$15 million new launching gift from Lifestyles Magazine/Meaningful Influence cover subject Joe Gebbia to help fire victims
A nonprofit founded by businessman and philanthropist Rick Caruso is teaming up with Samara, a startup led by Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, to provide dozens of prefabricated, fire-resistant homes at no cost to low-income residents displaced by recent wildfires in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades.
The initiative is the first for Caruso’s newly launched Steadfast LA and is backed by a $15 million pledge from Gebbia.
His company, Samara, will build, install, and handle permitting for the factory-built homes. Gebbia has committed an initial $5 million donation and will match up to $10 million in additional contributions.
Caruso, chairman of Steadfast LA, emphasized the goal of keeping communities intact. “Many of these families have lived here for decades and now have lost everything. We’re providing them a way to rebuild their lives when the odds are stacked against them.”
Samara’s homes, ranging from 420-square-foot studios to 950-square-foot two-bedrooms, feature fire-resistant materials, dual-pane windows, and advanced air filtration. The largest unit costs about $261,000, with installation and permitting nearly doubling the total expense.
Steadfast and Samara aim to build at least 50 homes, potentially expanding to 100 if donations and fee waivers from Los Angeles city and county materialize. The county is currently evaluating waiving fees to accelerate rebuilding efforts.
Samara, which pre-certifies its homes in California, anticipates a streamlined approval process, cutting on-site installation to just a few weeks. The company manufactures the homes in Mexico and ships them fully inspected for quick assembly.As Airbnb co-founder, Joe Gebbia has dedicated hundreds of millions toward philanthropy, focusing on homelessness, refugee support, and education.
- $25 million to Texas-based The Giving Pledge, supporting homelessness prevention.
- $25 million to The Gates Foundation’s initiative to reduce homelessness across the U.S.
- Significant funding for refugee housing, including Airbnb.org’s program to shelter displaced people worldwide.
- $300 million donation to his alma mater, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), the most significant gift in its history, funding scholarships, campus diversity, and arts programs.
Through Steadfast LA and Samara, Caruso and Gebbia tackle California’s housing crisis by providing disaster relief and long-term housing solutions.
Steadfast LA will announce the organization managing the initiative in the coming weeks. Homeowners interested in the program can learn more on Steadfast’s website, with eligibility based on financial need.