More than a year after the devastating 2025 California wildfires claimed their Pacific Palisades home, former reality television stars Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt shared that they still lack a permanent residence.
At ages 39 and 42, respectively, Montag and Pratt are parents to two young sons, Gunner, 7, and Riker, 3. Their home was among those destroyed in a blaze that displaced around 100,000 residents in its wake.
Unlike some other celebrities who could afford alternative housing during rebuilding, the couple has struggled financially, stating they spent almost all their savings on initial payments for a new home.
Montag reflected on their past financial challenges, sharing that they barely managed to keep up with the mortgage on their property purchased for $2.5 million in 2017.
“It’s tough. We just don’t have the resources to rebuild. Making the mortgage payments was already a challenge,” she admitted. “We’ve dedicated our careers to saving for a down payment.”
Both Montag and Pratt expressed feelings of uncertainty and dislocation since the fire, indicating their family is still grappling with the loss of stability.
“We really don’t know what to do next. It’s as if we’re still evacuated,” she noted. “Many don’t realize that lots of folks are in the same boat and can’t afford to rebuild.”
Montag addressed changes in the local housing market, emphasizing that many neighbors had purchased homes at significantly lower prices decades ago.
“Many families bought their homes 40 or 50 years back when prices were much more reasonable. It only recently became this affluent area. Back then, it wasn’t even close to Beverly Hills,” she explained. “Some homes have been handed down through generations, and now we just can’t rebuild. Honestly, we feel hopeless at this point.”
This year, Montag revealed that Spencer plans to challenge the current mayor in the upcoming Los Angeles mayoral election. The family’s struggles have notably impacted their children, especially the youngest.
“It’s really challenging for a 3-year-old,” Montag reflected. “He keeps asking to go home, but, you know, I can’t tell him we have one anymore. He just laughs and says, ‘I’ll push us back! I’m strong!’ Every animal he sees reminds him of our house burning down. It’s hard on him.”
On January 7, 2025, a catastrophic fire destroyed thousands of homes and tragically took 31 lives. Significant blazes, including the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire, devastated whole neighborhoods, leaving countless properties abandoned.
Areas like Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and Altadena experienced substantial losses, with reports estimating around $8.3 billion in home value wiped away.
In January, Pratt criticized California’s leadership regarding disaster response, stating his desire to get involved in politics stemmed from wanting to drive change for wildfire victims.
“I never intended to run for mayor,” he stated. “I just wanted to be home with my family.” He felt that accountability was missing among leaders after the disaster and decided to step up.
Pratt, who identifies as a Republican, shared his ambitions during a recent event commemorating the wildfires’ anniversary. However, some critics have suggested he’s using this political bid to promote his new memoir, “The Man You Hated: Confessions from a Reality TV Villain.”
“My book isn’t the point here,” he responded. “The issue is much broader than just my home. It’s about the overall safety of all Angelenos.”
In April 2025, Montag further aired her frustrations about the wildfires, revealing that her parents, after 40 years in their home, had also faced the need to sell their property.
They initially bought the house for $400,000, but now it was on the market for almost $5 million as “a rare opportunity.” However, the listing was later pulled after a significant price cut due to market conditions.
In late January, President Trump signed an executive order facilitating federal intervention for the cleanup and rebuilding efforts across the areas affected by the wildfires, which resulted in extensive damage.
The order aimed to streamline the permitting process to hasten reconstruction efforts, marking an essential step toward helping affected residents rebuild their lives.
“We need to cut through the delays that have left so many people displaced,” President Trump stated, expressing a willingness to expedite the processes necessary for reconstruction.
