Support Our Family Displaced by the Eaton Fire

LaTrell and I's small family has been displaced from our home in Altadena for 38 days, having evacuated on January 7th. We left with our two dogs and a few bags of clothing, not expecting that we would be uprooted for weeks to come. Today our house still stands, however our home now faces toxic dangers.

Having been exposed to soot and ash from the fires, it was confirmed by numerous vendors that our home is ‘uninhabitable’. For weeks, we’ve fought to be treated like human beings by our management company, who have claimed no responsibility. Our landlord has told us he is still "considering" a prorated rent for this time we have not been home, and has recently notified us we must fully vacate the property of all our belongings while he finds a contractor to remediate the property. The timeline to return home continues to be pushed back by our landlord’s lack of urgency and the newly presented case that the soil on our property has tested positive for lead. We stand in limbo, still living out of bags and are now on our 4th move for shelter.

LaTrell and I have come to the painful decision to relocate b/c of health concerns and the need to feel stable again, living the way we have has been exhausting and mentally draining. We love our community, and never in our dreams could have imagined not returning. It feels unreal...

After consulting with a few companies, we were told that it would cost ~$6,000 to salvage all our belongings. That number is simply not achievable for us, with the growing finances that come with moving. We now must claim total loss for most of our precious belongings, items we worked so hard to have and fill our home. Unfortunately, we do not have the means to use insurance. We’ve found a vendor able to save a few pieces of our furniture and sentimental items, so we do not have to completely start over. The quote given was $3,000.

We turn to our community to ask for your support in helping us navigate this unimaginable situation. We are hoping to raise funds that will help us cover remediation, replacement of belongings, and relocation expenses. We remain optimistic that this decision is what is best for our family. We hope you may consider a reshare or small contribution.

Xx LaTrell and Michelle (+ Haimee & Maddie)