A mother in Southern California has been living in a state of near-homelessness for over a year and a half. Her insurance company told her she must return to her smoke-damaged home or else lose her temporary housing support. She’s understandably hesitant about jeopardizing her children’s safety.
A recent large fire in Boyle Heights, which sent smoke across Southern California, highlighted that risks linger long after the flames are out.
Some homeowners in the Palisades and Eaton fire areas still can’t return nearly 18 months later due to ongoing smoke contamination.
Elissa Ashwood, a homeowner in Pacific Palisades, reflected on how different Christmas in 2024 turned out to be, expressing disbelief that their house couldn’t be restored in time for the holiday in 2026.
Her family hasn’t been able to go back to their home on Luckman Lane, named after her grandfather. Luckily, they managed to survive the Palisades fire.
“We’ve faced fires before, but this was definitely far worse,” she noted.
Ashwood has been in a lengthy dispute with California Fair Plan, challenging whether her home is truly livable.
The claims examiner determined that, on the surface, “the principal residence appears to be habitable.” However, an evaluation she commissioned revealed “significant damage from thermal, non-thermal, and chemical contamination” due to the fire.
Ashwood feels that the house may need a complete overhaul down to its frame for her family’s safety. Unfortunately, she hasn’t managed to convince FAIR Plans to fund the necessary repairs.
“We’re trying everything to avoid a lawsuit. I just don’t see why it should come to that,” she said.
In Pasadena, Frank Lombardi is encountering similar challenges with State Farm following the Eaton fire.
He has even taken legal action against his insurance company, claiming his smoke damage was inadequately addressed and he was underpaid. Court documents show State Farm “generally denies all allegations” made in the lawsuit.
“With three kids, we can’t risk anything,” Lombardi shared. “We want a complete restoration, which includes getting everything back to normal.” His house has been locked since January 7, 2025.
In response to the ongoing issues, State Farm stated it reviews each claim based on the specifics of the case and promises to work closely with customers to provide the maximum benefits allowed by their policies.
Meanwhile, the California FAIR Plan assured that it assesses every claim individually and pays eligible claims for smoke damage up to the policy limits.
As a related note, a state lawsuit claiming that FAIR Plan unlawfully denied smoke damage claims is set for a court hearing next month.
Attorney Dylan Shafer, who is representing clients against both insurance companies, mentioned that they typically dispute claims on homes that seem intact from the outside but may have hidden damage.
“They can’t ignore a house that’s obviously burned down. What they’re really hoping to save money on is those homes that look fine but have underlying issues,” Shafer explained.
Additionally, the California Department of Insurance has initiated legal actions against both State Farm and FAIR Plan for not fully compensating smoke-related damages.
The upcoming court case regarding the lawsuit against FAIR Plan will shed further light on these ongoing issues.
