California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Keep Altadena Land in Altadena Hands Act into law, protecting the area destroyed by the Eaton Fire from investors and developers, according to the bill’s author.
SB 1090, authored by Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena), is intended to protect Altadena from real estate speculators as the community is still rebuilding.
The bill temporarily blocks certain housing density laws, including SB 1123, which streamlines the construction of multi-unit housing on lots under five acres zoned for multifamily residential use. The moratorium affects development applications submitted between Oct. 1, 2026, and Jan. 1, 2030.
“By creating a 3-year moratorium on SB 1123, Eaton Fire survivors will have the time they need to rebuild without the undue influence of real estate speculators, while preserving their own ability to build ADUs or split lots in a manner that preserves Altadena’s unique character,” Pérez wrote in a statement.
In a Sept. 30, 2026, signed letter, Newsom said that the unusual circumstances of the Eaton Fire called for a temporary adjustment to building laws in two Altadena zip codes.
“California’s housing streamlining laws remain essential to addressing our statewide housing shortage and providing property owners with more options to build and rebuild,” Newsom wrote.
“While extraordinary recovery challenges may warrant targeted adjustments, such measures should be carefully considered, narrowly tailored, and responsive to demonstrated local conditions.”
Earlier this summer, a group of Altadena community members advocated for protection from overdevelopment.
“Today we stand together because our town needs to be built back in a reasonable way that has us continue to take on our fair share of density increase and affordable housing, while protecting us from outsiders looking to take advantage of our current vulnerable state,” Nic Arnzen, Chair of the Altadena Town Council, said earlier.
More from CBS News