A Vacation Home Company Is Offering Free Stays To People Displaced By Wildfires

In the wake of the wildfires that have devastated Los Angeles, one of America's best tourism cities, people and businesses have stepped up to help affected residents in so many ways. Clothing donations and household supplies are overflowing at local community centers, money has poured into victims' GoFundMe pages from around the globe, and hotels have offered free stays to displaced Angelenos as they begin to repair and rebuild their homes. People have even donated their extra airline miles and offered generous free stays at their vacation homes through the home sharing company, Pacaso.

Similar to a time-share company, Pacaso is a real estate service with a portfolio of luxury single-family homes that allows up to eight buyers to purchase a share of a home, giving them an opportunity to acquire a second home at a much lower cost than they would if they were sole owners. Recently, Pacaso has set up a program through which owners can open their homes to people who have lost their dwellings or are in an active evacuation zone. Pacaso Co-founder and CEO Austin Allison said on his LinkedIn page, "At Pacaso, we believe in the strength of community. That's why we are stepping in to offer temporary housing to as many people as we can who were displaced by these fires." Each temporary stay includes essential supplies like toiletries and filtered water, and the company is waiving all fees for wildfire victims to minimize any out-of-pocket costs. 

To learn more about available homes, email Pacaso at donations@pacaso.com. One thing to know about the program is that most of the donated homes are not in LA but in other parts of California (e.g., Palm Springs and Lake Tahoe) or even out-of-state. While this could pose logistical difficulties for those who need to remain close by to oversee repairs on their damaged houses, others may welcome the opportunity to escape the city to relax and breathe some cleaner air for a while. If temporarily leaving LA is not an option and Pacaso has no more local properties available through their wildfire relief program, displaced residents can research free or discounted LA hotel rooms at a special page maintained by Discover Los Angeles.  

Angelenos who end up having to pay out-of-pocket for their hotel or temporary apartment stays should know that their homeowner's or renter's insurance should cover a portion of these living expenses, which are referred to as additional living expenses (ALEs) in the insurance industry. To expedite payouts and reimbursements for any ALEs, it's important to file a claim with your insurance company as soon as you can after becoming displaced. In addition, be sure to maintain accurate records and receipts of all expenses while you're living away from your damaged home, as these may be necessary to obtain reimbursements.