{"id":383314,"date":"2026-07-02T07:38:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T07:38:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/383314\/"},"modified":"2026-07-02T07:38:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T07:38:09","slug":"altadena-fire-survivors-score-two-wins-in-rebuild-effort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/383314\/","title":{"rendered":"Altadena fire survivors score two wins in rebuild effort"},"content":{"rendered":"

Altadena residents still reeling from the devastating Eaton Fire<\/a> scored a pair of victories this week \u2014 one in Sacramento and another back home \u2014 as lawmakers moved to shield the community from developers while a new modular home rose from the ashes of a burned-down landmark.<\/p>\n

California lawmakers on Wednesday unanimously advanced Senate Bill 1090, legislation supporters say would protect fire survivors from opportunistic developers seeking to reshape the devastated neighborhood<\/a> before longtime residents have a chance to rebuild.<\/p>\n

Firefighters work to put out a blaze at an apartment complex caused by the Eaton Fire. Shutterstock \/ Matt Gush<\/p>\n

Signs are posted at a fire-damaged property as survivors of the 2025 Eaton Fire. AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n

The Altadena Bunny Museum in 2022 and 2025. Google<\/p>\n

Just a day earlier, recovery efforts became visible in Altadena when a crane lowered a modular accessory dwelling unit onto the site of the former Bunny Museum, which was destroyed in the fire. The demonstration home \u2013 built by Team AB Builds \u2013 is intended to showcase how modular construction could help speed rebuilding across the community.<\/p>\n

The legislation and the construction are a symbolic turning point for a town still struggling to recover from one of Los Angeles County\u2019s most destructive wildfires.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is important community-driven legislation,\u201d bill author state Sen. Sasha Renee Perez, D-Pasadena, said in Sacramento.<\/p>\n

The bill would temporarily exempt Altadena from state zoning laws that allow multi-unit development on lots formerly occupied by single-family homes, giving displaced homeowners more time to rebuild before investors can capitalize on the destruction.<\/p>\n

The Bunny Museum hops into Altadena\u2019s housing rebuild with show of model home. Instagram\/@thebunnymuseum<\/p>\n

Aerial view of two homes under construction following the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California. Getty Images<\/p>\n

State Senator Sasha Ren\u00e9e P\u00e9rez said survivors are increasingly vulnerable to lowball offers from speculators eager to buy up damaged properties. YouTube<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will protect Eaton Fire survivors and allow them the time they need to rebuild their community without the overpowering influence of predatory developers looking to take advantage of the devastation and suffering caused by the Eaton fire,\u201d Perez said.<\/p>\n

The proposal stems from the aftermath of the Jan. 7, 2025, Eaton Fire, which scorched 14,921 acres, destroyed 9,418 structures across Altadena and Pasadena, and wiped out roughly 6,000 single-family homes in Altadena alone.<\/p>\n

Perez said survivors are increasingly vulnerable to lowball offers from speculators eager to buy up damaged properties.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese survivors are asking for time to rebuild our community,\u201d She said. \u201cI want to be crystal clear. These laws were not intended to rebuild a community that has been devastated by fire or a natural disaster.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aerial view of construction workers rebuilding two homes in Altadena, California. Getty Images<\/p>\n

For many survivors, the fight is about more than zoning laws. Getty Images<\/p>\n

Los Angeles County Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger said the legislation would help ensure the community\u2019s future remains in the hands of those who lived there before the disaster.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a sponsor of this legislation, I strongly support SB1090 because it provides an important safeguard against opportunistic lot splits while recovery is underway,\u201d Barger told The California Post. \u201cAltadena\u2019s future should be shaped by the people who have long called it home and not by outside interests looking to capitalize on a tragedy.\u201d<\/p>\n

For many survivors, the fight is about more than zoning laws.<\/p>\n

\u201cI and most displaced Altadenans lost almost every single thing we owned. Some lost loved ones,\u201d resident Laura Berthold Monteros told The Post. \u201cSome, like myself, have seen our families shattered by PTSD and disputes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Los Angeles County Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger said the legislation would help ensure the community\u2019s future remains in the hands of those who lived there before the disaster. YouTube<\/p>\n

The five Los Angeles County supervisors, from left to right, Janice Hahn, Lindsey Horvath, Kathryn Barger, Holly Mitchell, and Hilda Solis. David Franco\/Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors<\/p>\n

She said residents are determined to return despite the hardships.<\/p>\n

\u201cYet, we want to come back,\u201d she said. \u201cWe cannot stand the additional gut punch and shattering emotions of losing our community to robber barons.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Resident Ania Haigwood said preserving Altadena\u2019s identity is just as important as rebuilding homes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe entire neighborhood has always had a wonderful character which has made it very special,\u201d she told The Post.<\/p>\n

Laura Berthold Monteros\u2019 home before and after the Eaton fire. Courtesy Laura Berthold Monteros<\/p>\n

An aerial view of homes being rebuilt after they were destroyed in the Eaton Fire on June 29, 2026 in Altadena, California. Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cWe support SB1090 and would like to be treated the same as the Pacific Palisades victims, with the same protections they were given \u2014 extended to people who are not as wealthy but have just as much heart, in Altadena,\u201d Haigwood said.<\/p>\n

Supporters note that survivors of the January 2025 Palisades Fire received similar rebuilding protections because their neighborhoods were designated high fire severity zones \u2014 a classification Altadena did not receive.<\/p>\n

SB 1090 has already cleared the state Senate and now heads to the Assembly Local Government Committee. If approved there, the measure will advance to the full Assembly before landing on Gov. Gavin Newsom\u2019s desk for a final decision.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Altadena residents still reeling from the devastating Eaton Fire scored a pair of victories this week \u2014 one…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":383315,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[7,9,8,3936,28249,47,4182,3586],"class_list":["post-383314","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-california","tag-california","tag-california-headlines","tag-california-news","tag-california-wildfires","tag-la-fires-2025","tag-los-angeles","tag-metro","tag-us-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383314","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=383314"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383314\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/383315"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=383314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=383314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=383314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}