Steadfast LA Launches First Non-Profit Rebuild Initiative – Expanding Housing Choices – In Partnership With Samara To Help LA Wildfire Victims Return To Their Properties With High-Quality, Factory-Built Homes
CA-based Samara will build homes for fire survivors in LA who are unable to relocate or whose insurance will not cover the cost of constructing a new home on their property, enabling them to remain in the communities where they have spent years.
Airbnb and Samara co-founder Joe Gebbia pledges to donate $15M to the initiative. The Caruso Family Foundation will also provide initial funding.
This is Steadfast LA’s first initiative as part of its mission to expedite LA’s rebuild. The organization will continue raising money, creating partnerships, and executing ideas to help families affected by the wildfires.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb 19, 2025
Contact: Upland Workshop, SteadfastLA@uplandworkshop.com
LOS ANGELES, Calif – February 19, 2025 — Steadfast LA, the nonprofit started by Rick Caruso to accelerate the rebuilding of Los Angeles and get families back to their lives with private-sector solutions, announced it is partnering with CA-based company Samara to donate high-quality, prefab homes for people who face devastating circumstances after the wildfires. This initiative – taking place under Steadfast LA’s “Rebuilding” pillar and focusing on Expanding Housing Choices – is the organization’s first and is designed to allow homeowners who lost everything to remain in their communities at no cost.
These homes will be directed to low-income homeowners in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades who lost homes in the wildfires and lack the economic resources to rebuild. The homes will be 100% funded through Steadfast LA Foundation, a newly established charitable organization that’s affiliated with Steadfast LA and designed to accept donations to support initiatives like this. Steadfast LA Foundation will announce a collaboration with an independent organization that will administer and facilitate the eligibility, building, and installation process between fire survivors and Samara in the coming weeks.
Samara and Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia will donate $15M to the initiative, including an initial $5M and a pledge to match an additional $10M in major donations. The Caruso Family Foundation will also provide seed funding for this program. The funding will go to constructing and installing factory- built homes for people who would otherwise be forced to relocate despite wanting to stay on their property. Samara will build these homes for no profit and there will be no costs for fire survivors.
“This initiative is about keeping communities intact,” said Rick Caruso, Chairman of Steadfast LA. “Many of the people struggling the most right now are those who have lived in these neighborhoods for decades. They built their homes many years ago, they’re underinsured or lack insurance, and now they have lost everything. We’re giving these victims a realistic way to stay on their properties and quickly return to their lives at a time when the deck is stacked against them.”
Samara’s high-quality homes are built in a factory in 5-6 months and can be installed on a property in as little as a few weeks of minimal on-site work. Prefab construction will be critical to the rebuilding of Los Angeles as local construction costs rise, delays mount, and resources face supply-chain strain given the scale of this natural disaster. Samara will handle the entire installation and permitting process for affected homeowners, and Steadfast LA intends to work closely with city and state officials to expedite permitting and regulatory processes to ensure victims can have these units installed without unnecessary delays. The final delivery timeline will depend on permits and site readiness.
“Our hearts go out to all the individuals, families, and communities impacted by these destructive wildfires,” said Joe Gebbia. “So many people are faced with unbelievable circumstances. We want to help them get back home.”
Steadfast LA invites other modular home companies to join this program and build homes for wildfire victims. According to multiple reports and studies, a significant number of wildfire-impacted homeowners will not be able to cover the cost of rebuilding through insurance alone, and rebuilding costs are estimated to outpace insurance coverage considerably.
“The construction environment in Los Angeles is going to be tough,” said Samara co-founder and CEO Mike McNamara. “Labor and material prices are going to increase, and people will face longer rebuild timelines. We build these homes in a factory, which will avoid the strain facing the LA market and help people get homes on their properties faster. We’re proud we can help.”
In the coming weeks, Steadfast LA will announce the independent organization that will administer and facilitate the eligibility, building, and installation process between victims and Samara. Steadfast LA encourages individuals interested in this initiative to visit http://www.steadfastla.com to submit their information, read the FAQs about the initiative, and learn more. This is the group’s first initiative to use the private sector’s tools, resources, and expertise to expedite the rebuilding of Altadena, Malibu, Pasadena, and the Pacific Palisades and get residents safely back in their homes. Steadfast LA will continue to raise money, create private-sector partnerships, and execute ideas to help families affected by the wildfires and deliver results.
About Steadfast LA
Steadfast LA, founded and led by Rick Caruso, is a civic nonprofit organization dedicated to rebuilding Los Angeles after the devastating January 2025 fires. United by resilience and a shared vision for a stronger future, the organization comprises Angelenos committed to revitalizing the Altadena, Malibu, Pasadena, and Pacific Palisades communities. The group aims to accelerate the rebuilding process with efficiency and innovation by bringing together top leaders, bold ideas, and effective solutions to get things done right and fast. Visit http://www.steadfastla.com for more information about the organization and follow their efforts on social media: X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube.
About Samara
Samara is a California-based company that builds high-quality homes offsite in a factory setting, known for their premium materials and precise construction. The company takes care of every aspect of the homebuilding process – from design and manufacturing to permitting, delivery, installation, and financing. For more information, visit www.samara.com
Contact:
Steadfast LA: press@steadfastla.com
Samara: samara@launchsquad.com