I’m Martin Hak, and I started Palisades Rising out of a deep need I saw for neighbor-to-neighbor assistance after the January wildfires. My wife Monica and I have called the Palisades home for over a decade, raising our three children in Castellamare – a dream made possible with the help of Michael Edlen & The Edlen Team.
On January 7, we evacuated our kids from Marquez Elementary, and I returned to Castellamare the next morning not knowing if our home had survived. Rounding the bend on Porto Marina, I dropped to my knees in relief when I saw our roof still intact. The devastation around us was staggering: smoke in the air, spot fires still burning, and neighbors’ homes lost.
Firefighters had saved our home, but many others weren’t as fortunate. I was among the first residents back, interviewed by Channel 7 as I surveyed the damage.
In those first days, I connected with the Oxnard and Ventura Fire crews, working alongside the Oxnard Engine 68 crew to defend our section of the neighborhood-our only working hydrant was in front of our home. I became the messenger for friends, delivering news-sometimes joyful, sometimes heartbreaking-about the fate of their homes.
Staying in Castellamare with neighborhood hero Randy Stoklos, we tried to shut off water pouring from burned homes, often struggling with old, unworkable curbside water main shut-offs under mud and debris. Each sunrise brought a new sense of hope, as I walked to the top of the mesa and watched the light break through the ashes-reminding me of the resilience of this community.
That week, it became clear my new mission was to step away from my startup and focus entirely on helping my neighbors recover. Special thanks to Andrew Hires, Dana Golder and Lexi Plumer for helping me channel my efforts.
With my background in real estate finance, I joined forces with Peter Partain, founder of the Pali🔥Insurance & Legal WhatsApp groups, now almost 4,000 members strong. On February 8, Peter and I co-hosted a workshop for 200 fire victims in Century City, where residents could share insurance experiences and support each other through claims and the debris removal process. It was a huge success as Palisadians came together for the first time in a large group with the goals and hope of recovery and rebuilding.
Since then, I’ve worked closely with community leaders like Jessica Rogers (Pacific Palisades Residents Association), Lawrence Vein (Pali Strong), Maryam Zar (Palisades Recovery Coalition), and helped launch the Team Palisades block captain initiative, where I serve as Castellamare Neighborhood Rep. All these organizations-including PPCC, The American Legion, Circling The News, Three Homeless Guys, SteadfastLA, 1Pali-play vital roles in our recovery.
Why Start Another Initiative?
There is a critical need to support our elderly neighbors-many of whom are overwhelmed and grief-stricken-through the insurance and rebuilding process. In Castellamare alone, all four of my immediate neighbors are over 80 and facing immense challenges. Across the Palisades, more than 5,000 residents are retirees, and over 2,300 are 75 or older. Many, like my next-door neighbors, were dropped by State Farm just weeks before the fire and had to scramble for FAIR Plan coverage, only to find themselves underinsured and battling for smoke damage claims.
Palisades Rising exists to fill these gaps:
- Advocating for fair settlements and policy reforms
- Mobilizing volunteers and resources for those most in need-especially our seniors
- Partnering with city, state, and nonprofit leaders to drive systemic solutions for insurability and resilience
- Providing one-on-one support for insurance claims and rebuilding decisions (in the near future)
Our mission is to ensure every resident-especially the most vulnerable-can return home, rebuild, and restore the fabric of our community.
If you’re facing insurance challenges or want to help, join us. Together, we can rise from the ashes and build a stronger, more connected Palisades.