Where Will They Live Now?
In the fall of 2020, the Alameda Fire burned over 600 homes and displaced an estimated 42,000 people — including 2,500 trailers, apartments and homes in Phoenix and neighboring Talent. There was already a housing crisis there before the pandemic, but not fires burned most of the low income housing for many families and essential workers. Of the communities, Latinos were hit hardest and were forced to live doubled up with friends and family, in churches, motel rooms, vehicles, or on the streets. The unhoused communities were pushed out of their homes in the parks and are now living in more dangerous locations. Families on the climb out of homelessness have been knocked back into increased housing waitlists.
These portraits document a few of the many impacted by the fire.
Video by Rachel Bujalski
Ramon
Ramon and the birds survived the fire.
The fire burned the full row of his neighbor’s homes, his family’s shed, and his sister’s car. Ramon told me even though his home was still there — the hardest thing is that his neighbors weren’t. November 23, 2020. Medford, Oregon
Heather
A portrait of Heather at her new house she was lucky to find after her old home and nail salon was burned down in the Alameda Fire last year. Heather is just scraping by on unemployment to keep her rental until (and if) she can find a new job.
Robert
Robert and his son Paul are living in a hotel room after their home burned down. Paul is an elementary school at Helman Elementary School and is doing Zoom classes our of the hotel room with father’s supervision and guidance. On November 23, 2020 Robert was charged with murder after pulling a gun on another hotel resident who “was playing music too loud” in the parking lot and killed him. Robert is now in jail and Paul is living with his grandparents.
Jackson Wellsprings
A trailer community in Ashland, Oregon.