The Oppenheim Group, a real estate brokerage owned by celebrity agent Jason Oppenheim, will waive fees for Los Angeles residents looking to find homes after they were displaced by the recent wildfires.
In an Instagram video posted Thursday, Oppenheim, 47, announced that they will be offering free representation for the victims of the LA wildfires.
"As real estate agents, we obviously have an obligation to help them find a place even when it's going to be difficult, with thousands of people looking for places and not nearly as many houses available," he said. "But the Oppenheim group is offering to represent anybody for free. We will help you find a place."
In addition to waiving the fees, Oppenheim also announced that they would credit back "any commission paid" to victims who have lost their homes and have been displaced in the fire.
Other Brokerages Offering Help
The Agency, a real estate company owned by Mauricio Umansky, is also discussing how to help displaced residents with his staff. In an Instagram story, Umansky said he called for an emergency meeting to advise their agents to "try to find housing."
Additionally, Umansky said they are now in contact with developers in hopes of determining whether their properties can be used at least for short-term leases for people in need of housing, as reported by Housing Wire.
What's the Latest News About the LA Wildfires?
The wildfires began on Tuesday and have been burning and spreading since then. Over 360,000 people have been placed under mandatory evacuation orders. More than 10,000 structures have been destroyed across Los Angeles County. Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to ash, particularly in the Altadena and Pacific Palisades areas.
As of Friday, the Lidia Fire is reported to be 75% contained, the Hurst Fire is 37% contained, and the Kenneth Fire is 35% contained. That said, the two most destructive fires---Eaton and Palisades---are only 3% and 8% contained, per Yahoo News.
The fires have claimed at least 11 lives. However, the death toll could still rise as first responders gain access to more areas.
