How Legal Aid can help rebuild lives after disaster

The January wildfires in Los Angeles County were an unprecedented, historic disaster, devastating two communities. Recovery following this crisis feels overwhelming. For individuals and families facing the loss of their homes and businesses, the journey to rebuild their lives is daunting. Even though the large-scale disaster recovery is unprecedented, we are not starting from scratch. We can apply lessons learned from past disasters to accelerate recovery for everyone.

Disaster recovery begins with reunification, medical care, and emergency housing. In the weeks and months after, new challenges emerge, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income communities. People must navigate complex systems and legal aid is vital to meet basic needs like:

 Securing aid: FEMA benefits, appeals, disaster unemployment, and nutrition assistance.

 Housing: Insurance claims, eviction prevention, and long-term housing solutions.

 Replacing documents: Lost IDs, birth certificates, and legal status documents.

 Employment: Wage loss, unemployment claims, and displaced businesses.

 Family, education & health: School disruptions, healthcare access, and family displacement.

 Language access: Multilingual support for disaster relief resources.

 Mental health: Social services, caseworkers, and PTSD support.

Learning from the past

Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA) has been at the forefront of disaster legal aid for decades, beginning with the Northridge earthquake in 1994. After the earthquake, NLSLA mobilized an innovative response that became a national model. By deploying teams of legal advocates to disaster recovery centers, collaborating with local, state, and federal officials, and addressing systemic issues, we built a deep expertise in disaster legal services.

This expertise has been called upon repeatedly - not just in Los Angeles but across the country - including in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Woolsey and Creek fires, the COVID-19 pandemic, and, most recently, the Southern California wildfires in Los Angeles County.

One of just eleven legal aid organizations nationwide to receive federal disaster funding, NLSLA focuses our efforts on assisting middle and low-income individuals and families - those who are often overlooked during a crisis. We've seen firsthand how access to legal assistance can transform recovery outcomes.

One survivor's story

Many fire survivors do not have the resources to fully rebuild their lives or navigate the complex system, while oftentimes being taken advantage of. These people cannot be left behind. Legal Aid can help.

NLSLA has been out in the community since the beginning of our current fire recovery. We have been in the service centers seven days a week for 8 to 10 hours a day, meeting with and helping hundreds of people.

One example is CL, a tenant with limited income, who lived in a building recently declared uninhabitable after a FEMA inspection. They faced not only the devastation of losing their home but also an unlawful refusal by their landlord to return January's rent or pay back their security deposit. Despite deciding to move out by Jan. 31, CL - and the other 10 tenants in the building - were being unfairly charged for February rent.

NLSLA's advocates stepped in to protect CL's rights and prevent further exploitation. With legal support, CL can challenge the landlord's actions and ensure that their rights are upheld. This intervention highlights the critical role of legal aid in protecting vulnerable tenants during disaster recovery, ensuring they are not further burdened by unlawful practices and can move forward with the stability and dignity they deserve.

The path forward

Like CL, Wildfire survivors must now navigate a labyrinth of processes to secure long-term stability. We've seen the difference that comprehensive legal support can make. NLSLA is leveraging our experience to address ongoing challenges, knowing the need will persist for years.

We are recruiting pro bono attorneys and paralegals, hiring social workers and case managers, and hosting clinics to help fire survivors rebuild their lives, and providing multilingual educational resources to ensure people know their rights.

Los Angeles can set a new standard for disaster recovery- one that prioritizes the needs of the most vulnerable and ensures that no one is left behind. With dedicated legal aid, we can transform despair into hope and rebuild not just homes but also lives and communities.

To the attorneys, advocates, and community members reading this: we need your help. Join us in this critical work. Together, we can ensure that Los Angeles not only recovers but emerges stronger and more resilient than ever. Visit www.nlsla.org to get involved.