By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
Casa Gateway—a residential complex for seniors and families in the Highlands—reopened following the completion of remediation work after receiving smoke damage in the Palisades fire and being impacted by following mudslides.
Leaders from local organizations, including Community Organized Relief Effort, California Community Foundation, Department of Angels, Change Reaction, All Hands & Hearts, National Day Laborer Organizing Network, joined Mayor Karen Bass to celebrate the reopening on September 29.
“Casa Gateway shows that when government, philanthropy and community solve problems together, we can move nimbly to meet needs swiftly at a critical time,” said Miguel Santana, president and CEO of California Community Foundation. “This is about much more than repairing fire damage—it’s about restoring dignity, stability and confidence to those who’ve been through so much since the Palisades fire.”
CORE and its partners, which included Change Reaction, NDLON, All Hands & Hearts and Department of Angels, remediated affected units, according to a statement from Bass’ office, removing and replacing attic insulation, replacing interior hallway flooring, and painting interior hallways and community spaces.
“The city’s Emergency Management Department and the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Partnerships worked to secure funding to facilitate six inches of mud removal caused by wet weather earlier this year, irrigation repairs, and external wall and tile replacement to complete the work to restore Casa Gateway,” the statement continued.
Casa Gateway has been managed by Lordon Management company since October 2024, according to CORE Vice President, Communications & Marketing, Jaya Vadlamudi.
“They reached out to the city to request assistance for remediation,” Vadlamudi said, “and they also were very helpful in getting the CORE team connected to residents to get signed up for remediation.”
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