Eaton Fire Survivors Seeking Housing Support from SoCal Edison

Eaton Fire Survivors Urge Immediate Housing Support from Southern California Edison

PASADENA, Calif. – Survivors of the Eaton Fire are calling on Southern California Edison to expedite housing assistance for families grappling with the aftermath of the devastating January 2025 fires. Many survivors have resorted to living in their cars after losing their homes and possessions in the blaze.

According to a report by the nonprofit Department of Angels, about 80% of Eaton Fire families remain displaced, with most exhausting their housing funds. Survivors express that without immediate support from SoCal Edison, they are left in a precarious situation, unsure of where they will stay in the coming weeks.

“We are not here in anger. We are here in love for our community,” said Joy Chen, executive director of the Eaton Fire Survivors Network. “When a company’s fire destroys or contaminates homes, that company has a responsibility to keep families housed until they can get back home.”

On Tuesday, a collective of survivors, including members of the Eaton Fire Collaborative Leadership Council, the Clergy Community Coalition, and the Altadena Town Council, held a news conference urging the utility company to fulfill its obligations by advancing temporary housing support. Coalition leaders highlighted that while SoCal Edison benefits from state-backed protections and liquidity, displaced families face dwindling options.

“Every other California investor-owned utility advanced emergency housing relief after causing a wildfire, even without these protections,” Chen noted. “Through the Wildfire Fund, state-approved rate hikes, and nearly one billion dollars in back pay, Californians have absorbed Edison’s wildfire risk. Edison is reporting sharply higher profits, while survivors—who are also ratepayers—are bearing the cost of this fire in real time.”

In response to the survivors’ concerns, Gabriela Ornelas, a spokeswoman for SoCal Edison, affirmed the company’s commitment to aiding the recovery of the Altadena community. “Our Wildfire Recovery Compensation Plan offers a way to help them do that. The program provides fair resolution and fast payments for interim housing,” she said. Ornelas encouraged those affected to submit claims and reach out for further information.

Despite Ornelas’s assurances, survivors argue that the compensation program is inadequate, restricting their ability to pursue legal claims. Two analyses conducted by survivor groups indicated that SoCal Edison’s approach fails to support families adequately, specifically leaving out renters and smoke-damaged households, while also offering housing assistance that falls short of current market rents.

“The plan requires families to permanently waive their legal rights in order to access housing assistance,” stated Andrew Wessels, strategy director for the Eaton Fire Survivors Network. “That is not a path to recovery.”

Ornelas mentioned that enhancements have been made to the program, including a 17% increase in rental calculations, which affects how compensation for property losses is determined. The housing support program extends for up to 42 months for individuals who lost their single-family homes and requires a settlement agreement to participate.

As residents face ongoing housing uncertainties, the situation remains dire. The fire has exacerbated the local housing crisis, with many survivors now facing rent prices that have doubled or tripled since the disaster. Research indicates that nearly a year post-fire, most survivors remain in temporary or unstable living conditions due to skyrocketing post-fire rents, with more than one in three families expected to be forced to relocate soon as their remaining funds dwindle.

“I lost everything when my rental burned, including $80,000 in plumbing tools and my entire livelihood,” shared Gabriel Gonzalez, an Eaton Fire survivor and owner of American Pipe Dream Plumbing Company. “I’ve been living in my car since the fire. Keeping people housed while claims move forward is what makes recovery possible.”