02/09/2026
Edwin Castro won the largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history. Now, he's putting millions of that fortune into a neighborhood devastated by wildfire.
Castro won the record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot in 2022 after purchasing the winning ticket in Altadena, California—the same community later devastated by the Eaton Fire in January 2025.
After the fire destroyed thousands of structures, Castro began purchasing burned residential properties in Altadena.
By May 2026, he had reportedly spent around $10 million acquiring 15 fire-damaged lots, making him one of the area's largest individual buyers of burned properties. Two houses were already under construction.
But Castro says he doesn't want those properties turned into another opportunity for rental investors.
His plan is to build mostly single-family homes that fit the character of the neighborhood and sell them to people who actually intend to live there.
His company, Grass Roots, has also been working with community organizations, including plans to donate three properties to the Greenline Housing Foundation.
There's a remarkable connection behind the project.
Castro bought the lottery ticket that changed his life in Altadena. Years later, after wildfire devastated that same community, he returned with millions to become part of its rebuilding.
Source
Los Angeles Times reporting on Edwin Castro's Altadena property purchases and rebuilding plans; California Lottery records confirming Castro's $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot.
Disclaimer
Castro is not giving away all 15 homes for free. His stated plan is primarily to rebuild the properties and sell homes to owner-occupants rather than turn them into rental investments. Three properties have been identified for donation to the Greenline Housing Foundation. The rebuilding project remains ongoing, so the number of completed homes and final use of individual properties may change.
