A Fire Aid Benefit Concert held on January 30, 2025, raised an estimated $100 million to support residents of Pacific Palisades and Eaton who lost homes in the January fires. However, many affected residents are questioning where the funds have gone, as they struggle to find information on how to apply for assistance.
According to OPB, organizations such as El Nido, Home Grown, Vision y Compromiso, and L.A.’s Home for Native People received grants from the Fire Aid funds. Despite this, some residents feel left behind, particularly those living in rent-controlled apartments or mobile home parks who have not received aid.
The Annenberg Foundation, tasked with administering the funds, has not provided clear answers about the allocation of the money. An inquiry by Circling the News editor revealed that despite multiple attempts to contact the foundation, detailed information about the grants awarded specifically to Pacific Palisades residents has not been disclosed.
Tim Campbell, who managed a municipal performance audit program, mentioned that while nonprofit organizations don’t have the same reporting requirements as government agencies, they should still be able to provide a breakdown of how much money was allocated to each organization for use in the Palisades.
The FireAid website states that their goal is to assist both large funds and community groups with deep knowledge of impacted neighborhoods. However, the lack of transparency has left many residents wondering why individual aid was not considered and how the funds are being distributed.
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