R
eal estate professionals and their clients have been among the tens of thousands displaced by the deadly Los Angeles wildfires. Many have lost everything, prompting a response from the real estate community to provide aid and temporary housing. "The immediate, intermediate, and long-term effects of this disaster are staggering," says Tamara Suminski, broker and co-owner of the Beach Real Estate Group in Manhattan Beach, California. "We're already facing a housing shortage, and now we have thousands of people who need a place to live."

    Real estate pros are finding short-term housing or spare rooms for those displaced, sometimes even offering up their own homes. They're also packing hygiene kits and supplies for victims, raising money, and disseminating disaster relief information on social media. The REALTORS Relief Foundation is accepting donations that will go directly to families impacted by the wildfires.

    Real estate pro Tisha Janigian has led a quick response through her nonprofit, SHE IS HOPE LA, to coordinate collection drives and deliver supplies to victims in the Los Angeles wildfires. "We're trying to get people the information they need to move forward," she says. Her organization is helping single mothers rebuild their lives, and now it's focusing on providing aid to wildfire victims.

    The California Association of REALTORS has been collecting financial donations to provide grants and housing assistance to affected members and staff. Keller Williams Realty agents in the Los Angeles area have lost their homes, and the brokerage is working to help find temporary housing for displaced agents and using its Adopt-a-Agent program to match affected agents with those from unaffected regions.

    Real estate agent Alexandra Pfeifer, who lost her home in the wildfires, says that even small gestures of kindness can make a big difference. "The little things matter," she says. "A text or phone call can help lift our spirits." Many real estate agents who were spared losses are now helping others who weren't as lucky, and they're urging others to donate and support those affected by the disaster.

    As Janigian continues to deliver supplies and aid to wildfire victims, she remains committed to helping those in need. "We may be small, but we can be mighty," she says.