Nearly two years since a historic wildfire leveled most of Pacific Palisades, signs of a comeback are on the horizon.
Several restaurants and stores are open for business, an estimated 10% of homes have been rebuilt, and friends are playing bocce ball at the park again.
But ordinary residents still face steep challenges.
About three in four Palisades Fire survivors remain displaced. While some have been able to rebuild, the typical homeowner in the Pacific Palisades and Malibu faces a “gap” — the amount between the cost of rebuilding and what insurance covers — of more than $1 million.
Now, Habitat for Humanity is working to fill it.
The week of Sept. 22-25, some 500 volunteers from across LA pitched in at a four-day community build event organized by Habitat to benefit wildfire survivors who want to return home but lack the resources to rebuild on their own. Many were from Habitat for Humanity LA’s “Catholic Coalition,” which includes members of 16 Catholic parishes, local Knights of Columbus councils, and Loyola High School.
“We just felt it would be great for LA to have a space to rally together to support the ongoing wildfire relief efforts,” said Chris Untiet, faith relations director for Habitat LA. “So, we decided to do something big for this fall.”
Untiet said the Catholic Coalition played a “big part” in making the build possible.
“It’s still kind of soaking in,” Untiet said of the number of people who showed up to help, many of them parishioners of Corpus Christi Church, which was destroyed in the Palisades Fire, and St. Monica Church in nearby Santa Monica.
As temperatures rose throughout the week, camaraderie at the build sites was on full display. Volunteers powered through, clearing overgrowth at the sites of now empty lots so that foundations can be laid. Others helped serve food. More than 100 people framed walls in the parking lot of Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church, which was lost in the fire.
The morning of Saturday, Sept. 25, a few celebrities, including members of the Clippers and Rams, were on hand to help. Msgr. Lloyd Torgerson, pastor of St. Monica, led more than 100 volunteers in a group blessing.
Carmen Kahlberg, a parishioner at Corpus Christi, said Torgerson’s presence on Saturday — and that of her pastor, Msgr. Liam Kidney, for a similar blessing on Tuesday — gave the volunteers “a lot of hope….”
Habitat LA currently has 160 Pacific Palisades and Malibu households approved for rebuilds, with another 167 “in the pipeline” that meet eligibility criteria, according to Barry Smith, who belongs to the Catholic Coalition. Several homes being rebuilt by Habitat LA since the wildfire are already nearing completion….
Funding for the new homes comes from private donors, among them Palisades residents, and a long list of corporate sponsors that includes Airbnb, the American Red Cross, Samsung, and NBC….
In the Palisades, Habitat has already completed work on Casa Gateway, an affordable housing development with condos for seniors and qualifying families….
From Angelus News
One of the things I appreciate about Habitat is that residents purchase their homes through an affordable, no-profit or low-interest mortgage rather than receiving them for free. When people own something, they have “skin in the game” and don’t mistreat it, as often happens otherwise, as in many public housing projects. As the Catechism, about private property, teaches, “The appropriation of property is legitimate for guaranteeing the freedom and dignity of persons and for helping each of them to meet his basic needs and the needs of those in his charge.” (CCC 2402) Let’s give those in need a hand up, not only a hand out.
Today, doctors at Gemelli University Hospital in Rome successfully removed the lower lobe of Pope Leo’s right lung. The operation was successful. As was predicted, the tissue was cancerous. We must all pray for the Holy Father to be completely healthy and well, and free of cancer for the rest of his life.
Praying for all the Pacific Palisades and Malibu residents who lost homes, churches, businesses, etc. in the awful Palisades wildfire. Praying this will never happen again.
Also praying for those harmed by Hurricane Isaias.
Pope Leo and his oldest brither, Louis Prevost, have both been fighting cancer. Louis Prevost was diagnosed with cancer in 2017, and has been undergoing clinical trials, recently, at a Florida hospital near his home. Pope Leo had successful surgery today, at Gemelli Hospital, to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, due to cancer. It has not yet been announced if the Pope will undergo any further tests, chemotherapy, or medical care. I have a heart full of love, tears, and many prayers, for the Holy Father and his brother, and the Prevost family.
Today, Oct. 13th, we celebrate the final apparition of Our Blessed Mother to the three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal, in which the Miracle of the Sun occured. We must turn to her in all our needs, and ask her to help her Son guide His Church.