Los Angeles wildfires

The Benns stick together after the wildfires

The Benns are a fixture of Altadena, California, where they’re known as the music family. Laurie and Oscar’s seven children grew up singing at local school, church, and community events and continue to perform together to this day.The Benns have lived in Altadena since the 1950s and were one of the first Black families to purchase homes in the area. The children grew up down the street from their grandmother and aunts and uncles. They picked fruit from their backyard.

A mom with red hair stands holding her baby in a grassy yard with another woman on a clear day.

“We were incredibly lucky to have grown up in a community like that, with families that are just like ours who were able to find value in homeownership, and that generations were a part of it,” said Loren Benn, the eldest of Laurie and Oscar’s children.

“Losing a home is one thing. Feeling like you've lost a bit of legacy is another.”

When the Eaton fire swept through Altadena, it took Loren’s parent’s home, her grandmother’s home, and her brother’s home. “Losing a home is one thing. Feeling like you've lost a bit of legacy is another,” Loren said.

A woman wearing a tan coat and a face mask stands among the ruins of a burned home on a clear day with views of mountains.

The Benn’s lost the home where they raised seven children and several other residences in the neighborhood.

When the Benns evacuated, they thought they’d return in a few days. Oscar was on oxygen and they were being extra cautious to avoid the smoke. It soon became clear they weren’t going home, and Loren applied for emergency housing through Airbnb.org and 211 LA. Eleven Benns, including Oscar and Laurie’s three grandchildren, stayed for free in an Airbnb for a little over a month while they figured out what to do next.

A girl wearing pink sunglasses smiles subtly sitting on a chair in a grassy yard under blue skies.

Staying together was crucial for the Benns, who are used to sharing space and supporting each other in their daily lives. “When we got here, it gave us a sense of normalcy,” said Laurie. One night they made spaghetti. It was the first time they’d had a home-cooked meal since losing their homes. The youngest grandson took some of his first steps in the home.

“We know that it won’t be the same, but our hope is that the community will stay put and ride this thing out with us.”

Three men lean close together and look straight ahead, the middle one wearing an oxygen mask.

During their Airbnb.org stay, the Benns found long-term housing for the next year. They plan to return to Altadena and rebuild not just their homes, but the way of life they’ve always known.