Tuesday, April 21, 2026

State Mortgage Relief for Eaton Fire Survivors Now Reaches $100,000. A May 9 Workshop in Altadena Can Help Them Access It.

[Eddie Rivera / Pasadena Now]

A free full-day event at The Collaboratory brings housing grants, estate planning and construction services to homeowners still rebuilding after the January 2025 fire

In February, California raised the ceiling on its wildfire mortgage relief program from $20,000 to $100,000 — more than a year after the Eaton Fire destroyed thousands of Altadena homes. On May 9, residents who may not know they qualify can find out in one place.

Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles County and the Restore the Legacy LA Coalition are co-hosting a free Rebuilding & Recovery Workshop at The Collaboratory, 540 W. Woodbury Road, Altadena, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. According to NHS, the event will offer on-site access to the CalAssist Mortgage Grant Program, NHS grants and lending services, free estate planning legal services, low-cost construction management, and technical support for selecting a general contractor or architect.

The workshop serves survivors of the January 2025 Eaton Fire, which burned 14,021 acres and destroyed at least 9,414 structures in Altadena and adjacent areas, according to Cal Fire. It is at least the third joint Rebuilding & Recovery Workshop from NHS and RLA; a prior event was held December 13, 2025 at the same location.

According to UCLA research, the stakes are particularly acute for Altadena’s Black community. According to data from the UCLA Luskin School using the 2020 Decennial Census, approximately 75% of Black Altadena residents owned their homes — close to double the national rate for Black Americans. Researchers found that 61% of Black households in Altadena were located within the Eaton Fire’s perimeter, and 48% of those households were destroyed or sustained major damage. Of Altadena’s Black homeowners, 57% are over 65, making them especially vulnerable to incomplete insurance coverage and predatory financial scams in the rebuilding process, according to the UCLA research.

The CalAssist Mortgage Grant Program — one of the programs available at the workshop — was announced by Governor Gavin Newsom on June 5, 2025, originally offering grants covering up to three months of mortgage payments with a $20,000 per-household cap.

On February 12, 2026, Newsom expanded the program: eligible homeowners may now receive up to 12 months of mortgage payments, with a maximum of $100,000 per household, according to the California Housing Finance Agency, which administers the program. In Los Angeles County, the annual income limit for eligibility was raised to $281,400. Homeowners who previously received assistance under the original terms may be eligible for additional support to bring their total to a full year. Funds are paid directly to mortgage servicers and are not required to be repaid. Application information is available at CalAssistMortgageFund.org.

Additional services at the workshop, according to NHS materials, include interim housing support, small business assistance, and mission-driven real estate services. The estate planning legal services are provided at no charge through NHS.

The Collaboratory is operated by the Eaton Fire Collaborative and has served Altadena fire survivors as a central resource hub since its establishment in 2025. The address at 540 West Woodbury Road also functioned as the official Altadena Disaster Recovery Center beginning January 27, 2025, as designated by LA County.

The Restore the Legacy LA Coalition organized in the aftermath of the January 2025 fire to support Altadena’s historically Black and other legacy communities in rebuilding and preserving the neighborhood. The coalition has partnered with the Altadena Rebuild Coalition, which brought together architects and advocates — including members of the Southern California chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects — to complete approximately 200 free individualized rebuilding plans for displaced homeowners as of July 2025, according to publicly available reports.

Need to Know: The Rebuilding & Recovery Workshop — Preserving Legacy takes place Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Collaboratory, 540 W. Woodbury Road, Altadena, CA 91001. The event is free and open to Eaton Fire survivors. Registration is required through nhslacounty.org or by calling (213) 381-2862.