Standing across from the fenced-off Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates, John Brown Thursday described a once-vibrant community of more than 400 residents that was reduced to ash and rubble 100 days ago by January’s devastating wildfires.
“This is a really amazing community,” Brown said. “Half of the people had dogs. We walked our dogs during the day. We would stop and chat with each other. At least a quarter of the community was senior citizens, and a bunch of families with kids.”
Brown, who lived in the mobile estate with his family, said his two children attended Palisades Elementary School and that living there was a “way for us to be able to live in the Palisades and go the amazing schools here.”
In the aftermath of the Palisades Fire, which burned 23,448 acres and destroyed the estates, Brown said residents now face a new challenge — fighting the property owner for access to what’s left of their homes in hopes of recovering valuables such as wedding rings, children’s toys and other irreplaceable items.
“There have been times that the owners have given us access basically under watch, like we’re doing something wrong,” Brown said. “This isn’t even a hole in the law. This has become an inhumane lack of progress.”
Brown was among several residents who joined a coalition of elected officials Thursday to mark 100 days since the fire and push for stronger recovery measures.
“We are part of the community. It’s not separate. We were homeowners, but not landowners. We need to figure out a way to navigate,” Brown said. “You guys need to support us, not get in the way of us getting back home.”
On Thursday, Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, held a news conference with Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, D-Pasadena, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and Malibu Pro Tem Marianne Riggins to discuss policy proposals related to recovery efforts — and get residents like Brown into their homes faster.
Allen recalled spending many “happy days” at the mobile home park, where his mom’s best friend lived.
“This was a vibrant, wonderful, living, breathing, special community and you see it here in ruins, like so much of the Palisades and like so much of Altadena,” Allen said. “It’s been 100 days of despair, of destruction, but also of resilience, of growth, and of rebuilding.”
Allen touted various measures led by local government, state and federal to help the Palisades, such as providing disaster relief, getting answers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, preparing alternative schools sites, among other rebuilding efforts.
The state senator also said they expect to reopen the Pacific Coast Highway in May.
Renée Pérez noted more works need to be done for both the Palisades and Altadena areas. She said she would introduce 12 proposed policies related to fire recovery. She highlighted the following three, co-introduced with Allen:
— SB 610 aims to provide greater protections for homeowners, tenants and mobile home users, requiring the state to mandate banks and mortgage lenders carry out mortgage forbearance programs; it would also require landlords and mobile home park owners during a state of emergency to clear toxic debris and ash, as well as cap rent increases on mobile home parks for 12 months following a disaster;
— SB 658, dubbed the Community Preservation Act, would require L.A. County to develop a notification or communication system for governments, nonprofits and property owners in fire impacted areas about opportunities to sell or purchase land — the goal is to keep properties in local hands and groups who are committed to the community; and
— SB 293, also known as the Generational Homeowner Protection Act, which would make it easier for L.A. County homeowners impacted by wildfires to bring their property records up to date without penalties
“I want to make one thing very clear: Altadena is not for sale,” Renée Pérez said. “As we mark 100 days since this tragedy, my colleagues and I will continue to work together, collaborate and do everything in our power to help the Palisades and Eaton fire victims recover.”
Additionally, Allen said he’s working with California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara on a proposal known as SB 495, which he called Eliminate the List Act. The bill aims to assist insurance policyholders recover if they suffered a complete loss.
“We’re going to ask your insurer to pay for the full contents coverage that you have been paying for,” Allen said.
Bass thanked the state legislators for their hard work. She also acknowledged that the first 100 days since the fires have felt so much longer and described it as an emotional roller coaster.
“The support of everyone coming together allows us to be successful and to continue to shatter expectations,” Bass said. “I know that each day that residents can’t return home is a day too long, but we are building back faster than expected, and we won’t stop until every single family and every business has reopened its doors.”
L.A. City Councilwoman Traci Park, who represents Pacific Palisades, added that the recovery “is going to be painful and it’s going to take time… but I know that with our shared sense of urgency, effective coordination and leadership at every level of government, we are going to make it happen.”