The Los Angeles Sentinel and Bakewell Media will host the Wildfire Recovery and Rebuild Conference on Saturday, March 29, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Hilton Hotel in Pasadena.
The day-long event is designed to explicitly outline to fire survivors the critical steps that need to be taken to rebuild along with helping attendees avoid the pitfalls that will also come as part of the rebuilding process.
“Altadena and the Palisades have been devastated by these wildfires and the road back is going to be a long and complicated process,” said Bakewell Media President Danny J. Bakewell, Jr.
“We intend for this conference to be a real time guide to helping those affected by the fires navigate the twist and turns that will come about while trying to rebuild the homes lost in the Eaton and Palisades fires.”
Several topics will be presented by knowledgeable professionals and subject matter experts. The agenda include reasons to opt in to both Phase 1 and Phase 2 residential debris removal, insurance coverage options and the process for maximizing homeowner claims, and banking opportunities concerning mortgages, construction loans, and other financing resources.
“In addition, this conference will detail the steps to enhance and how avoid issues with property taxes, assist in understanding your legal rights and the opportunities and pitfalls of lawsuits, and offer guidance on timelines to apply to the rebuilding process,” Bakewell said.
“Other sessions will cover understanding and navigating the permit process, engaging an architect and contractor, regulatory approvals for construction projects and much, much more.”
Bakewell noted that three phases must be addressed to overcome the devastation in Altadena – displacement, recovery and rebuild – wildfire survivors are currently in the displacement phase.
“Impacted residents are dealing with issues such as ‘where am I going to live,’ ‘where are my kids going to go to school,’ how do I get clothing and shelter? But that phase is currently coming to a close for many affected by the fires,” he noted.
“ We’ll soon enter the recovery phase where victims will start receiving their insurance dollars and assessing their options for moving forward, including ‘do I stay and rebuild,’ ‘do I relocate’ and ‘what is my plan.’
“Lastly is the rebuilding phase. Many in Altadena are concerned about who and how will the recovery and rebuild phase look,” acknowledged Bakewell.
“Will the large population of African American homeowners in Altadena have the opportunity to rebuild and return to the area they love, or will Altadena be subject to the dislocation and possible gentrification that have affected so many other communities?”
To combat potential dislocation, residents have started a campaign called “Altadena Not For Sale” to discourage homeowners from selling and encouraging those affected by the fire to return and rebuild. The Wildfire Recovery and Rebuild Conference is will help individuals’ empower themselves to better navigate the challenges and process of rebuilding.
For more information, visit www.lasentinel.net or click on the QR code on the ad on page D-4 to register.
