Six months after the Eaton Fire tore through Altadena, California, destroying thousands of homes and structures, one family that lost a total of nine homes in the fire remains displaced and separated for the first time.
Members of the extended Jenkins family all lived within a 2-mile radius of each other in Altadena for generations. Now, family members are scattered throughout California as they try to rebuild their lives in Altadena.
"We're not going anywhere. Everybody in our family is rebuilding," Ed Broussard told ABC News in an interview that aired Monday on "Good Morning America." "This is what we know is home."
Four sisters in the Jenkins family each lost their homes. One of the sisters, Paula Kimberling, has made progress as one of the first and few homeowners in the area to be ready to break ground to rebuild, with the permit process complete.
"I'm prepared for the new build and I'm ready to come back," Kimberling told ABC News.
Another family member, Marcus Betts, has faced additional challenges in trying to rebuild, as the stress of the recovery process, including the insurance and permit processes, has taken a toll on his mental health, he said.
"Here we are almost six months later and, you know, sleeping is still a challenge because of all the deadlines," Betts said. "They're now requiring you to submit an itemized list with pricing, which is nearly impossible in a home that's been owned for over 40, 50 years. It's like ... it's almost torturous."
Betts said his family has stayed strong by sticking together and has learned "by trial and error" how to move forward, a familiar feeling for many residents of Altadena.
83-year-old man who lost home in Eaton Fire reacts to outpouring of support, nearly $1M in donationsThe historic area of Altadena, one of the first areas in the U.S. where Black and brown people were allowed to buy real estate, is one of the many communities completely leveled by the devastating Los Angeles area wildfires that began in early January.
Over a span of 24 days, the Eaton Fire that destroyed Altadena spread across 14,000 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. More than 9,000 structures were destroyed and 18 people died.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Before the wildfires, Altadena was home to about 42,000 and known for its picturesque landscape in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.
Six months since the Eaton Fire struck Altadena, just over seven dozen rebuilding permits have been issued so far, county records show.
'We are so blessed': Family of 17 happy to be alive despite losing 4 homes in California firesLike the Jenkins family, members of the Wood family -- who have lived in the Altadena area for over 40 years -- are also choosing to stay in Altadena and rebuild. The Woods told ABC News they are doing so despite the obstacles they face, including a lack of adequate insurance money to rebuild.
"Having insurance is a good thing, but it's never enough money to cover actually rebuilding," said Jenine Wood.
Another family member, Ken Wood Sr., said he felt assured at first because he had insurance coverage, but he has faced time-consuming challenges along the way.
"'Don't worry, it burned down, we got insurance,'" he said of his initial reaction. "But then, when it happened, what it is you have to see this person and that person and that person."
With many Altadena residents facing challenges, some nonprofit organizations have stepped into help, including the Rotary Club of Altadena, which has established a fund to "provide support for immediate and long-term relief efforts through disaster response grants," according to its website.
The Foothill Catalog Foundation, a California-based nonprofit public benefit corporation that is building pre-approved home plans to help families -- including the Wood family -- move back into homes faster.
"As everyone's trying to become an insurance expert, a legal expert, and a building expert, the Foothill Catalog is trying to make that as easy as possible for as many homeowners as we can," said Alex Athenson, the foundation's president and an architect and urban designer, adding, "We can give homeowners a head start and get them as close as possible to rebuilding and construction as we can."
Cynthia Sigler, a Pasadena-based licensed architect who also works with the Foothill Catalog Foundation, said the foundation is working to expedite homeowners through the permitting process.
"Permitting is typically a very long and arduous process," Sigler said. "So being able to have this pre-approval process, which was created specifically for this disaster recovery effort, really gets people that much further in the process."
In Altadena, the Foothill Catalog Foundation is partnering with Habitat for Humanity to build back homes.
"We wanted to make sure from day one we have a house like this that was representative of what the community has always been," said Bryan Wong, CEO of San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity.