Overview
- More than 400 people filled an Altadena City Council meeting on Tuesday to oppose proposals to replace single-family lots lost in the January Eaton Fire with multiunit, multi‑story projects.
- Speakers at the meeting said developers have purchased about 49% of parcels in the burn zone, a figure that residents said shows rapid outside buying of fire-damaged lots.
- State laws SB 9 and SB 1123 are being cited by developers and allow splitting lots and building up to roughly 10 units and three stories on a single parcel, which residents say undercuts local land-use control.
- Los Angeles County has already voided more than a dozen SB 1123 applications and officials and residents are urging State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, Supervisor Kathryn Barger, and Gov. Gavin Newsom to seek moratoriums or targeted exemptions for Altadena.
- Fire survivors said they support returning renters and affordable homes but want rebuilding that protects water, power, parking and evacuation routes and preserves the historic character of their neighborhood while officials craft next steps.