2025 LA Fires Resource Newsletter

What to expect in this message

Resources

• REMINDER - Small Business Administration Loan Application Deadline - May 30, 2025

• Team Rubicon Post-Fire Debris Removal Program - May & June

• Eaton Fire Soil Lead Testing Program

• Department of Economic Opportunity - the Fire Recovery and Resilience Workforce Program

• Neighborhood Legal Services of LA County (NLSLA) Services

• Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) Services

  
  Events

• United Policyholders Forums, Webinars, and Panels: May & June

• America's Job Center of LA County May Calendar of Events

  
  News and Updates

• Outreach Calls - You may receive a call from us if you completed an intake form at the DRC or visited a Resource Event

• LA County Joint Information Center Newsletter Sign-Up

• Recovery Resource & Disaster Case Management Interest Form

• Helpful Reference Resource Links (please click to go to the website):

  • Step By Step Action Plan For Wildfire Impacted Households

  • LA County Recovers

  • LA County Resources

  • Altadena Information and Resource

  • Malibu Information and Resources

  • City of Los Angeles/Palisades Information and Resources

  • Pasadena Information and Resources

Please take care of yourselves and of each other... you all make a difference and we are so grateful for all you do together.

The Los Angeles Region Community Recovery Organization continues to support you, your communities, and our partners on this long-term recovery journey.

Small Business Administration Loan Deadline

DEADLINE: May 30, 2025 – submit your application before it’s too late!

The President's major disaster declaration for California, issued January 8, 2025, includes a 60-day Grace Period for filing physical loan applications due to the scale of the disaster.

DEADLINE: May 30, 2025 – submit your application before it’s too late!

• Apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster.

• To find a local center near you, visit appointment.sba.gov/schedule.

• Applicants may call the SBA Customer Service Center with questions regarding their application at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

• For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

• Learn more and apply at sba.gov/disaster. You can find the flyer with details by clicking this link, and a complete fact sheet regarding requirements can be viewed via this link.

Team Rubicon Post Fire Debris Assistance

If your property has been affected by recent fires, Team Rubicon is offering no-cost assistance to homeowners with the following services:

• Vegetative Debris Removal

• Non-Vegetative Debris Removal

  Structural/ Hardscape/ Concrete Not Included

All services provided are FREE of charge to homeowners in need. This program is currently active and will run through June 20.

Team Rubicon is a veteran-led nonprofit organization with a prestigious 4-star rating on Charity Navigator, reflecting its strong accountability, transparency, and financial health.

Soil Testing Programs

Eaton Fire Soil Testing Programs

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has launched a residential soil lead testing program in the area downwind of the Eaton Fire. This program is expected to run through December of 2025. About 26,000 homes in the areas where the highest levels of lead soil concentrations will receive postcards in the mail and Public Health will conduct targeted door to door outreach. Follow the link below to view the priority area. Residents will receive results by email within 7 to 10 business days, along with a link to a dedicated webpage that helps residents interpret results and offers health-based guidance on what to do next. 

Those impacted by the Eaton Fire interested in participating can visit ph.lacounty.gov/eaton-soil-testing for more information.

LA County 2025 Soil Testing Programs

Contaminant Level Evaluation and Assessment for Neighborhoods (CLEAN) is a rapid response soil testing program from the University of Southern California. This is a developing initiative to quickly evaluate and communicate the levels of lead contamination in soils and playgrounds in fire-impacted areas in the wake of the Los Angeles wildfires in January.

The CLEAN project is free to participants. We will never ask you to pay for your sample to be processed. Anyone in Los Angeles who is concerned about the impacts of the fires on soil may participate in this program, at no cost.

LA County Department of Economic Opportunity

The Fire Recovery and Resilience Workforce Program

The Fire Recovery and Resilience Workforce Program (Program) provides immediate hiring and training support for impacted and dislocated workers from the January 2025 windstorms and wildfires with the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and the region’s America’s Job Centers of California. The Program offers multiple hiring and training services to access temporary subsidized employment and long-term career pathways that offer quality jobs and economic mobility. Eligible job-seeking participants will enroll with an America’s Job Center of California, develop an individual employment plan, and may access multiple services, where needed.

The Program also supports businesses – those who are impacted as well as those who are interested in accessing hiring and training services – and training providers who may offer their skills training to impacted workers.

Click here to see the Program flyer with full program offerings.

Neighborhood Legal Services of LA County (NLSLA) Services

Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA)  provides free legal assistance to low-income community members impacted by the 2025 Los Angeles Fires.  NLSLA assists disaster survivors with civil legal issues including FEMA, SBA, tenant, mobile home, employment/unemployment, public benefits (CalFresh, CalWORKS, General Relief, CAPI, SSI, etc.), consumer protection, bankruptcy, health/health insurance, and estate planning.

Disaster Legal Services

Servicios Juridicos en Caso de un Desastre

General Hotline - 1-800-433-6251

Application for Services

Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)

The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) is hosting a series of legal support clinics, including several FEMA clinics. The schedule is:

FEMA Appeals Clinic - May 29
FEMA Appeals Clinic - June 5
Tenant Small Claims Workshop - June 24
FEMA Appeals Clinic - June 26

LAFLA Resources

United Policyholders

CA Home Insurance Shopping Help Webinar

UP Executive Director Amy Bach will lead an informational webinar on Thursday, May 29, 2025 for California homeowners on shopping for insurance in today’s challenging marketplace, the latest on non-renewals and mitigation discounts, and tips for keeping your assets protected despite an availability and availability crisis. Bach will be joined by California Department of Insurance Deputy Commissioner Tony Cignarale, and a panel of consumer-oriented agent/broker experts. UP will shed light on available options, consumer rights and strategies. We will answer pre-submitted questions.

Options and Strategies for Replacing Your Wildfire Destroyed Home: A Roadmap to Recovery “Survivor’s Speak” Webinar

UP will host a panel discussion on Wednesday, June 11, 2025 moderated by UP co-founder Amy Bach featuring previous wildfire survivors who took different paths to replacing their homes. Additional details below!

Survivor to Survivor Forum

United Policyholders will host a monthly Forum for all wildfire survivors on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. Survivor to Survivor is an informal, online discussion group specifically for wildfire survivors. Here you can share experiences and problem-solve with our trained volunteers who've navigated recovery in a previous wildfire. The forum is a safe and welcoming space and an opportunity to connect with the wildfire survivor community.

General Claim Guidance Library is available 24/7 at www.uphelp.org. For additional claim help specific to the 2025 LA fires, visit: uphelp.org/recovery/disaster-recovery-help/. 

America's Job Center of LA County

America's Job Center of LA County (AJCLA) works with the Department of Economic Opportunity to provide survivors with temporary and permanent employment opportunities. AJCLA provides ongoing workshops and orientations to its services, as well as opportunities to connect with local employers.

Click here to view the May calendar of events, including service orientation, resume workshops, and hiring events.

Outreach Calls

We would like to let you know that you may receive a call on behalf of the LA Region Community Recovery Organization www.laregionltrg.org to follow-up with you to discuss your current living situation and your thoughts toward your recovery journey and process. You probably remember us from the DRC (Disaster Recovery Center) or other resource events where we had a table and were doing intake for people who had been impacted by the fires.

Please note: if you miss a call from an unknown/unfamiliar number, please check your voicemail for a message from the team.

We might be able to provide you with some additional resources and information after we take some time to understand a bit more about your situation. The information we gather from you and from everyone we met will be immensely helpful - we can make referrals to our partners who may be able to help with long term recovery resources (materials, muscle, money). The call should take less than 30 minutes.

LA County Joint Information Center Newsletter Sign-Up

The LA County Joint Information Center shares regular updates regarding services, programs, and opportunities for survivors as they navigate the long-term recovery process. This is an excellent resource to remain aware of what services partners are providing. Below are instructions for subscribing and screenshots with guidance.

Subscribe under:
Main topic - “Chief Executive Office”, then scroll down to
Sub topic - ”January 2025 Wildfires”
Opt-In - “CEO - Coordinated Joint Information Center Daily Update”

Recovery Resource &
Disaster Case Management Interest Form

Your information helps us understand the community impact and how best to provide support. This form will only take a couple of minutes to complete. Your information will remain confidential. We do not check immigration status.

If you check the box to share your contact information, a nonprofit (non-government) support team member will reach out to you and help you connect with resources and assistance. Note: due to the magnitude of this disaster, these outreach calls may take some time.

Thank You

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your recovery journey. During this incredibly challenging time, we will continue to provide resources and information from our partnering organizations to empower your sustainable, long-term recovery.