Helen Montanez has lived in Altadena for more than 60 years. It’s where she raised seven kids, tended gardens and planted trees, including a 60-foot oak tree that she watched grow alongside her family.
When the Eaton Fire struck Altadena, it took her home and all sense of normalcy, but not the tree — a sign that she would make it through.
“Altadena has always felt like community, so I knew I wanted to stay if I could,” said Montanez. “When I saw the tree, I just felt so many emotions.”
While Montanez knew she wanted to rebuild, she wasn't sure how. Then, one of her granddaughters helped guide her through San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity’s application process, handling the paperwork and logistics needed to move the project forward.
Now, with help from the nonprofit and funding from Edison International, Montanez’s home is in the process of being rebuilt.
SCE team members contibuted to the hundreds of hours of volunteering it took to help rebuild the Montanez family home.
Edison International contributed $5 million to the nonprofit’s revolving loan fund, which helps homeowners bridge the gap between available funds and the actual cost of construction with zero-interest loans. Unlike a traditional one-time grant, this is designed so that as homeowners repay those loans, the funds can be used again to help additional families rebuild.
“Families should have a clear path to rebuilding and shouldn’t have to wait years because funding arrives in pieces,” said Aja Clarke, Edison International director of Corporate Relations and Philanthropy. “By supporting SGV Habitat’s revolving loan fund, we’re helping families like the Montanezes begin rebuilding sooner so they can remain in the community they call home.”
SGV Habitat teams are coordinating the permitting, materials and construction work that would otherwise take years for a family to navigate on their own. About six months into construction, the Montanez rebuild is taking shape and beginning to feel like a home again.
“This household spans four generations,” said Bryan Wong, SGV Habitat’s CEO. “Without our assistance and the support of partners like Edison International, they were forced to consider whether they would need to sell the property to survive. We’re here to make sure families are not put in that position and can return home more quickly.”
Helen Montanez (front), her granddaughter and her son have put in rebuild hours alongside volunteers during their home's construction process.
The new 1,260-square-foot home and accessory dwelling unit will once again allow multiple generations of Montanez’s family to live together. Her daughter plans to move in, and the ADU will be home to her granddaughter and great-granddaughter. The home is expected to be completed later this year.
“This is my childhood home,” said Montanez’s son, Albert, who has been on site every weekend during the build. “It’s a true blessing to see all the volunteers and SGV Habitat team members come together so my family can continue to live here and raise the next generation in the same place where I grew up.”
Hundreds of volunteers from SGV Habitat and Southern California Edison have dedicated thousands of hours to the rebuild. SGV Habitat is dedicated to building at least 25 homes in Altadena and completing 12 home preservation and repair projects this year to help families return home more quickly. Nearby, another one of those projects is taking shape — a neighbor's home is being rebuilt, and the new roof has already been installed.
The 60-foot tree was the only thing left standing after the Eaton Fire destroyed the Montanez home.
For Montanez, seeing her home take shape again still feels hard to believe.
“I never dreamed this would happen,” she said. “I can’t wait to be home and wake up in my own bed.”
For more information on Edison International’s commitment to giving back, visit edison.com/community.
