LA's Unseen Scars: Seniors Still Rebuilding a Year After Wildfires

LOS ANGELES, CA – January 09, 2026 – The smoke has long since cleared, but for hundreds of families across Los Angeles County, the devastation of the January 2025 wildfires remains a stark, daily reality. One year after the Palisades and Eaton fires scorched over 50,000 acres and destroyed nearly 16,000 homes, the path to recovery is proving to be a slow, arduous marathon, especially for the region’s most vulnerable residents. While headlines have moved on, the silent struggle continues in communities like the Pacific Palisades, where many senior citizens lack the insurance and resources to rebuild their lives.

This Saturday, the one-year anniversary will be marked not with a somber memorial, but with the determined sounds of hammers and shovels. Volunteers with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Habitat LA) will descend on Casa Gateway, a senior residential community in the Pacific Palisades Highlands, for a mobilization event aimed at continuing the critical work of recovery. The effort is a potent symbol of the long-term commitment required to heal the deep wounds left by the disaster.

A Year of Lingering Scars

The 2025 wildfire season was catastrophic. The Palisades Fire alone became the third-most destructive in California’s history, claiming 6,837 structures and leaving a trail of ruin through dense neighborhoods. Across the county, the fires claimed 31 lives directly and contributed to hundreds more related deaths. In the year since, the recovery has been painfully slow. A recent analysis revealed that only a handful of homes have been fully rebuilt in the hardest-hit areas like Pacific Palisades and Altadena.

Survivors have found themselves battling a multi-front war. Beyond the trauma of displacement, they face a bureaucratic labyrinth of permits, soaring construction costs that far outpace insurance payouts, and a critical shortage of affordable housing. Many are stuck in temporary lodging, their lives on hold. Lingering concerns over toxic contamination in the soil and air add another layer of anxiety for families eager to return.

While federal and local aid has been substantial—President Biden declared a major disaster, unlocking over $3 billion in FEMA and Small Business Administration support—a significant financial gap persists. For the uninsured and underinsured, this gap is a chasm. Many low- and moderate-income households, particularly seniors on fixed incomes, simply did not have policies that could cover the astronomical cost of rebuilding in today's market, leaving them with few options.

The Silent Struggle of Seniors at Casa Gateway

Nowhere is this challenge more apparent than at Casa Gateway. The residential complex, which serves seniors and families, was hit hard by the Palisades fire and subsequent mudslides that plagued the burn scar area. After extensive remediation, the community reopened in September 2025, but the recovery for its residents is far from over. Many are uninsured or underinsured, making them prime examples of the disaster's forgotten victims.

For these seniors, the challenges are compounded by factors like limited mobility, chronic health issues, and potential isolation from support networks. The process of navigating insurance claims, contractor bids, and government aid applications is daunting for anyone; for an elderly individual who has lost everything, it can be insurmountable.

Saturday's volunteer effort is a direct response to this need. The project focuses on essential exterior work designed to create a fire-hardened perimeter around the homes. This includes clearing flammable vegetation and implementing other measures to mitigate future wildfire and mudslide risks—a critical step in providing residents with not just a restored home, but a renewed sense of security.

Rebuilding More Than Just Homes

Leading this charge is Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, an organization that has positioned itself as a crucial "second responder" in the disaster recovery ecosystem. Through its ReBUILD LA initiative, the nonprofit is providing a lifeline to those left behind by traditional aid structures. The program is a multi-year strategy focused on ensuring equitable access to rebuilding resources, specifically targeting the low-income, uninsured, and underinsured households most at risk.

To date, Habitat LA has provided over $5 million in assistance to 8,140 survivors, funding everything from interim housing to full rebuilds. The ReBUILD LA program has already funded repair and reconstruction costs for 74 homes affected by the Eaton and Palisades fires. The organization's model goes beyond simple charity; it offers 0% interest financing to protect vulnerable families from the predatory lenders that often emerge after disasters. It also utilizes an "Accelerator Fund" that provides grants up to $10,000 to cover critical costs that FEMA and insurance often miss, such as soil testing, permit fees, and utility connections.

Each project, whether a full rebuild or a day of hands-on restoration, is a step toward returning pride, safety, and a sense of home to neighborhoods still piecing themselves back together. By bringing neighbors, volunteers, and partners together, the effort helps restore both the physical landscape and the spirit of the community.

Hands-On Hope and Future-Proofing

The work at Casa Gateway is a tangible expression of this mission. As volunteers clear brush and fortify the properties, they are not only repairing past damage but also implementing best practices in disaster preparedness. Organizations like CAL FIRE and AARP have long stressed the importance of creating defensible space and developing personal emergency plans, especially for seniors.

By focusing on fire-hardening and mudslide mitigation, Habitat LA is helping to build resilience and reduce the risk of future tragedy. For the residents of Casa Gateway, who have already endured the trauma of displacement and a prolonged recovery, this proactive work represents a meaningful step toward stability and healing.

The event underscores a vital truth about modern disasters: the work is not over when the cameras leave. The recovery is a long-term, collaborative effort that relies on the sustained energy of community organizations, volunteers, and donors. As volunteers work under the January sun, they are providing more than just manual labor; they are delivering a message of solidarity and hope, reminding the residents of Pacific Palisades that they have not been forgotten.