Meet The Organizers
“This is a space built from care, experience, and hope — a place for neighbors helping neighbors rebuild the Palisades we love.”
Who We Are
Our Mission is to see 1,000 homes built with integrity, efficiency, affordability and choice. We’re connecting neighbors with a trusted network of vetted architects, designers, and vetted builders. This is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but real options that fit your needs and your family’s vision.
Chris Blanchard
Chris Blanchard is a husband, father of three-year-old twins, and longtime restaurateur who operates a restaurant and consulting company. He and his family moved to the Palisades in 2019, quickly falling in love with the community — the neighbors, the schools, and the easy, welcoming rhythm of life here.
When the fires took their home, Chris, like so many others, was left heartbroken but determined. Drawing from his experience building two homes and seven restaurants, he began searching for ways to rebuild — not just for his own family, but for the entire community.
With the support of his neighbors, Chris and Hank came together to create Building Solutions for Palisades, an effort born from loss but driven by hope. Chris’ goal is to help friends and neighbors navigate the building process with confidence and understanding — showing that by rebuilding together, we can save time, reduce costs, and restore the sense of community that makes the Palisades home.
Hank Elder
Hank is a 3rd-generation Westside resident. All his cousins, aunts, and uncles live here. Hank is a past commander of the Pacific Palisades Sons of the American Legion, responsible for many of the events the community enjoyed prior to the fire, including Memorial Day, the WWI centennial ceremonies, and the Halloween Spooktacular. Hank’s home of 30 years was destroyed along with all his family’s memories.
His focus since then has been on how to overcome his underinsurance without incurring expensive debt to build a new home. This focus resulted in the co-founding of Building Solutions for Palisades. There is no 501(c)(3) nonprofit, just a desire to give back to his community. It is a way for the underinsured senior citizens of the community to come together, using bulk buying to drive prices down without impeding the quality of a new home. He has dedicated his retirement to voluntary service to the veteran and civilian communities of the Palisades. Building Solutions for Palisades is a logical extension of that commitment.