above baseline during heavy-smoke periods.
Still having home insurance problems? Need mental health services? This Altadena group wants to help
The Collaboratory, an Altadena disaster relief hub, opened in October to house nonprofits serving fire survivors still rebuilding after January’s Eaton fire.
The hub consolidates scattered aid for housing, mental health and permitting to address the complex needs survivors face.
As charitable attention fades, the Collaboratory is a critical lifeline for those still at risk of community displacement.
The first thing you see when you walk into the Collaboratory in Altadena is a wall of devastation. A floor-to-ceiling map of every lot lost to the Eaton fire in January — 9,413 structures. Each marked with a red dot on a grid of streets that have looked like a charred moonscape for 11 months.
The wall is a harrowing depiction of loss in the Eaton fire. But one turn to the right, and hope kicks back in.
As deadlines loom, fire survivors call for more mortgage help
Fire survivors are calling for longer timelines on mortgage forbearance and better policy to stop credit hits as the expiration of mortgage protections looms nearly a year after the most destructive fires in L.A. County history.
After the Eaton and Palisades fires, hundreds of mortgage companies promised to let borrowers delay their monthly payments for 90 days. In September those protections were extended and enhanced when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 238 into law. That allowed survivors to request forbearance for up to 12 months, without requiring full repayment at the end of the forbearance period.
Ever since, fire survivors have said some mortgage lenders are not adhering to those rules.
California is drafting new rules for wildfire smoke cleanup. Are home insurers calling the shots?
As the Los Angeles wildfires died out in January, firefighters trekked through the burn zones to take stock of the destruction. For every home they found leveled, they counted another still standing. The structures looked fine from the outside, but ash and oily soot often coated the floors and furniture, while invisible chemicals burrowed into clothes, blankets and even walls.
