Families Unite to Rebuild Their Homes Lost in Fires

Brookfield Residential joins property owners to accelerate rebuilding options.

'Builders Alliance,' co-founded by Brookfield Residential, links Palisades and Altadena homeowners on the path to returning to their neighborhoods

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Seven Altadena families who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire have joined with Brookfield Residential to rebuild their homes with a coordinated approach that makes rebuilding more manageable and a new home attainable. By working together and choosing from sets of turnkey designs matched to their homesites, the families benefit from reduced costs and expedited construction time – including required City approvals – making them some of the first homes to return to Altadena. The homes begin trenching (excavating for foundations and utilities) in February of 2026, with completed rebuilds expected in fall, 2026. These homes will be among the first to return to the neighborhood, making a meaningful step in restoring the La Viña community of Altadena.

These seven families from this neighborhood join others soon to be working with Brookfield Residential – in both Altadena and Pacific Palisades – through the new and innovative Builders Alliance, a not-for-profit organization launched in response to the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton Fires. The 10 homebuilders of the Builders Alliance are dedicated to achieving significant time and cost savings and end-to-end project management, leveraging economies of scale and simplifying the process for families. The group just unveiled a first-of-its-kind, tech-enabled portal to support fire survivors' rebuilding efforts. The portal offers a robust library of homes up front, and filtered by specific lot, zoning, the owner's preferences and price range, making rebuilding do-able for as many homeowners as possible.

Brookfield Residential President and Chief Executive Officer Adrian Foley co-founded the Builders Alliance. He also co-conceived the Builders Alliance portal and is a leading member of the Alliance.

"We're proud to cooperate with the other founders of the Builders Alliance and to demonstrate how innovative technology can support families as they rebuild and regain stability," said Foley.  "As homebuilders, our resources and expertise are essential to this effort, and with that comes a responsibility to help." 

The seven Altadena families rebuilding with Brookfield Residential are all in La Viña, the gated neighborhood of approximately 272 homes Brookfield Residential built developed between 1997 and 2003. The Eaton Fire destroyed 52 La Viña homes. Rebuilding in close proximity also helps reduce construction costs.

The coordinated rebuilding efforts Brookfield Residential offers through the Builders Alliance are significant. Because of its size, Brookfield Residential can leverage efficiencies resulting in homes with an attainable price per square foot. Rebuilding together helps preserve the character and sense of connection that define La Viña.

Altadena Families Rebuilding

Among the Altadena homeowners rebuilding through Brookfield Residential is Kristin Bertell, who lost her La Viña home in the Eaton Fire.

"Almost immediately after the fires, the Brookfield Residential team reached out to help, including Adrian Foley, with members of their executive team," said Bertell. "What really resonated with me and with other members of our community was Adrian explaining this is not about making money but recognizing the company's commitment to La Viña.

"We are breaking ground in February of 2026 and expect to move-in in later in the year," said Bertell. There are many nuances of working with disaster recovery situations. Brookfield Residential has been very transparent every step along the way. They invited us to share our frustrations and explain the complicated process of rebuilding.

"We have followed the progress and frustrations of many other members of the Altadena community, and we are confident that we will move into our rebuilt home in the most cost and time-efficient way possible."

Digital Portal

Brookfield Residential has uploaded over 40 home designs to the digital portal, which covers both Altadena and Pacific Palisades. Homeowners can match their address to home choices that include pre-designed residences at costs equal to or below average insurance proceeds. This efficiency also significantly shortens the time needed to rebuild.

The no-charge Builders Alliance Portal is a digital representation of every residential parcel in the Palisades and Eaton Fire areas. Powered by Canibuild, a leading prop tech company, the portal uses available site and zoning information to show homeowners which home designs fit their lot, along with estimated costs and timelines. Property owners enter their address and can filter options by preferences such as square footage, bedrooms, bathrooms and price. Many builders offer pre-approved plans with low set costs and shortened timelines, while others specialize in fully custom homes. This vast database, combined with user-friendly navigation, allows homeowners to align rebuilding with their personal needs and the character of their neighborhood.

The phone number for inquiries to Brookfield Residential about building through the Builders Alliance is (855) 768-7578.

The Brookfield Residential Southern California team has the passion, the expertise and the local knowledge to craft homes and neighborhoods that speak to homebuyers at every stage of life. We are an award-winning homebuilder and industry leader with an exceptional reputation for quality, design, and customer service.  We're committed to being more than a homebuilder, we strive to create the best places to call home.

Brookfield Residential Properties Inc. is a leading land developer and homebuilder in North America. The company entitles and develops land to create master-planned communities, builds and sells lots to third-party builders, and conducts its own homebuilding operations, with participation in select strategic real estate opportunities includes infill projects, mixed-use developments, and joint ventures. As the flagship North American residential property company of Brookfield Corporation (NYSE: BN; TSX: BN), Brookfield Residential is committed to excellence in residential development.

The Builders Alliance consists of experienced, licensed homebuilders, ranging from small boutique firms to larger companies. They include ARCA, Brookfield Residential, Christopherson Builders, Empress Builders, Genesis Builders, Homebound, Metricon Homes, Richmond American Homes, Stonefield Restorations, Thomas James Homes and Woodside Homes. Homeowners who rebuild through the Builders Alliance work directly with the builder they choose. That builder will manage everything from permitting to construction using their teams and trade partners.  The Builders Alliance serves as a trusted and neutral provider of reliable information for homeowners seeking to rebuild, and does not share business interests with any of the participating builders. 

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SOURCE Brookfield Residential