Their home is their inheritance. What if they cannot rebuild?

Eaton's fire destroyed thousands of houses. With the beginning of the recovery cleaning stage, residents face the problem of reconstruction costs and timetables.

Herndrena Martin was held in the shovel's hand in the ruins of the house built by her father more than 60 years ago to find any surviving connection with the past.

She took a look at the remaining things: the bricks, chimneys, and screen doors that father paved at the bottom of the house were blown away. Home is the heritage of her family – Her father's memory lived, she took care of her mother, and now she was sitting quietly in front of the wreckage.

Martin cannot give up it. But she wants to know, how can she be reconstructed?

“How can the whole city fire in the flame in one night, and you have lost everything you try to persist?” Martin said, 64 years old.

Martin's annual insurance premiums under the California Expo turned over last year to reach nearly $ 1,700. However, even with this payment, she learned that her property was insufficient after the fire: she was qualified to reimburse far less than the reimbursement required for reconstruction.

A woman sat in the ruins of a house and was destroyed by the fire.

“I have a mother-I am taking care of her. I have my daughter, he is trying to start her life. This is a new thing on my plate-just to survive.” She said.

Martin and his daughter's 34 -year -old Lashondra Ellis escaped Eaton with her 96 -year -old mother Margaret Martin. Their home at the North Fair Oaks Avenue was one of the thousands of buildings burning in Altadine. In the last week, when the rain was divided into gray mud, the recovery cleaning stage began. However, the countless problems about the cost of reconstruction and the unexplained timetable only brought new uncertainty.

The search for answers has become a full -time job for Martin and other displaced residents. They meet in churches and community spaces every day to obtain information about what to do. Larry Hammond, a member of the Altadena Chamber of Commerce, said that at a recent community meeting, there are more questions answered: how do we rebuild? How do we pay for this? Are there enough contractors to meet the needs? How to work in the license process?

The supply chain is tight, and the price of wood accounts for about 15 % of the cost of building, which has intensified the concerns of residents who want to rebuild the community. In the past six months, the average price of wood prices ranges from $ 475 per thousand feet per thousand to $ 625. Experts said that this demand may increase as during the period.

Hammond said: “People are asking where they go from here.” “You only need to put one foot in front of the other foot. Take a step at a time.”

In the illegal town above Pasadena, including the black community in history, it is not uncommon for families to take root in generations of generations.

“This is a tough community. This is a connected community,” Hammond said.

However, the appearance of rebuilding the community has not been defined. Hammond said that many Altadner residents are older and are determining whether they can return to the area, or they want to spend time and money. According to the US census data, more than 21 % of residents are over 65 years old, which is larger than the United States.

The sign of “Altadna is not sold” appeared in the entire community because I was worried that if residents could not afford it, who could try to buy land. Some people found a business card of real estate developers in real estate.

A woman stands in the place where her house was once standing.

Tiffany Hockenhull (Tiffany Hockenhull) was a few districts from Martin, and she filtered her grandparents in her home, her grandparents.

She said that a few days ago, she went to her residence and found a woman taking pictures. She said that strangers asked her information and told her that developers would buy real estate in the area and provide HockenHull assistance. The situation made her feel uneasy.

The 38 -year -old HockenHull said: “It is uncomfortable, it feels unsafe, and I don't feel that it is where I am helping you” here. “” It feels like a scam. “

Near her is a quaint Cul-DE-SAC, where 12 houses have stood, and they are a close community that often gathered in the Margles and text chain to share and update. Back to cleaning and looking for items, including wedding rings, hugging HockenHull. They are sad together.

HockenHull lost her father in 2022, a few weeks before the fire. She believes that this comfortable and comfortable place will continue to stay in her family. She wants to rebuild, but the insurance will only pay a part of the fee. She is continuing to find a solution.

She said: “Selling this is all the heritage I gave up to become Hawkner. Born and grew up in a family I was born and grew up, watching my grandparents work hard to buy and retain it.”

“The last thing anyone wants to do is to start construction, and then use the money to complete.”

A mother and child looked at their home.

The 37 -year -old Torbjorn Crawford was opposite the road, staring at his childhood body, and was still incredible to what happened. It was the nearby summer swimming pool party. A friend discovered a safe space during the difficult period. He found that he was awake and he would find comfort in such a disaster.

“Every day you take everything to you to go to the world to do everything. Then, when you consider-the memories we have, we have what we have.” He said.

Crawford recently released a song about Altadna, who wrote a song in front of the fire. He and his partner Jennifer Hercules, 37, couldn't imagine that he would not go back. But his mother bought this house in 1979, and he was still fighting with unknown people, including how long it would take to clear the toxin area before the reconstruction.

Elsa Mandoe said, “There are many steps along the way.”

Abraham Pratella is a real estate agent who lost several houses in Altadena. He said that he called at least 20 developers and investors. He called at least 20 developers and investors. Ask him to associate them with the residents. He retreated, and those who were worried about fragile or confused might make a light decision.

He said: “There are many fear strategies in use.” He added that the community includes many elderly people, and it may be difficult to understand their choices.

“We want to get information now because they don't have to sell. There are a lot of help,” he said.

A mother and daughter dug in the rubble.

Uncle Pratella: “Mr. Z” Sayegh is one of many residents who lost their houses and business in Altadena.

78 -year -old saying that he said at the home of Gaywood Drive, “I have been there for more than 50 years.” “I will definitely rebuild.”

But in view of the scope of disaster, he knows that this process will take years.

“I hope I can complete it in my life.”

In Martin's residence, the rain began on Sunday afternoon. Ellis collected what she couldn't find under the broken glass, nails and ash.

Before the fire, her mother began to expand the project on the house. The task opened a living space for veterans one day. That disappeared.

Ellis said, “Everything cannot be identified.”

From the rubble, she pulled a white ceramic bear. A few years ago, this was her grandfather's gift.

A red heart drew a message on the bear: “I love you.”