Friends,

Fires are still burning, people are still living in hotels and with friends, and for many of us, a whole new reality is setting in.

But there are signs of progress. Most folks in Brentwood are returning home, and the power is slowly coming back. It's going to be a longer wait for most Palisades residents, but hundreds of workers are on the ground clearing debris from the roads, working through the snarl of broken pipes and downed wires, and trying to make it safe enough for people to start coming back to see what's left. Please keep following @CouncilwomanTraciPark on Instagram for daily updates.

Around the district, restaurants are feeding our first responders, neighbors are running donation drives, and local schools are absorbing displaced students. With the help of additional resources from other Council offices, we are resuming our usual district operations and making our way through the backlog of calls and emails. Please continue to be patient and bear with us, as we have thousands of people with immediate needs who urgently need our help.

We are here for you, CD11. We're all going to get through this. Stay safe.

This past Tuesday, I spoke at the Los Angeles City Council meeting before submitting a comprehensive recovery package for the Palisades Fire. This plan is a first step in helping our community return and rebuild—addressing housing, public safety, economic recovery, and the infrastructure challenges we face. I’m deeply grateful for the support of my colleagues in heeding my call to action as we work together to recover and restore what’s been lost. I pledge to continue to work with urgency to address the immense challenges ahead.

The FEMA Disaster Recovery Center is now open at UCLA Research Park to support wildfire victims. The center helps with recovering lost records, applying for disaster relief loans, insurance assistance, accessing counseling services and more. All of your federal, state, county, and city resources are available for you all in a single location. Speak 1-on-1 with representatives.

For immediate assistance and guidance, please contact our Council District 11 District Office at (310) 568-8772. We are on the ground and here to help you. 

You can access nearby Evacuation Centers at the Westwood Recreation Center - 1350 S Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90025; Stoner Recreation Center - 1835 Stoner Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025; and the Pan Pacific Recreation Center - 7600 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036. 

If you are subject to a Do Not Drink Water Notice in 90272 and adjacent communities north of San Vicente Boulevard, you can visit our water distribution partnership with LADWP at the Brentwood Country Club - 741 S Gretna Green Way, Los Angeles, CA 90049. We will be distributing water bottles until 5pm on Saturday, January 11, and until 2pm on Sunday, January 12.

You can drop off donations and relief for wildfire victims at our Council District 11 Office in Westchester at 7166 W. Manchester Avenue, Los Angles, CA 90045. 

You can go to www.disasterassistance.gov as well as https://www.fema.gov/assistance/individual/program to learn about federal resources available.

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara will host two important insurance workshops THIS WEEKEND (January 18 and 19) for residents affected by the fires. He and his teams of experts will be on hand to assist policyholders in collecting all benefits they are entitled to. For additional tips on wildfire insurance claims, visit https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/140-catastrophes/TopTenTips_WildfireClaimants.cfm. You can go to https://calrecycle.ca.gov/disaster/wildfires/ to learn about Wildfire Debris Removal and Recovery Operations. For mental health support, you can visit the LA County Department of Mental Health website at https://dmh.lacounty.gov/our-services/disaster-services/disaster-mh-resources/ 

The Los Angeles Department of Water & Power is providing updates via their LADWP News website. Keep up to date with information about power outages, drinking water notices and other information as the developments evolve.

The Red Cross has set up Community Recovery Centers where residents can get assistance with the status of loved ones. You can reach the Red Cross at 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Be ready to provide as much detail as possible to assist them in potentially locating your missing loved one.

Lodging Support for Fire Victims: the Hotel Association of Los Angeles has created a dynamic list of hotels offering discounted or free stays for fire victims. Updated in real-time, this Google spreadsheet resource includes contact details and exclusive fire-relief rates to help those in need.

Find Missing Pets using Petco Love Lost, a complimentary database equipped with photo-matching technology to help connect lost animals with their families.

Locate Animal Shelters in Los Angeles and nearby areas where rescued pets may be housed by accessing the LA Wildfires Animal Resources Shelter Map.

Free YMCA Child Care for Fire-Affected Families: YMCA locations across Los Angeles are offering free child care for first responders, essential workers, and families impacted by the fires. Available for children ages 4 years, 9 months through eighth grade. Space is limited. For details or to sign up, email afterschool@ymcaLA.org.

• CBS NEWS: Councilwoman Traci Park thanks firefighters and police for helping her Pacific Palisades community
• WESTSIDE CURRENT: Park, Rodriguez Push Ballot Measure for Fire Department Funding, Demand Answers on Water Failures
• LA TIMES: L.A. City Council passes dozens of measures to aid recovery from catastrophic fires
• LA TIMES: L.A. City Council seeks transparency on empty reservoir, dry fire hydrants
• ARGONAUT: Recovery Underway: Councilmember Traci Park unveils Pacific Palisades plan
• KCRW Interview: Traci Park Discusses Palisades Wildfire

You can email me at councilmember.park@lacity.org.