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Accessibility | Collaboration | Inclusivity | Accuracy

NEW ISSUES EVERY THURSDAY

Issue 15

October 16, 2025

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Highlights

Summary (p.3)

Altadena’s recovery gained momentum this week with new state laws, rebuilding milestones, and community action all working toward a fair, resilient return home for fire-impacted residents.

Webinars (p.4)

Altadena’s recovery moved forward with new rebuild permits, AI tools, survivor calls for fair compensation, and renewed focus on fire-safe, resilient rebuilding.

Doing Good in the Neighborhood (p.5)

Altadena’s recovery advanced this week with new spaces, homes, and land secured to keep rebuilding in the community's hands.

Community Updates (p.6)

Altadena moves forward with new recovery laws and rebuilds, but the true test is bringing residents home without losing its character.

Events (p.7)

Upcoming events in Altadena will bring neighbors together for recovery updates, community gatherings, and opportunities to connect and support one another.

Funding (p.8)

Visit the Funding section to view eligibility details, amounts, deadlines, and application links.

Contributors (p.9)

This has been a team effort.

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Summary

Community Updates

Doing Good in the Neighborhood

Webinars

This Week

Altadena’s recovery reached a milestone this week as new state laws, local rebuilding efforts, and community initiatives signaled momentum nine months after the Eaton Fire. Governor Newsom’s wildfire recovery bills aim to speed permitting, prevent speculative land buys, and support displaced residents, while Powerball winner Edwin Castro’s purchase of fire-damaged lots sparked debate over community-driven rebuilding. On the ground, progress was visible as Habitat for Humanity laid its first foundation, The Collaboratory opened as a one-stop survivor hub, and the Altadena Girls launched their new Pasadena headquarters. County officials reported over 470 permits issued, AI tools improving efficiency, and ongoing grants for homeowners, while the Eaton Fire Survivors Network pressed Edison for accountability through its “Fix What You Broke” plan. With new legislation, active rebuilding, and collaboration between residents and local partners, Altadena’s path forward is defined by resilience, transparency, and a shared determination to bring families home.

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Shopping Area

Altadena Community Meeting

Shopping Area

Eaton Fire Survivors Network Response to Edison Draft Plan

Shopping Area

Disaster Recovery Roundtable: APA California's Response to the LA Fires

Video

Town Halls and Meetings

  • Disaster Interim Ordinance to streamline rebuilding approvals will be extended through next year; a permanent ordinance with community engagement is in development.

  • Debris removal deadline: October 7 — properties not in compliance will enter county abatement.

  • Rebuilding progress: 470+ permits issued, 200+ projects under construction, 350+ residential units underway.

  • New AI permitting tool – Archistar E-Tech: Now fully launched and free to use; helps homeowners pre-check plans for code compliance, reducing delays and errors.

  • Public Health update: Cesspool systems may continue for “like-for-like” rebuilds; covenant option under development to reduce upfront testing costs and allow construction to proceed.

  • Safety update: Home burglaries have significantly decreased; the Sheriff’s Department is now focusing on construction site security and maintaining elevated patrols.

Financial support: Cal Assist mortgage grants up to $20,000 are still available for fire-impacted homeowners via nhslacount.org.

Nine months post-fire, thousands remain displaced; hundreds have died or lost homes and livelihoods. Survivors released “Fix What You Broke,” a community-led report calling for full accountability from Edison.

Critique of Edison’s plan:

  • Edison’s draft wildfire compensation protocol was released on September 17.

  • Survivors say it offers only a fraction of what PG&E paid to Camp Fire victims — despite PG&E being bankrupt and Edison solvent.

  • The plan mirrors limited homeowners insurance coverage and excludes major categories of loss such as:

  • Contaminated soil and yards

  • Vehicles, landscaping, and home contents

  • Emotional trauma and mental health toll

  • Long-term housing costs and community impacts

  • Three demands:

  • Fix What You Broke – Full repair of physical, emotional, and environmental damage.

  • Include Everyone Harmed – Cover renters, small businesses, and those beyond fire maps.

  • Pay for Housing Until We Get Home – Fund real housing costs until safe return.

  • Independent testing found toxic contamination at all sampled homes.

  • Survivors call for Edison to act in good faith, fund cleanup, and adopt the community’s recovery framework.

  • Home Hardening & Resiliency:
    Use ember-resistant vents, fire-rated windows, and defensible landscaping. Even small upgrades beyond code can greatly improve safety and insurance eligibility.

  • Faster Rebuilding Approvals:
    Streamlining permits by delegating authority and hiring plan-check staff reduces long delays. Keep all documentation for FEMA reimbursement.

  • Community Engagement & Trust:
    Join homeowner committees or public meetings—consistent communication builds transparency and keeps recovery moving.

  • Business Continuity:
    Modular or temporary spaces can help small businesses reopen sooner, supporting jobs and morale while permanent rebuilds progress.

  • Debris Removal & Certification:
    Use state-managed debris programs to ensure your site is properly certified—DIY removal often causes costly rebuild delays.

  • Utilities & Infrastructure:
    Expect upgrades to older power and water systems; advocate for backup power and undergrounding in your area to improve resilience.

  • Fire Safety Education:
    Defensible space works best when neighbors plan together; materials and layout matter more than distance alone.

  • Geology & Property Lines:
    Countywide assessments can replace costly individual studies—ask if your lot qualifies before hiring private surveys.

  • Governance & Emergency Powers:
    A clear chain of command and consistent messaging from officials keeps recovery moving quickly during local emergencies.

  • Future Planning & Resources:
    Stay connected through recovery webinars and updates. Use rebuilding as a chance to improve circulation, utilities, and overall community resilience.

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Doing Good in the Neighborhood

Finding Comfort in the Ashes

In a week defined by rebuilding and renewal, Altadena’s spirit of action shone through. Across the foothills and into Pasadena, neighbors, nonprofits, and youth leaders are transforming recovery into lasting change turning devastation into collaboration, and progress into proof that hope is still the community’s strongest foundation.


Altadena Girls Expand with Pasadena Headquarters

What began as a youth-led support project by then-13-year-old Avery Colvert has grown into Altadena Girls, an organization devoted to helping girls and families affected by the Eaton Fire. This week, they officially opened their new space in Pasadena, offering mentorship, events, and a safe place for young people processing trauma. Colvert, now 14 and a recent TIME100 Impact Award honoree, said, “We lost homes, but we didn’t lose each other.” The new center stands as a testament to rebuilding not just structures, but community belonging.


The Collaboratory: Recovery Made Accessible

The long-awaited Collaboratory resource center launched this week, uniting critical recovery services under one roof. Survivors now have access to bilingual case management, counseling, legal aid, and rebuilding guidance without navigating a maze of agencies. It’s being hailed as a place where recovery finally feels human again, coordinated, compassionate, and community-driven.

Habitat for Humanity SGV Lays the First Foundation

In another milestone, Habitat for Humanity San Gabriel Valley poured the first foundation for its Altadena rebuild project, marking the first of many homes planned for fire survivors. Volunteers, staff, and residents gathered at Pine and Fair Oaks to witness the first walls rise, a powerful symbol of tangible progress and partnership in motion.


Greenline Foundation Secures First Land for Community Ownership

The Greenline Housing Foundation, based in Pasadena, purchased one of the first burned-lot properties impacted by the Eaton Fire to keep it out of speculative hands and within community control. With support from the Pasadena Community Foundation, Greenline is holding the land in trust to ensure future rebuilding prioritizes displaced residents and equitable ownership opportunities a first step in safeguarding Altadena’s future from predatory development.

From youth-led action to long-term recovery infrastructure, this week proved that rebuilding home is not just possible, it’s already happening, one act of good at a time.


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Community Updates

A Big Week for Altadena

Altadena entered a pivotal new chapter this week as headlines centered on recovery, rebuilding, and reform. Nine months after the Eaton Fire, state leaders and local residents are pushing forward on parallel fronts from Sacramento’s legislative action to community-led organizing on the ground.


Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bipartisan wildfire recovery package designed to remove long-standing barriers and accelerate rebuilding across Los Angeles County’s burn zones. The legislation includes AB 818, which requires local governments to approve permits for modular or manufactured homes within 10 days in declared disaster areas and allows temporary housing, such as ADUs, on damaged lots. AB 245 and SB 293 extend property tax relief and filing deadlines for fire-affected homeowners, while AB 299 and SB 610 expand tenant protections and hold landlords responsible for debris removal in mobile home parks.


In a move closely watched by Altadena residents, AB 851 bans unsolicited cash offers for fire-damaged properties through 2027, aiming to curb speculative lot buying. AB 888 creates the “California Safe Homes” grant program to help low-income residents retrofit their homes for fire safety, and SB 676 streamlines environmental review for rebuilds to reduce red tape. Together, these reforms are expected to ease permitting bottlenecks, reduce displacement, and prevent opportunistic land grabs.

Palm Tree.jpg
Palm Tree.jpg

Meanwhile, Powerball winner and Altadena native Edwin Castro made national news this week after purchasing roughly 15 fire-scorched lots, reportedly investing close to $10 million. His representatives say he plans to rebuild homes in the community’s signature Craftsman style, preserving local architecture and character. If his approach includes opportunities for former residents or renters to return, it could help restore badly needed housing stock and stabilize the local market. Quick rebuilding would also generate construction jobs and tax revenue, giving small businesses a much-needed boost.


However, without clear details about pricing, ownership, or community agreements, residents worry the influx of high-value rebuilds could accelerate gentrification and price out long-time locals. Community advocates, including the Altadena Not for Sale coalition, are calling for transparency and partnerships with housing nonprofits or land trusts to ensure new construction benefits survivors, not speculators.


Altadena’s story this week is one of both progress and caution. The new legislation promises long-awaited relief, and local investments signal confidence in the community’s future but the test ahead lies in execution. For survivors, success will be measured not in policy headlines or property values, but in whether families can rebuild on their land, renters can return, and neighborhoods regain the sense of belonging they lost. The next chapter of recovery will depend on collaboration between lawmakers, developers, and the very residents who are still fighting to call Altadena home.

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Shopping Area
Image by Jennifer Pyle
Image by Freddy Kearney

Events

For those looking for community, new job opportunities, or ways to rebuild with greater accessibility, there are plenty of opportunities to support one another in the recovery journey this week. Crochet, Knit & Rebuild offers a cozy space every 3rd Thursday evening at the Rebuild Altadena office, where neighbors gather to create, connect, and heal. On Friday, the CORE Job Fair welcomes anyone interested in making a difference through roles in disaster recovery, community health, and emergency response. And on Saturday, The Nurses Pub is hosting a free community health fair atthe Altadena Library offering health screenings, wellness resources, and live entertainment, with free Metro shuttle service available. Together, these events remind us that rebuilding isn’t just about structures - it’s about restoring connection, opportunity, and care across our community.

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NAME OF ORGANIZATION

ELIGIBILITY

AMOUNT

DUE DATE

APPLICATION LINK

Altadena Community Preservation Fund

Homeowner experienced a total loss during the Eaton Fire, lived within U.S. Census Tracts 4602, 4603.01, 4603.02 and 4610 (visit altadenatowncouncil.org to learn your census tract), is 65+, and is uninsured or underinsured, including those on the California FAIR Plan.

$15,000

February 15, 2026

Get emergency relief for Housing Support (e.g. hotels, rentals, and transitional aid) or transportation (e.g. car rentals, fuel stipends, and transit passes) and help navigating childcare, health care, and more.

Legacy Land Project

varies

December 31, 2025

Lift International Church

Fill out application to register your needs.

varies

December 31, 2025

Applicants must have applied to FEMA and received the maximum grant from IHP. Applications that have reached the maximum IHP grant will be automatically transmitted from FEMA to SSGP for processing. There is no separate application process for SSGP. Eligible items covered under the SSGP may include rental assistance, housing, personal property, medical or dental, moving and storage, transportation, or funeral costs.

State Supplemental Grant Program (SSGP)

up to $10,000

December 31, 2025

Primary residence was left uninhabitable due from 1/1/23 - 1/8/25, has a maximum income of $140,700 for all family members on the deed of trust, has a mortgage or reverse mortgage, and owns a single-family home, condo or permanently affixed manufactured home.

3 months of mortgage payments, up to $20,000

CalAssist Mortgage Fund Program

December 31, 2025

One-time financial assistance for security deposit, rental payment, essential furnishings, etc. Amount and duration of assistance a household receives will be based on household needs and funding availability.

USHS Eaton Fire Housing Assistance

varies

December 31, 2025

Individuals with disabilities impacted will be assisted with funding and helps replace lost critical assistive technology, tools and devices, and is also covering some motel/hotel stays.

Richard Devylder Disaster Relief Fund

varies

December 31, 2025

Funding

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COUNCIL'S
CORNER

The next Altadena Town Council Meeting will be held in person on Tuesday, October 21 at 7:00 PM at the Community Center. The agenda includes several important community updates and statements from candidates in the upcoming election. For those unable to attend, the meeting will also be streamed online—access the link at AltadenaTownCouncil.org. In other good news, Farnsworth Park has officially secured funding, and all Altadena parks, along with the Eaton Canyon Nature Center, are now scheduled for repair and recovery work. This marks a major step forward in restoring our beloved community spaces more details to come soon.

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