Survivors of January's wildfires can access numerous social and economic resources at four new recovery centers.
The fires, which began on January 7, destroyed and burned more than 40,000 acres, leveled more than 12,300 structures and displaced more than 200,000 residents within Los Angeles County. The Palisades and Eaton fires, the two biggest fires in Los Angeles County this year, destroyed entire neighborhoods and claimed 29 lives.
On Tuesday, Mayor Karen Bass announced that L.A. County will open four new resource centers in West Los Angeles, Northeast San Fernando Valley, Leimert Park and Boyle Heights to support people affected by the fires, whether through the loss of jobs, homes or businesses.
All those impacted, regardless of their immigration status, will be able to access these recovery centers.
Some of the services available at the centers include job placement support, economic relief funds, small business loans, assistance with screening and applying for income support programs, access to emergency shelter and rental assistance and referrals to immigration services, among other things.
At least 35,000 jobs held by Latinos were at risk of temporary or permanent displacement due to the wildfires, according to a report published last month by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute.
“The workers, small business owners and families who lost their livelihoods in the recent fires live all across our city and region,'' Bass said. “The fires destroyed the workplaces of thousands of gardeners, restaurant workers, house cleaners, childcare workers and more. As we rebuild our neighborhoods, we are also going to do everything we can to make sure every family who was impacted can rebuild their lives.”
As stated by the same UCLA report, although Latinos comprise just 23% of the population across the three fire evacuation zones (Eaton, Palisades and Hurst), they account for 36% of all workers in those areas.
This month, the UCLA Anderson School of Management predicted that the insured losses from the wildfires in Los Angeles could be $75 billion, while the total property and capital losses could range from $95 billion to $164 billion. Additionally, local companies and workers in the impacted areas may lose a total of $297 million in wages.
The new recovery center will also provide educational and mental health resources. The Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles, a non-profit organization, will also provide case workers who will provide personalized assistance to those in need.
The centers will be open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at these locations:
West Los Angeles: 5446 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City 90230
Northeast San Fernando Valley: 13356 Eldridge Ave., Sylmar 91342
Leimert Park: 4305 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles 90008
Boyle Heights: 2130 1st St., Los Angeles 90033
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.