Sen. Pérez at the 6 Month Anniversary Survivor Press Conference Conference at Eaton Canyon (File Photo – Brian Biery)
Senator Sasha Renée Pérez and advocates for Eaton Fire survivors are increasing calls for Edison International to allocate $2.4 billion in immediate housing assistance for victims still displaced by the devastating January 2025 wildfire. Many survivors are facing a dire housing crisis as insurance coverage expires, leaving them vulnerable to further displacement.
By News Desk
In a letter to Edison International CEO Pedro J. Pizarro, Senator Pérez emphasized the urgency of the situation. She described the emotional and financial toll on survivors, citing a recent Department of Angels survey revealing that 80% of survivors remain without stable housing. “Families are facing severe housing insecurity as insurance coverage expires,” Senator Pérez wrote, urging Edison to act swiftly to prevent further distress for those affected.
“Edison has both the means and the responsibility to act now to stabilize families, prevent mass displacement, and restart the Eaton Fire recovery,” she said.
Concerns Over Legal Waivers for Housing Assistance
Senator Pérez also expressed concern over Edison’s requirement that fire victims sign legal waivers in exchange for housing assistance. She called this practice “unfair” and warned that it forces families to make decisions under duress while still living in unstable conditions. “Survivors cannot make informed or fair decisions while living in such circumstances,” she said.
These concerns were echoed by Joy Chen, Executive Director of the Eaton Fire Survivors Network (EFSN). “Requiring legal waivers in exchange for housing assistance undermines both fairness and public trust,” said Chen. “Families are being forced into tough decisions they are not in a position to make.”
Edison’s Acknowledgment and Corporate Responsibility
While investigations into the cause of the Eaton Fire are ongoing, Edison executives have acknowledged that an idle, unconnected transmission line, inactive for over five decades, may have sparked the blaze.
“Having acknowledged its potential role in starting the Eaton Fire, Edison must do everything within its power to prioritize the needs of survivors,” Senator Pérez said. “True accountability means ensuring that families whose homes were destroyed or contaminated by the fire are safely housed and supported through the recovery process.”
A Call for Urgent Action
Both Senator Pérez and survivors are calling for Edison to provide urgent housing relief, which they argue is both a moral and corporate obligation. Joy Chen emphasized the urgency, warning that without intervention, more than half of the displaced survivors will lose housing coverage in the coming months, forcing families to make impossible choices between paying for housing and other essential needs, such as food, medicine, and mental health care.
“We’re grateful to Senator Pérez for leading the fight to keep our families housed this winter,” Chen added.
Senator Pérez has also spearheaded successful legislation this session aimed at assisting Eaton Fire survivors and improving California’s resilience to future natural disasters.
The calls for immediate housing relief come as the state grapples with the ongoing recovery from the Eaton Fire and the broader challenges facing wildfire victims across California. Advocates are urging Edison International to act swiftly to fulfill its responsibility to fire survivors, whose lives remain upended by the disaster.
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