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LA RESOURCES - The heartbreak and destruction from the recent fires is unprecedented, and Los Angeles is mourning for our neighbors who have suffered such devastation. I know several hundred families in Pacific Palisades and Altadena whose homes were destroyed. The loss is unfathomable.
It may seem difficult to imagine how we will recover, but Los Angeles is a tough town, and in the midst of tragedy, we rally and support each other. Together, we will get through this, and we will build back.
At the request of many of you, I have compiled a directory of resources to help in the midst of this crisis, and for the early days of our mutual recovery efforts.
CAUTION AND VIGILANCE:
Extreme weather conditions are posing an enormous risk of “explosive fire growth” Tuesday and Wednesday. If you are in (or near) an evacuation warning area, please be prepared to evacuate. The best advice is to follow “Ready, Set, Go” protocols, which you can review here.
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STAY INFORMED
One of the best sources of information I have found about the status of the fires, the evacuation orders, and latest announcements from government officials is the “Watch Duty” app. It is a nonprofit-run news and information source, using volunteers and full-time employees, including retired firefighters, dispatchers, and reporters to provide live updates on fire conditions.
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WILDFIRE RECOVERY
Both the City and the County have resources to help you begin the process of recovery. The County webpage is here. The City webpage, which includes dedicated sections for individuals and families, property owners, businesses and workers, shelter and housing services, and more, can be found here.
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DISASTER RESOURCE CENTERS
The City, County, State and FEMA are opening Disaster Recovery Centers for Angelenos impacted by the fires. The centers will open Wednesday and will operate from 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM, 7 days per week. There will be two locations:
- Westside Location: UCLA Research Park West, 10850 West Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064
- Eastside Location: Pasadena City College Community Education Center, 3035 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107
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DAMAGE ASSESSMENT OF YOUR PROPERTY
If you live in an evacuation area, and are unsure of the status of your home, officials have begun to conduct inspections and are posting status updates of specific properties on interactive maps. These are preliminary maps showing damage assessments. They are incomplete and will be updated daily. If there is not a color icon on your address, it means a building has not yet been inspected. The Pacific Palisades area is here. The Eaton Fire assessment if here.
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WHERE TO APPLY FOR FEMA ASSISTANCE:
There are three ways to apply:
Online at DisasterAssistance.gov
If you have access to the internet and your electronic devices have power, applying online is easiest, fastest, and most convenient.
On the FEMA App for mobile devices
The FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362
Calls are accepted every day from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. PST. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service such as video relay, captioned telephone, or other service, give FEMA the number for that service.
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SHELTERS FOR EVACUEES:
Calvary Community Church, 5495 Via Rocas, Westlake Village, CA 91362
Ritchie Valens Recreation Center – 10736 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Pacoima, CA 91331
Pan Pacific Recreation Center – 7600 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036
Westwood Recreation Center – 1350 Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025 CURRENTLY FULL
Pasadena Civic Auditorium – 300 East Green Street, Pasadena, CA 91101
Pomona Fairplex (Gate 3) – 1101 W McKinley Ave, Pomona, CA 91768
Stoner Recreation Center – 1835 Stoner Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Lanark Recreation Center – 21816 Lanark Street, Canoga Park, CA 91304
Van Nuys-Sherman Oaks Rec Center – 14201 Houston St, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
SMALL ANIMALS: Agoura Animal Care Center, 29525 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301
LARGE ANIMALS: Pierce College Equestrian Center, 6201 Winnetka Ave (CURRENTLY FULL), Woodland Hills CA 91367 | Los Angeles Equestrian Center, 480 Riverside Dr, Burbank CA 91301 I Hansen Dam Equestrian Center, 11127 Orcas Ave, Sylmar, CA 91342
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WHERE CAN EVACUEES GET THEIR MAIL
Mail normally delivered by the Pacific Palisades Post Office is being held at Ranch Park Post Office in West LA. Residents can pick up their mail there, at 11270 Exposition Blvd, 1st Floor. Those served by the Altadena Post Office can pick up their mail at the Pasadena Post Office, 600 Lincoln Avenue, Pasadena.
Customers located near post offices that remain closed are encouraged to reroute their mail by submitting an Official Mail Forwarding Change of Address Order at
or in person at any reopened post office. Customers may also visit www.usps.com to request a hold on their mail.
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FAMILY ASSISTANCE CENTERS
Family Assistance Centers will open to provide information to people looking for missing family and friends due to the January 2025 fires in Los Angeles County.
Friday, January 10, 2025, from 10am-6pm
Saturday, January 11, 2025. From 9am-5pm
Family Assistance Center at Cheviot Hills Recreation Center
2551 Motor Ave
Los Angeles, Ca 90064
Family Assistance Center at Pasadena Convention Center
Visitor’s Bureau (building to the left of the civic auditorium)
300 E Green St.
Pasadena, Ca 91101
For more information contact (800) 675-5799 or visit redcross.org.
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EMERGENCY HOUSING
Airbnb is partnering with 211LA to identify residents in need of temporary housing and helping to connect them to Airbnb stays. These efforts are specifically focused on residents who have either lost their homes or have been forced to evacuate in the Altadena, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Pasadena, Santa Monica, and Sylmar areas. You can request assistance for temporary housing by visiting Airbnb.org or contacting 211 LA by dialing 2-1-1 or visiting this page.
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DONATIONS:
LAFD
Los Angeles Fire Department stations and emergency shelters are currently being overwhelmed by in-person donations. LAFD officials have posted that “for those wishing to donate, we can only accept non-perishable, individually wrapped items and other essential goods to benefit those impacted by the 2025 wildfires. We are not accepting services at this time. There are three donation drop-off centers, at various City Council offices:
Councilmember Traci Park Westchester District Office, 7166 W. Manchester Avenue, 90045, Mon-Fri 9AM-5PM, Sat-Sun 12-4PM
Councilmember Monica Rodriguez in partnership with North Valley Caring Services Food Pantry, 15453 Rayen Street, North Hills, CA 91343, M-Th-8:30am-4pm, Friday 12pm-2pm, No weekend delivery
Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson in partnership with It’s Bigger Than Us, 4308 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA. 90008, Mon-Fri 8AM-4PM, Sat-Sun 9-4PM
YMCA
The local YMCA network is providing a variety of resources to help people cope with the fire: free childcare, showers, Wi-Fi, mental health services, food and clothing distribution and more. You can find out how to donate or volunteer here: https://ymcala.org/community-response
LA Unity & Solidarity Fund for Mutual Aid and Equitable Recovery
The Movement Collective, a coalition of LA community groups, is supporting local mutual aid efforts, where neighborhoods volunteer to support each other, and organize for recovery in underserved neighborhoods. You can donate here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/california-wildfires
Other Organizations
Here are some other places to consider donating:
California Community Foundation
L.A. Fire Department Foundation
American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles
Center for Disaster Philanthropy
Helping outdoor workers
The nonprofit organization, Inclusive Action for the City, is accepting donations to help them provide $500 grants to landscape workers, street vendors, and other outdoor workers who live and work in fire areas. You can donate here.
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DIRECTORY OF AVAILABLE SERVICES
The Mutual Aid Los Angeles Network has created a searchable spreadsheet of organizations and locations offering shelter, food, supplies, and more. You can find that here.
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PRICE GOUGING
On January 7, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles and Ventura County due to the extreme wind and fire conditions. During a state of emergency price gouging above 10% is temporarily prohibited for the next 30 days.
That means a businesses cannot increase the price of food, repairs, construction, housing, emergency medical supplies and gasoline more than 10%. This also includes rent increases as well as hikes in hotel and motel prices for evacuees who are seeking emergency housing.
Price gouging is subject to criminal prosecution and can result in one year in jail and/or fine up to $10,000.
Federal state and local fair housing laws prohibit discrimination and housing based on protected characteristics such as race, disability, religion, source of income immigration status and more. These protections also apply in short term housing, like motels hotels in emergency shelters.
Local and state disaster relief and services are available for immigrants regardless of status.
To learn more, and report housing discrimination in Los Angeles County and Ventura County, contact the Housing Rights Center. Toll-free 1-800-477-5977 email [email protected].
If you believe you are a victim of price gouging, save your receipts and contact the County Department of Business and Community Affairs at (800) 593-8222 or file an online complaint. For more information about scams during and after an emergency, read DCBA’s After the Disaster news article.
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WORKERS AND BUSINESSES
The Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity has launched an emergency resources webpage for workers and businesses impacted by the wildfires. Workers can find information on unemployment, health care, job search assistance, FEMA assistance and more here. Businesses can find information on loans, grants, and financial assistance here.
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For those of you who have suffered loss, we grieve with you and for you, and we are here to help and support you. For those who are donating and volunteering, thank you for demonstrating the heart and the strength of Los Angeles. Together we will recover.
(Mike Bonin is a progressive leader with over 25 years of experience in government, politics, and public service. He served on the Los Angeles City Council representing the 11th district from 2013 to 2022, focusing on issues such as homelessness, affordable housing, and climate change. This was reprinted from the Mike Bonin substack, Connecting the Dots. Link to subscribe.)
