Nonprofit creates home design catalog to help Eaton Fire survivors rebuild

A group of residents and design professionals has created a home catalog for Eaton Fire survivors, offering pre-approved home design plans to save costs and speed up rebuilding.

The Foothill Catalog Foundation created a "21st-century Sears Catalog for fire recovery." The concept mimics home kit programs offered by Sears, Roebuck & Co between 1908 and 1942, where home styles could be selected with the parts shipped and then built by a contractor or the homeowner.

Cynthia Sigler, Foothill Catalogue Foundation co-founder and Alta Dena resident. said this felt like a good time to revive the concept. "The whole ethos of the catalog is that it makes good architecture, well-built homes, attainable and available for the masses," she said.    

Home designs are pre-approved by Los Angeles County and are a mix of the local character and heritage with "The Lewis," a craftsman bungalow, "Casita Balance," a Spanish Revival cottage, "The Palm," a mid-century ranch home, and more.

Resident Denise Hamilton's home of nearly 30 years burned down during the Eaton Fire, and now she says she feels hope with the design catalog. "This is what I need," she said. "I don't know how to hire an architect, I don't know what matters, I don't know how to vet them. And then I looked at what people were saying about the costs, and I thought,  I don't know if I'm going to be able to rebuild."  

She said she's going with a Spanish-style design plan. "It's been so heavy. Everything, just so heavy."

Sigler said the standard set of plans helps with costs because builders know exactly what they are going to build. 

Construction costs of the catalog design homes are estimated by the foundation to be 40 to 60% less than a regular custom-designed home, with a construction timeline estimated to take eight to 12 months. The bidding and construction timeline for a regular custom-designed home was estimated by the foundation to take one to three years. 

The catalog has launched with designs of smaller homes but will soon expand to larger homes, with 50 plans anticipated to be available over the next year. 

The Eaton Fire destroyed over 4,000 homes, primarily in the Alta Dena neighborhood, and many residents remain displaced.