Pacific Palisades Wildfire Recovery

Rebuilding the Pacific Palisades — At Scale

A nonprofit housing program delivering new, insurable homes and a structured path to ownership for wildfire-displaced families.

The Uplifters Foundation is a California nonprofit created to accelerate the rebuilding of Pacific Palisades following the January 2025 wildfire. We acquire fire-damaged parcels, construct new homes, lease them to returning residents, and provide a defined path to ownership.

This is not traditional development. It is a programmatic platform designed to restore a community.

Home rendering
Image placeholder — renderings forthcoming

~60
Homes to be rebuilt
$200M
Tax-exempt bond program
14
Target streets
501(c)(3)
California nonprofit

A Community That Cannot Rebuild Itself

Rebuilding has stalled due to cost, complexity, and uncertainty. Individual homeowners face a fragmented process with no coordinated solution at scale.

Without intervention, displacement becomes permanent and the community risks long-term erosion.

  • Thousands of homes destroyed in January 2025
  • Rebuilding timelines extending years without coordination
  • Insurance constraints limiting conventional financing
  • Minimal participation from institutional developers
  • Fragmented individual rebuilding with high failure risk

A Structured Approach to Rebuilding

01 — Acquire

Acquire

Targeted acquisition of fire-damaged parcels within defined Pacific Palisades streets — evaluated through a rigorous underwriting framework.

02 — Build

Build

Cost-controlled construction using 6–8 adaptable architectural designs and institutional oversight through GMP contracts.

03 — Lease

Lease

Homes leased to returning residents at below-market rates. 12–15 month terms. Standard agreements. Immediate housing availability.

04 — Sell

Sell

Tenants offered a structured path to ownership through a purchase option granted at lease inception at a fixed price.

Each home progresses through this lifecycle under a standardized framework designed to control cost, reduce risk, and deliver housing at scale.

A Programmatic Housing Platform

Uplifters operates a fully integrated acquisition, construction, leasing, and disposition program.

The Foundation intends to rebuild approximately 60 single-family homes, focus on a defined set of streets in Pacific Palisades, and deploy approximately $200 million of tax-exempt bond financing.

The program is designed to deliver housing efficiently while maintaining financial discipline and compliance with nonprofit and tax-exempt requirements.

View Full Program Details
Capital Structure

$200M

Tax-exempt bond financing. No developer equity. No promote structure. All capital deployed into land, construction, and carrying costs.

Program Focus

14 Target Streets

Intentionally concentrated in a single geography to improve execution certainty and create visible rebuilding momentum.


Homes Designed for Real Return

Each home is designed specifically for its lot within a controlled framework that balances efficiency and flexibility.

Size

~2,600 sq ft

3–4 bedrooms, 3–4 bathrooms. Two-story configurations adapted to lot conditions.

Design

6–8 Plans

Standardized within a controlled range — balancing cost efficiency with flexibility for individual lots.

Resilience

Fire-Conscious

Meets or exceeds California wildfire building standards. Designed to reduce long-term risk and ownership cost.

Financing

Insurable

Designed to qualify for California FAIR Plan coverage with supplemental insurance. Buyers can obtain financing.

View Home Specifications

Public Benefit at Scale

01

Rebuilds Housing Stock

Directly replaces homes lost in the wildfire with new, resilient single-family homes designed for long-term ownership.

02

Reduces Government Burden

Performs rebuilding activities otherwise carried by public agencies and individual homeowners without coordinated support.

03

Restores Community Stability

Accelerates the return of residents and creates visible rebuilding momentum across the affected streets.

The City of Los Angeles has formally recognized that this program contributes to its recovery objectives by rebuilding housing and supporting repopulation.

We Live Here

This program is a direct response to the loss of homes and community following the wildfire.

Executive Director

Steven Dietz

Pacific Palisades resident for over 30 years. Founding Partner of Upfront Ventures. Former founder and CEO of United Dwelling — one of the most active small-scale residential builders in Los Angeles. Has raised over $4 billion across venture and real estate platforms.

President

Lee West

Pacific Palisades resident for over 30 years. Background in business leadership, fundraising, and community coordination. Leads capital formation, government relationships, and community engagement.

Full Leadership Profiles

Ways to Participate

Donors

Cash Donations

Support program execution and long-term community reinvestment for families returning to Pacific Palisades.

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Suppliers

Materials & Services

Provide materials, pricing discounts, or professional services to reduce construction cost and accelerate delivery.

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Partners

Institutional Partners

Foundations, family offices, corporations, and civic organizations can support program execution or community reinvestment.

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Interested in Living in an Uplifters Home?

Submit your interest to receive updates on program progress and future availability. We will acknowledge receipt and provide quarterly updates.

We cannot accept formal applications until approximately 60 days prior to home completion.
Register Interest