Wednesday, January 7, 2026

After the Cameras Leave: Altadena Recovery Leader Fears a “Forgetfulness Factor”

One year after the Eaton Fire, mental health has become the most sought-after service at the community’s recovery hub—and the man who leads it, who lost his own home, fears people will forget.

THERESE EDU

Antonio Manning lost his home in the Eaton Fire. One year later, he chairs the Eaton Fire Collaborative Leadership Council, the governance body that oversees the Long-term Recovery Group, where mental health services have become, in his words, “highly sought after.”

“I think the mental health piece is one that is highly sought after,” Manning said in an interview ahead of anniversary remembrance events scheduled this week.

The Collaboratory, a recovery hub on Woodbury Road that Manning helps lead, has become the center for long-term recovery efforts for fire survivors. The hub, located at 540 W. Woodbury Road, opened October 7, as the first permanent physical location for fire survivors seeking services. Pasadena Community Foundation, California Community Foundation, and other funders provided $975,000 to secure the site and launch operations.

But as the first anniversary brings vigils and media attention, Manning said he is concerned about what he calls a “forgetfulness factor”—that people will forget, and that recovery will fall back to “no longer being the lead story.”

“I’m concerned that there’s that forgetfulness factor that people will actually forget that we had one of the worst major disasters in Los Angeles and in California in history, and it takes a long time to recover,” he said.

The Collaboratory operates as a hub where organizations provide services every day for survivors working to rebuild and restore their lives. Inside, organizations provide mental health support, employment resources, and wellness services. A warehouse takes in distributions; a store allows survivors to select items they may need—toothbrushes, water, blankets, towels.

The building houses the Eaton Fire Collaborative, the Long-Term Recovery Group, and the Community Recovery Group under one roof, according to Pasadena Community Foundation. The Long-Term Recovery Group, which officially launched September 16, 2025, operates through specialized committees, according to Pasadena Now. The Case Management Committee provides holistic, personalized support to survivors. The Unmet Needs Committee addresses financial, material, or labor needs not covered by other programs.

Manning described the intended model as “a one-stop shop where you could come and get access to information, access to resources, access to goods, access to services, whether it be mental health or otherwise.”

Pasadena Community Foundation describes the co-location model as offering partner organizations “an efficient way to share resources, costs, and goals.”

But the initial trauma of the fire, Manning said, “gets exacerbated because the processes, the rules, the regulation don’t allow for an expedient recovery.”

“There’s a lot of built-up anxiety, there’s a lot of built-up frustration,” he said.

Manning is among those who lost their homes; other members of the leadership council lost homes or had homes damaged, he said.

“I lost my home. There are a few other folks who’ve lost their homes, there’s folks whose homes were damaged,” Manning said. “So we were trying to deal with that while at the same time trying to be of service to the community.”

Manning serves as chair of the Eaton Fire Collaborative Leadership Council and is also President and CEO of Affordable Living for the Aging, a nonprofit focused on housing, according to the organization’s leadership profile. The Leadership Council is the governance body that oversees the Long-Term Recovery Group as a separate operational arm.

Manning acknowledged the organization faced early challenges, particularly with communication.

“We stumbled out of the blocks a little bit, but we have gotten our act together,” he said.

The Eaton Fire Collaborative brings together more than 75 organizations, including nonprofits, faith-based groups, businesses, and government partners, according to Pasadena Now.

Manning said he is particularly concerned about one population: Black men in Altadena who stayed during the fire to try to save the neighborhood.

“I’m concerned about the trauma that particularly Black men face,” he said. “Many Black men who stayed up in Altadena to try and save the neighborhood, particularly for those who may have lost family members. There’s a deep trauma associated with that. And I’m concerned that people aren’t seeking the services that they need from a mental health standpoint.”

Survivor-leader Bree Jensen, in a statement to Pasadena Community Foundation, described the hub’s purpose: “We are survivors helping survivors. This Collaboratory is more than just a physical space—it’s a home for survivorship and a testament to our communities’ ability to not only survive but thrive.”

One year after the fire, Manning said, many people have not been able to return home.

“When we talk about recovery, we talk about people rebuilding their homes, but people have to rebuild their lives as well,” he said.

Pasadena Community Foundation states that “recovery will take years,” positioning the Collaboratory and Long-Term Recovery Group as long-term infrastructure rather than short-term relief.

The Long-Term Recovery Group describes itself as working with FEMA, state and local emergency management, and national recovery organizations to coordinate efforts, though no formal memoranda of understanding are documented in public materials, according to the organization’s fact sheet.

State officials have engaged with the recovery effort. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services promoted the Collaboratory’s October grand opening, and the Eaton Fire Collaborative reported that state and local officials attended the September 16 launch event and voiced support.

For communities that may face similar disasters, Manning offered an assessment.

“From a systemic standpoint, from an infrastructure standpoint, we were woefully underprepared for this disaster,” he said.

He said communication systems should alert people ahead of time, and that government resources need to be in place “within a 24 hour period” after a disaster.

About a half dozen remembrance events are scheduled at the Collaboratory and in Altadena this week, Manning said, including vigils and candlelight.