LOS ANGELES, California — Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Scott Turner traveled to the Pacific Palisades on Wednesday evening to meet local residents and hear from them firsthand about their needs.
Despite the unusually cold weather and a persistent rain, residents and leaders of local faith communities met Secretary Turner outside Marquez Charter Elementary School, whose rainbow murals are all that survived the fire.
Tonight, I heard stories from broken residents, pastors, rabbis, and community leaders who have been left behind in the wake of the Palisades fires.
— Scott Turner (@SecretaryTurner) March 6, 2025
We’re here to help the people of L.A. and provide solutions. pic.twitter.com/32uA7tlIHt
Last night’s message from @HUDgov @SecretaryTurner to residents of Pacific Palisades: we are here to support and listen to you, and to help you rebuild after the #PalisadesFire. He saw conditions firsthand, and heard from residents about what they need to rebuild. pic.twitter.com/JUyuD7wkz9
— Joel Pollak (@joelpollak) March 6, 2025
“I wanted you to know that from the Trump administration, and particularly from HUD and our team, that we’re here for you, to support you, and to learn how we can come alongside of you, the community, churches, families, businesses, in this time — and it’s a devastating time for our country, and for you individually.
“But I wanted you to know that I’m here, and I’m willing and able to help and to serve.”
Turner heard from residents with a variety of experiences of the Palisades Fire: those who lost their homes; those who lost both their insurance and their homes; and those whose homes were still standing, and who are trying to return.
In downtown Los Angeles, Secretary Turner also toured the Dream Center, a faith-driven shelter for the homeless.
.@SecretaryTurner visited @LADreamCenter to see a successful faith based model for battling homelessness in Los Angeles.
— Elex Michaelson (@Elex_Michaelson) March 6, 2025
The new @HUDgov Secretary is a pastor who has talked about the benefits of faith driven approaches. pic.twitter.com/WVWnWD6opi
Secretary Turner is planning to tour the community of Altadena on Thursday, where he will meet with victims of the Eaton Fire, which also began January 7 and destroyed thousands of homes, including an historic black community.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days, available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency, now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
