Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Nonprofit Donates Three Victorian Homes to Altadena Families Who Lost Everything in Eaton Fire

Century-old houses from a Lincoln Heights development were to be hauled overnight to fire-cleared lots this morning

A Culver City nonprofit announced it is donating three Victorian-era homes to two Altadena families whose properties were destroyed in the Eaton Fire, transporting the century-old structures from Los Angeles overnight to fire-cleared lots where they will be restored.

DECRO Corporation, a nonprofit affordable housing developer, said in a press release Wednesday that the homes were preserved during construction of Brine Residential, a 97-unit affordable housing development in Lincoln Heights. Each home is more than 100 years old, according to the company.

The first haul of the two smaller homes was to begin at 3 a.m. Wednesday, April 8, at 3016 N. Main Street in Los Angeles.  The final haul was to occur Friday morning, pending rain. The homes have been lifted and segmented for transport, the company said.

One family will receive a two-story home. A second family, whose primary residence and accessory dwelling unit were both lost, will receive two smaller homes — allowing them to rebuild both their living space and a source of rental income, the company said.

“We lost everything in the fire, and for almost 10 months, I had no vision of how and what to rebuild within my fiscal means,” said Anna Schlobohm de Cruder, one of the recipients, in the press release. “When I learned that these houses could be my rebuild, I finally saw a clear path forward.”

Schlobohm de Cruder said the house she lost was built in 1923.

“I understand and speak ‘old house,’” she said. “I also love that moving these homes brings architectural character, craftsmanship, and history back to Altadena.”

Brooke Lohman-Janz and Michael Janz, receiving the two-story Victorian, said they used their savings to purchase a small lot after the fire. “DECRO’s offer to donate this home was a blessing beyond belief,” they said in the press release. “It gives us a chance to come back to the community we love.”

DECRO said it worked alongside preservationist Brad Chambers, who advised the families pro bono, according to the press release.

“By donating these homes, our nonprofit opened a new door to furthering its mission and supporting these families in rebuilding their lives,” Ted Handel, CEO of DECRO, said in the press release. DECRO, founded in 1989, describes itself as a California nonprofit committed to affordable housing. More information is available at decro.org.