Caruso-backed nonprofit partners with builder to give prefab homes to fire victims

Can prefab homes accelerate the rebuilding of Altadena and Pacific Palisades?

The new foundation launched by Rick Caruso is hoping it will, announcing on Wednesday a $15-million pledge from an Airbnb co-founder to provide nearly 100 prefabricated homes in communities ravaged by wildfire.

The donation from Joe Gebbia, who is also a member of Tesla’s board, will underwrite the distribution of factory-made homes built by Samara, another company Gebbia co-founded. Samara’s models range from studios to two-bedroom units up to 950 square feet.

“In addition to people getting back into their home quickly, this gives everybody hope who’s a victim that change is coming,” Caruso told The Times in an interview.

The partnership between Caruso’s nonprofit, Steadfast L.A., and Samara will provide free homes to those with low to moderate incomes who are uninsured, underinsured or elderly and otherwise lack the money to rebuild. Gebbia reached out this month and offered to give several million dollars.

“Obviously, that caught my attention,” Caruso said of the significant gift. Under the deal, Steadfast will raise an additional $15 million to match Gebbia’s gift, to yield $30 million for 80 to 100 homes.

The program also aims to quickly provide housing with a footprint similar to what once stood in the Palisades or Altadena. Caruso said about 600 of the homes that burned down in Altadena were about 1,000 square feet or less.

Those selected for the program will receive a factory-built home with a metal roof, double-pane windows, a fire-resistant design and an HVAC system. Samara will also help install the structure permanently.

Mike McNamara, chief executive and co-founder of Samara, said his team will determine how and where to place the house, grade the soil and potentially install a foundation and a driveway or garage. While the lot undergoes grading and engineering work, including setting up hookups to water, sewer and electric utilities, Samara will build the home at its factory in Mexicali, Mexico, about six miles from the California border.

“We do the lot prep while the home is being built off-site,” McNamara said. “And what we’ll do is truck it in on the back of a semi, pick it up with a crane, lift it onto the site and install it literally in a couple of days.”

Inside a Samara home.

(Samara)

McNamara said the factory’s distance will benefit the rebuilding process, since Samara won’t have to compete against L.A.’s labor market or supply chain for materials.

“We will build with a completely different supply chain,” he said. “Our costs aren’t going to escalate. Our timelines aren’t going to push out.”

According to McNamara, Samara’s two-bedroom model costs around $250,000, with additional prep and permitting work costing an additional $250,000. He and Caruso hope that by waiving permitting fees and other measures, local governments can trim the price tag.

“I’d like to be able to build this up to 1,000 homes and different providers of manufactured homes — this is just the beginning,” Caruso said.

Steadfast is still establishing a process to verify eligible homeowners, Caruso said. An independent organization — yet to be announced — will determine financial need and other qualifications, but interested homeowners can submit information on Steadfast’s website to learn more.