Edythe Carter, center, and her husband (far right) move into their temporary housing secured by Greenline Housing Foundation and CivicSoul. Jasmin Shupur is pictured far left, Caitlin Stamos, second from left; and Leah Fredkin, second from right.
Pasadena Community Foundation’s Eaton Fire Relief & Recovery Fund has directed $625,000 to two organizations – CivicSoul and Greenline Housing Foundation – that are employing creative strategies to secure interim and longer-term housing options for residents impacted by the disaster.
CivicSoul, co-founded in 2024 by Leah Fredkin and Caitlin Stamos, brings people together to give back and connect with the communities they serve. Its LA Eaton Fire Rebuild Initiative is a collective effort to help displaced families rebuild with dignity, stability, and confidence.
Greenline Housing Foundation is a nonprofit that has been serving Altadena homebuyers for years – well before the Eaton Fire – to reverse the effects of systemic racism in housing. Founder and President Jasmin Shupur has deep knowledge of the community, its history, the residents, and how to access resources as they relate to the housing sector.
A potent partnership to secure stable housing
Following a disaster like the Eaton Fire, there are myriad reasons why homeowners and renters alike might not be prepared to find interim housing and undertake the cost of monthly rent, especially in the very expensive Greater LA market. Yet they need that stable housing while they wait to return to the area. In some cases, those who face the inevitable financial pressures will make the difficult decision to sell. CivicSoul and Greenline Housing Foundation are finding ways to address these complex issues.
CivicSoul found locations that could accept new tenants, including a newly developed complex in Glendale that has nearly 100 units available. Greenline Housing Founation stepped in to leverage its assets and income to secure a master lease, which helped applicants get accepted with lower qualifications.
With a $125,000 Eaton Fire Fund grant from PCF, CivicSoul was able to pay first-month rent and security deposits for 13 families; the organization has enough PCF funding to assist seven additional families. CivicSoul has partnered with Reach Out WorldWide and DenaMadre Strong to provide the new residents with bedding, kitchenware, and other items to make their new spaces feel like home. The organization has also provided emergency hotel assistance to 11 individuals and hosted a well-attended resource fair for Eaton Fire survivors on March 1. Greenline Housing has also deployed $192,000 of its funds to secure stable housing options.
“We have over 160 applicants for housing assistance, and we could not make a dent in the list without the support of the Pasadena Community Foundation,” says Caitlin Stamos of CivicSoul. “This initiative is not merely about temporary housing — it is a transformative approach to rebuilding stronger, more resilient individuals and, in turn, a more resilient community. We believe that stable housing is just the first step; true recovery requires emotional, financial, and structural support to empower families to regain confidence and rebuild their lives with dignity.”
Keeping Altadena in Trustworthy Hands
Greenline Housing Foundation’s Jasmin Shupur knows that recovery for Black residents will be difficult because of historical systemic inequities and lack of access to resources. Altadena is a uniquely diverse place where eight out of 10 Black residents are homeowners – almost double the national Black homeownership rate. These legacy homeowners hold homes and property that have been passed down over generations – something not easily replaced.
PCF, in partnership with nonprofits like Greenline Housing Foundation and CivicSoul, values long-term strategies to help people remain on their properties. However, as some homeowners find themselves in the unfortunate financial position of having to sell their properties, Greenline Housing Foundation is working on a land-banking initiative that allows homeowners to avoid selling to private investors or corporate landlords. The organization received $500,000 from PCF’s Eaton Fire Fund to purchase its first post-Eaton Fire parcel of land. As the land trust grows, homeowners have the option of selling to a mission-friendly entity that will hold the land for those who have or want roots in Altadena. When the time is right, Greenline Housing’s parcels can be developed or sold as is to first-time homebuyers or family members of those who have lived in Altadena for decades. “We want to ensure that this rebuild is community-centered and retains the rich identity of the area,” says Shupur.
Read more about the inspiring work of CivicSoul and Greenline Housing Foundation.