“Recovery is failing survivors.”
That’s what Joy Chen said on the first anniversary of the Eaton Fire during a press conference in Altadena on Wednesday, Jan. 7, where fire victims and elected officials offered insights into the harrowing rebuilding process, from insurance payout delays, fire victims at risk of homelessness and the need for federal dollars.
“Whether a family is able to get back home or is displaced permanently comes down to one thing: Money,” Chen said.
Chen is the executive director of the Eaton Fire Survivors Network, the organization that emerged out of a pickleball chat and now advocates for fire victims. Southern California Edison, insurance companies and the federal government were all the subject of the press conference on during the first anniversary, each owing “tens of billions” to survivors, Chen said.
Advocates have previously called on Southern California Edison to provide Eaton Fire victims with housing relief, a sentiment echoed Wednesday. Ada Hernandez, who lost her home in the fire, said she and her husband, her two small children and their dog may be at risk of living in their car later this January.
