Disaster recovery experts say it’s usually people of more modest means who hit a wall in the rebuilding process and end up selling their lots to developers and high-income individuals who build pricier homes. In the process, fire victims can see their wealth stripped if they sell too low, especially if they were underinsured. Nicole Lambrou, assistant professor of urban and regional planning, says policies that limit absentee homeownership could blunt gentrification.

This article was originally published by the Los Angeles Times on March 12, 2025