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  • Sbbruin
    Sbbruin

    OK so we’re good.  At the Dena (old Sheraton) in Pasadena.  The whole hotel is full of Altadenaeans and their animals.  Shit is fucking crazy.  We’ve got 2 cats and a dog in our room. Cats are out of

  • Sbbruin
    Sbbruin

    Neighborhood is devastated. Looks like our house will survive. But many friends and neighbors lost their homes. My kids elementary school is gone. Our country club is gone. Neighborhood will neve

  • So we scored, in a way.  We met with ServPro today, and our place is so much more trashed than we thought.  The outside air smells perfectly fine, but our house smells like a campfire.  He went around

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My wife (no pics) grew up in a small town in Georgia that had a chiropractor named Dr. McCracken.  I'm not sure he had many other career choices.

23 hours ago, SurlyGator said:

My wife (no pics) grew up in a small town in Georgia that had a chiropractor named Dr. McCracken.  I'm not sure he had many other career choices.

I knew an anesthesiologist named Dr Pillow.

On 2/1/2025 at 9:27 AM, SurlyGator said:

My wife (no pics) grew up in a small town in Georgia that had a chiropractor named Dr. McCracken.  I'm not sure he had many other career choices.

The goat is still unbeaten

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSSsy58nJirGdyN0pzzcnb

On 2/2/2025 at 8:52 AM, Fudge Nuggets said:

I knew an anesthesiologist named Dr Pillow.

I know an attorney named Mr. Justice. 

Pretty heartfelt Conan podcast on Sona, who has been with him for years, losing her house in Altadena.  And discussing what a great community Altadena was, and hopefully can be again.  And how the fires burned right up to the edge of Conan's house in the Palisades.

 

  • Popular Post

I finally have an appointment wit( our field adjuster tomorrow.  Word is the California Fair Plan is trying to deny smoke “cleaning” remediation vs smoke damage.  I read and negotiate contracts (commercial real estate) almost every day for the last 30 years.  I see nothing in the language delineating any difference between the 2.  If I get any pushback, I’m going to litigate even if it costs me more than the remediation.  Fuck all that.  I’m pissed off enough that it motivates me.  I don’t get angry (well I do inside), but it makes me want to get very serious.  And I have some very well placed friends in the legal field who will take this on for me pro bono.  Fuck insurance companies who don’t own up to their obligations.  I get that this is almost unprecedented, but too fucking bad.

1 hour ago, Sbbruin said:

I finally have an appointment wit( our field adjuster tomorrow.  Word is the California Fair Plan is trying to deny smoke “cleaning” remediation vs smoke damage.  I read and negotiate contracts (commercial real estate) almost every day for the last 30 years.  I see nothing in the language delineating any difference between the 2.  If I get any pushback, I’m going to litigate even if it costs me more than the remediation.  Fuck all that.  I’m pissed off enough that it motivates me.  I don’t get angry (well I do inside), but it makes me want to get very serious.  And I have some very well placed friends in the legal field who will take this on for me pro bono.  Fuck insurance companies who don’t own up to their obligations.  I get that this is almost unprecedented, but too fucking bad.

It's not business; it's personal.

Fuck'em.

Also, Hook'em.

On 2/1/2025 at 7:27 AM, SurlyGator said:

My wife (no pics) grew up in a small town in Georgia that had a chiropractor named Dr. McCracken.  I'm not sure he had many other career choices.

Was his first name Phil?

On 2/1/2025 at 9:27 AM, SurlyGator said:

My wife (no pics) grew up in a small town in Georgia that had a chiropractor named Dr. McCracken.  I'm not sure he had many other career choices.

Plumber?

8 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

I finally have an appointment wit( our field adjuster tomorrow.  Word is the California Fair Plan is trying to deny smoke “cleaning” remediation vs smoke damage.  I read and negotiate contracts (commercial real estate) almost every day for the last 30 years.  I see nothing in the language delineating any difference between the 2.  If I get any pushback, I’m going to litigate even if it costs me more than the remediation.  Fuck all that.  I’m pissed off enough that it motivates me.  I don’t get angry (well I do inside), but it makes me want to get very serious.  And I have some very well placed friends in the legal field who will take this on for me pro bono.  Fuck insurance companies who don’t own up to their obligations.  I get that this is almost unprecedented, but too fucking bad.

"Word is the California Fair Plan is trying to deny smoke “cleaning” remediation vs smoke damage."

If that is the legal position/issue, rest assured that you won't be the only one fighting that fight.  Let things settle out, and odds are there will be hundreds of folks like you making the same argument, and the cases can and will be consolidated and you and your lawyers won't have to do all the heavy lifting.  Now, the plaintiff firm that DOES take on that fight will want a piece of the action, so consider that.

28 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

"Word is the California Fair Plan is trying to deny smoke “cleaning” remediation vs smoke damage."

If that is the legal position/issue, rest assured that you won't be the only one fighting that fight.  Let things settle out, and odds are there will be hundreds of folks like you making the same argument, and the cases can and will be consolidated and you and your lawyers won't have to do all the heavy lifting.  Now, the plaintiff firm that DOES take on that fight will want a piece of the action, so consider that.

Every class action that I’ve been involved with has given me pennies. What is your experience?

3 minutes ago, Bevo said:

Every class action that I’ve been involved with has given me pennies. What is your experience?

This sort of thing is a different "class action."  And it may not even be a "class action."  It could just be that all of the cases are consolidated for resolution of a common legal question.  Not sure about California civil procedure though.

4 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

This sort of thing is a different "class action."  And it may not even be a "class action."  It could just be that all of the cases are consolidated for resolution of a common legal question.  Not sure about California civil procedure though.

California has a state procedure version of the MDL federal procedure. I believe they defined it as a “complex, civil action”, but it works like an MDL -with the case consolidated into a judicial council coordinated proceeding.(JCCP).  This allows for coordinated pre-trial discovery and motions and Bellwether trials.

Off the top of my head I think you guys have a two year SOL, so I agree with brisket that it is easy to get one of your buddies to file your claim and then sit around for years, waiting for some resolution.   

But the problem with mass resolutions of MDL type cases are that there are never or almost never any penalty damages awarded for bad faith.   While not a class action, the same issues of commonality and a typicality predominate.    Not every insurance policy has the exact same language, not every insurance policy was issued at the same time, not every claimant has the same damage facts, etc.

Trust me, there are enough plaintiff  lawyers out there right now figuring out who they can sue and what they can sue for.    But I would recommend getting legal council to make sure you don’t screw up some contractual duty, or otherwise prejudice your case before you get a chance to dig into the merits.   The most important reason to do that is so you don’t go crazy thinking about this stuff every day.   

I am not a California lawyer, but from now on, do not have a single communication with your insurer that is not in writing somehow.   And always make sure you have several estimates for the repair or other remediation work to submit timely.   Always give your insurer the opportunity to do the wrong thing, with that wrong thing being totally documented.

Good luck, buddy.

ps, I’m fairly positive that this ground has been plowed before, and the interpretation of those fire remediation language issues has been discussed in a lot of prior cases.  

14 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

I finally have an appointment wit( our field adjuster tomorrow.  Word is the California Fair Plan is trying to deny smoke “cleaning” remediation vs smoke damage.  I read and negotiate contracts (commercial real estate) almost every day for the last 30 years.  I see nothing in the language delineating any difference between the 2.  If I get any pushback, I’m going to litigate even if it costs me more than the remediation.  Fuck all that.  I’m pissed off enough that it motivates me.  I don’t get angry (well I do inside), but it makes me want to get very serious.  And I have some very well placed friends in the legal field who will take this on for me pro bono.  Fuck insurance companies who don’t own up to their obligations.  I get that this is almost unprecedented, but too fucking bad.

Sorry to hear that. We have Farmer's. Surprisingly easy with them. We had already paid a company about 4k to clean the whole house, and Farmer's cut us a check for 19k

Really excellent analysis of what started the Eaton fire. Poorly maintained electrical lines say HOLLA! 

 

 

Edited by Captainant

On 2/4/2025 at 11:32 PM, Sbbruin said:

I finally have an appointment wit( our field adjuster tomorrow.  Word is the California Fair Plan is trying to deny smoke “cleaning” remediation vs smoke damage.  I read and negotiate contracts (commercial real estate) almost every day for the last 30 years.  I see nothing in the language delineating any difference between the 2.  If I get any pushback, I’m going to litigate even if it costs me more than the remediation.  Fuck all that.  I’m pissed off enough that it motivates me.  I don’t get angry (well I do inside), but it makes me want to get very serious.  And I have some very well placed friends in the legal field who will take this on for me pro bono.  Fuck insurance companies who don’t own up to their obligations.  I get that this is almost unprecedented, but too fucking bad.

How'd it go with the aduster?

59 minutes ago, Chopper said:

How'd it go with the aduster?

All he did was take pictures and notes.  He prepares a report for the desk adjuster.  She’s who I’m going to have to battle with I guess.

it has been a while, but check if your policy has a pollution exclusion. I think that's the provision (and subsequent case law) usually involved. One thing about most insurance contract provisions is there is lots of case law, so you can actually get a pretty good idea of your likely success if it's just a matter of contract construction.

2 hours ago, Chopper said:

Context of this issue is the County is trying to push for the state to streamline rebuilding like-for-like by exempting the county from the new state upzoning/development laws - in other words, a NIMBY push to prevent multi-family development. 

 

5 minutes ago, We’reTexas said:

Context of this issue is the County is trying to push for the state to streamline rebuilding like-for-like by exempting the county from the new state upzoning/development laws - in other words, a NIMBY push to prevent multi-family development. 

 


What could go wrong?

Shit this storm coming in is looking like a dumper.  With our hillsides scraped clean of vegetation, this could spell trouble.  Not so much for me, but areas close by.  Please don’t heap more shit on us.  We’re tired and beaten.  We don’t need mudslides.  We really don’t.

of course

 

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Quote

 

When Rick Caruso launched Steadfast LA, his new nonprofit to rebuild LA after the fires, the billionaire developer of the Palisades Village mall made one major promise: speeding up construction. "We’re here to bypass red tape, drive real solutions, and act with the urgency this moment demands," Caruso wrote on February 5. "We've seen it before — bureaucratic gridlock, outdated processes, and endless delays hurting people who need help now."

But just two days after Caruso embarked upon a press tour touting his red-tape-slashing plan, his other LA mall sued the city to delay the construction of a major job center that could arguably help both the fire-ravaged economy and the struggling entertainment industry to recover — right next door.

 

the rest https://www.torched.la/rick-caruso-wants-la-to-build-faster-just-not-near-his-property/

 

 

Edited by Chopper

It’s been that way in real estate forever. No one wants anything new near them to ruin their life. Not just the rich.

3 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

It’s been that way in real estate forever. No one wants anything new near them to ruin their life. Not just the rich.

Of course.

But now we have real-deal oligarchs, who succeed in such endeavors 100% of the time, because no rules apply to them.

Rest assured, they will also be able to develop, and massively profit from, further construction in wildfire-prone areas.  They take their profits, leave, and then let the poor bastards who bought a home deal with the fallout a decade later.

Start the revolution…or don’t.

On 2/16/2025 at 3:42 PM, Brisketexan said:

Of course.

But now we have real-deal oligarchs, who succeed in such endeavors 100% of the time, because no rules apply to them.

Rest assured, they will also be able to develop, and massively profit from, further construction in wildfire-prone areas.  They take their profits, leave, and then let the poor bastards who bought a home deal with the fallout a decade later.

I bet 50% of the people you are describing are attorneys.

I had a tenant in one of my furnished rentals...a young dude that was/is an apprentice lineman in the IBEW.  


He stopped by to say hello recently. He had his first weekend off in a long time. He's been working the fire areas.  7 days a week 16 hours a day. Stacking some serious cash. 

 

18 hours ago, Bevo said:

I bet 50% of the people you are describing are attorneys.

Certainly a healthy number of them.  There is no shortage of mercenaries of all stripes and professions who have perfected the art of privatizing gains and socializing costs for massive profit and shareholder value.  It's the American way.

And dealing with such folks, as I sometimes have to do is.....frustrating.

7 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Certainly a healthy number of them.  There is no shortage of mercenaries of all stripes and professions who have perfected the art of privatizing gains and socializing costs for massive profit and shareholder value.  It's the American way.

And dealing with such folks, as I sometimes have to do is.....frustrating.


I shouldn’t single out attorneys - but it seems to happen a lot. I guess it is easier for them to fight cities, states, HOAs, and individuals.
 

Somehow an attorney in my neighborhood got a sports court addition approved by the HOA architectural committee and then doubled the size and blocked their neighbors’ views of the Balcones hills so they could only see the addition. I couldn’t even imagine what it would take to win a fight against Goodwin Management but the attorney was able to do it. 
 

Anyway, it seems to me that attorneys will be the first to be able to navigate the purchases, development and construction  in the wildfire-prone areas. And they will probably be the first to get their claims settled with the insurance companies. For most people, the hassle and expense of dealing with the regulations, government, and insurance will cause them to end up late to the game.

  • Popular Post

Well, we’re home. Finally.  But it’s a ghost town on our street.  Just 3 houses occupied.  I think we’ve done enough remediation to safely reoccupy, but some of our neighbors are being hyper neurotic.  But everyone has to make their own decisions.  We feel we’ve done what is needed to safely be home.  And it feels great to be here.  And the cats and dog are in heaven to be home.  They’ve been bounced around a lot and have weathered it.  But they’re home.  And so are we.  But Altadena is forever changed.  We shall see what rises from the ashes.  Altadena strong.  

Edited by Sbbruin

10 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

Well, we’re home. Finally.  But it’s a ghost town on our street.  Just 3 houses occupied.  I think we’ve done enough remediation to safely reoccupy, but some of our neighbors are being hyper neurotic.  But everyone has to make their own decisions.  We feel we’ve done what is needed to safely be home.  And it feels great to be here.  And the cats and dog are in heaven to be home.  They’ve been bounced around a lot and have weathered it.  But they’re home.  And so are we.  But Altadena is forever changed.  We shall see what rises from the ashes.  Altadena strong.  

Hang in there... it will be a long ass road but at least you're home.  When we moved back from Harvey, we were one of two occupied houses on our block... just us and our next-door neighbors.  It was surreal.  I think y'all have it worse than we could have ever imagined but look forward to hearing stories of recovery and rebirth.  

  • 2 weeks later...
6 hours ago, Helobious said:

Apparently a lot of the burned out plots of land are selling for more than anyone thought they would be. Are people seriously that stupid? 

https://www.wsj.com/real-estate/home-selling-season-starts-after-l-a-wildfiresand-there-is-demand-ade29d97

A survey of 100 California residents and the answer is:
1 - Oh hell yes they that stupid 46
2 - Damned right we is 22
3 - Bro, what was the question again  17
4 - Like, as if there is somewhere else, we totally will move back 15

I mean, it seems like a pretty safe investment. What are the odds of there being another big fire there anytime soon?

 

BTW winds in ATX tomorrow are s'posed to be gusting to 40.  Probably a good day for an outdoor BBQ or to get a head start on burning your trash & brush.

 

 

  • 1 month later...

A little spooky.  Went to move this Yeti which had been sitting in the backyard since the fires.  An ember apparently landed on it and burned through the lid.  Thank god it was the Yeti and not the roof.

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  • Popular Post

Went to our favorite Mexican restaurant tonight.  The only establishment open north of Medecino on Lake.  Have to support them.  The population of Altadena is probably 20% of pre fire.

 

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