Watch Community Call #1 with Guest Craig Forrest

This is the first in a new video series called Team Palisades Community Call, hosted by Community Lead Jenny Weigle-Bonds on July 16th. The featured guest is Craig Forrest, a longtime Palisades resident who lost his home in the January 2025 megafire and has since made extraordinary progress navigating the rebuild process on his El Medio Bluffs home.

Craig shares his personal journey from devastation to decisive action—covering how he approached the earliest steps, including:

• Communicating with neighbors and gathering reliable contractor referrals

• Creating a fast, functional plan for permitting and design Choosing an architect and builder with rebuild experience

• Managing emotional overwhelm while pushing forward with practical steps

• Setting clear priorities around resilience and cost control

• Craig offers specific insights into how he:

• Dealt with insurance adjusters and supplemental claims

• Used digital tools and templates to stay organized

• Worked closely with the city to expedite reviews

• Structured his timeline realistically while allowing flexibility

Jenny also frames the broader recovery effort, introducing Team Palisades’ structure and her dual role as staff member and neighborhood volunteer block captain and neighborhood rep. She emphasizes the importance of neighbor-to-neighbor knowledge sharing, emotional support, and collective morale during recovery.

Audience members were invited to ask questions via chat, and the Q&A addressed common concerns around:

• How to prepare documents for plan check

• Whether to use rebuild specialists or general contractors

• Lessons learned from others already deep in the rebuild

• Mental and logistical strategies to avoid burnout

This first Team Palisades Community Call offers not just tactical advice, but inspiration and grounded reassurance.

It’s an example of the kind of community connection and trusted leadership that Team Palisades is working to fos