BET, NAACP and WME Launch Altadena Community Preservation Fund for Black Neighborhoods’ Wildfire Recovery

As Los Angeles wildfire recovery initiatives continue to forge ahead, BET Media Group, NAACP, WME and L.A. law firm Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole (JSSK) have partnered to launch the Altadena Community Preservation Fund, the orgs announced Thursday.

In collaboration with local community organizations like Community Aid Dena, Altadena Heritage and WalkGood LA, the preservation fund will support rehabilitation and rebuilding efforts for the historically Black neighborhoods of Altadena impacted by the Eaton Fire.

Targeting what the fund categorized as “immediate needs” of the community, the org will provide direct financial assistance to efforts such as temporary housing, independent adjusters, legal fees and administrative costs, all to ensure Altadena’s community and homeownership remain intact for future generations. In order to empower recipients of the fund, this aid will come by way of direct cash assistance in the form of bridge grants.

The fund will prioritize assistance for homeowners within historically Black neighborhoods of Altadena, as defined by census tracts, who fit the following criteria:

• Homeowners who are uninsured or underinsured, including those on the California FAIR Plan
• Homeowners with limited net wealth as determined by L.A. County means testing parameters
• Multi-generational households with higher financial strains due to shared housing and caregiving responsibilities
• Senior (65+) Altadena homeowners who are not in the workforce

Additionally, the NAACP will stimulate the local community on the ground by hosting town hall meetings and creating dedicated spaces for potential recipients to connect with fund officials.

“For generations, Altadena served as a refuge for Black Americans looking to escape the Jim Crow South and the discriminatory land ownership practices pervasive in so many other communities in California. As such, it became a haven for Black families and an exemplar of the power of generational wealth in the Black community,” Scott Mills, president and CEO of BET Media Group, said in a statement. “At BET, we are committed to coming to the aid of our communities when they need us most. The Altadena Community Preservation Fund is about more than just recovery — it’s about empowering families, preserving history and ensuring that this vibrant community continues to thrive for generations to come.”

“The NAACP has proudly stood by our community in the face of uncertainty, and the tragedies from the California wildfires are no exception. Altadena — a city rich in Black history and homeownership — deserves hope and an unwavering commitment to restoration,” Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO, said. “The unimaginable devastation has stripped generations of Black families of not just their homes, but the sanctuaries and pillars of generational wealth they built. Entire communities are facing overwhelming loss, and we remain steadfast in our pledge to the rebuilding process. Through this coalition of partners and organizations, we are dedicated to providing the critical resources needed to help families reclaim and rebuild what was lost.”

“This fund was built to assist in safeguarding generational wealth for the multiethnic and socioeconomically diverse community that calls Altadena home,” Romola Ratnam, SVP and Head of Impact and Inclusion at Endeavor, said. “WME is proud to be rallying our network and committing resources to ensure that direct relief for Altadena residents is a priority for the entertainment community across Los Angeles.”

The Eaton Fire first broke out in East L.A. on Jan. 7 and remained ablaze for 24 days for being contained, burning through an estimated 14,000 acres. One of the most destructive fires in L.A. history, the Eaton Fire damaged or destroyed over 10,000 homes and structures and killed 17.

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