Saturday, December 13, 2025

Altadena Workshop to Aid Eaton Fire Survivors Moves to The Collaboratory

Survivors of the Eaton Fire will gather Saturday, Dec. 13, for a “Rebuilding & Recovery Workshop” hosted by Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles County and the Restore the Legacy LA Coalition. The event runs from 11 a.m. to at least 4 p.m. The program is designed to provide financial, housing, and rebuilding support to residents affected by the January 2025 wildfire that devastated Altadena and nearby communities.

Organizers confirmed a critical location change: while initial announcements listed Pasadena Presbyterian Church on East Colorado Boulevard, the workshop will instead take place at The Collaboratory, 540 West Woodbury Road in Altadena. The updated venue information appears on NHS LA County’s official website.

Saturday’s program will provide survivors with step-by-step guidance on how to finance rebuilding, including access to mortgage relief and grant programs. Attendees will receive advice on selecting architects and contractors, with experts available to explain vetting and bid processes. Free estate planning services, including living trusts and wills, will be offered to fire survivors.

Mission-driven real estate services will be available for residents uncertain about rebuilding, and technical service providers will be on site for consultations. NHS announcements note that services will be offered in English and Spanish.

In addition to the workshop agenda, NHS and its partners provide ongoing support at The Collaboratory and other sites. These services include small business assistance programs such as federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans and LA County relief grants, as well as interim housing support through FEMA displacement aid and emergency rent relief. While not listed as part of the workshop program itself, these resources are available to fire survivors through NHS’s broader recovery efforts.

The Collaboratory will also host related programming on Dec. 13. A wildfire rebuilding certificate training runs from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with separate registration, and a Community Rebuilding Expo featuring partner organizations and certified professionals will take place from 1 to 4 p.m.

Neighborhood Housing Services, founded in 1984 and affiliated with NeighborWorks America, has a history of disaster response including the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the 1992 Los Angeles riots, the 2008 foreclosure crisis, and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

The Restore the Legacy LA Coalition is NHS’s coalition branding tied to The Legacy Project’s disaster response partnerships, rather than a separate incorporated entity. The initiative focuses on increasing Black homeownership, financial literacy, combating gentrification, and protecting generational wealth, with a particular emphasis on supporting communities of color in recovery.

The Collaboratory, which opened in Altadena in October, serves as a hub for recovery efforts and hosts multiple partner organizations. Saturday’s program is part of ongoing efforts by NHS and local coalitions to stabilize neighborhoods and assist residents in rebuilding after one of Altadena’s most destructive disasters.