FEMA:
Disaster Recovery Centers
Two Disaster Recovery Centers are open to the public daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Altadena Disaster Recovery Center
540 W Woodbury Rd.
Altadena, Ca 91001.
**The Pasadena City College location closed on 1/31/25 with all services shifting to the Altadena location.
UCLA Research Park West
10850 West Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
At these centers you can register for FEMA in person, talk with someone about your application status or denial letter (which might mean you need to submit additional information), talk with someone from the Small Business Administration about low-interest loans for businesses affected by the fires, and talk with the Red Cross and other support organizations. Additional help is also available for replacing lost paperwork, and medications. To see all of the services and government agencies represented at the Altadena location, go to this page on the official LA County Recovers website.
Insurance Help
Pro Bono Insurance Assistance
Vic Clement is a financial advisor who provides pro bono assistance to union members through his company, Financial Essentials 4 Life, which focuses on financial education, guidance, planning and management. He is available to provide some assistance for standard things like homeowners and renters insurance claims. He can be reached at 818-275-2599 or advice@fe4.life.
Guide to Housing Disaster Property Damage Claims
MPTF has provided this helpful video from the Beverly Hills Bar Association to walk you through the process of property damage claims for properties destroyed by the wildfires.
Legal Issues
Public Counsel Free Legal Aid
Through free legal services and wildfire-related resources, Public Counsel helps individuals, families, small businesses, and communities impacted or displaced by the fires. Among their helpful online resources is this FAQ for those dealing with FEMA. You can speak to someone from Public Counsel at both official Recovery Centers (addresses above). Learn more about Public Counsel wildfire aid at their website.
Free Legal Consultation
If you need to speak with a lawyer, as a union member, you are eligible for 30 minutes of free legal consultation from Union Plus and 30 minutes of free legal consultation through MPI from Optum Live and Work Well. For Optum, log in or create an account. Choose Emotional Well Being, and then Benefits, and then Legal. Note that Legal is not the same as Legal Forms. Optum also provides access to attorneys for a 25% reduction of the attorney’s normal rate.
Workers Rights
Workers affected by the wildfires have rights under California state law. These documents from the State of California and CDF Labor Law outline issues such as the right to a safe workplace, the right to wildfire-related sick leave, and more.
Renters Rights
Per the Los Angles Housing Department: “If a rental unit is completely destroyed, the lease no longer applies. The tenant does not owe future rent and will need to find a new place to live. Landlords must return any security deposit within three weeks. If tenants had already paid the January rent, the landlord should pro-rate and return the tenant’s rent for the remainder of January.” Learn more at Los Angeles County Consumer and Business Affairs.
Tenant’s Rights Legal clinics
Every Saturday at 10 a.m., Coalition for Economic Survival hosts a Tenants’ Rights Zoom Clinic, with one-on-one counseling by our volunteer Tenants’ Rights Attorneys. Learn more here.
Unemployment
Disaster Unemployment Assistance
In response to the wildfires and windstorms, federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is now available for workers and self-employed people who do not qualify for regular unemployment benefits. DUA benefit claims must be filed by March 10, 2025. Learn more here.