Monday, March 31, 2025

Symposium to Address Housing Crisis for Thousands Displaced by Eaton Fire

Community coalition organizes expert panels, resource fair for residents seeking interim housing solutions

A local coalition will host a symposium this week aimed at developing immediate housing solutions for thousands of residents still displaced by the devastating Eaton Fire.

The Altadena Coalition announced the Interim Housing Symposium will take place Wednesday, April 2 from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at their headquarters at 409 E. Woodbury Road in Altadena.

Former Pasadena Mayor and State Assemblymember Chris Holden will host the fair.

The event comes as thousands of locals remain without stable housing in the wake of the Eaton Fire evacuations. Thousands face potential homelessness without proper intervention, according to organizers.

“Our goal is to prevent mass homelessness by crafting practical, inclusive, and scalable solutions—especially for renters, uninsured families, and multigenerational households excluded from traditional recovery programs,” the coalition said in its announcement.

The symposium will feature a resource fair designed to connect attendees with local,

Monday, March 31, 2025

Newsom Signs Executive Order to Accelerate Underground Utility Placement

By André Coleman, Managing Editor

Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order late last week that will speed up the recovery of communities devastated by the January fires in Los Angeles County, including Altadena, Malibu, and Pacific Palisades.

The order suspends certain permitting and review requirements to expedite the rebuilding of utility and telecommunication infrastructure, including efforts to bury power lines underground.

“We are determined to rebuild Altadena, Malibu, and Pacific Palisades stronger and more resilient than before,” Newsom said. “Speeding up the pace that we rebuild our utility systems will help get survivors back home faster and prevent future fires. California’s electric utilities must be part of the solution to this problem.”

Some local residents in Altadena are in the early stages of the rebuilding process after the Eaton Fire destroyed thousands of homes in that area. Additionally, 17 people were killed, and thousands of acres were burned.

Since the fire, some residents have called for utility wires to be placed underground.

Monday, March 31, 2025

Hearing Date to Be Set for Alleged Eaton Fire Looters

Pair accused of burglarizing evacuated homes faces felony charges

A preliminary hearing date is scheduled to be set Tuesday, April 1 at 8:30 a.m. for two defendants charged with looting homes during January’s devastating Eaton Fire in Altadena.

Lucia Jilrara Perez, 36, and Rudy Salazar, 19, face two counts each of first-degree residential burglary. The scheduling hearing will take place in Department H of the Pasadena Courthouse at 300 E. Walnut St.

Prosecutors allege the pair entered two evacuated homes and stole property on Jan. 8, 2025, at approximately 2:30 p.m., while mandatory evacuation orders were in effect due to the wildfire. They were apprehended while allegedly attempting to enter a third residence.

The defendants pleaded not guilty during their arraignment on Jan. 10, 2025, at the Pasadena Courthouse.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has emphasized the severity of crimes committed during emergencies and has vowed to prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law.

Sunday, March 30, 2025

Church to Distribute Financial Aid to Eaton Fire Victims Today

LIFT International Church offering support to affected community members

LIFT International Church announced it will distribute financial aid today to community members affected by the recent Eaton Fire.

The distribution will take place at 11 a.m. as part of LIFT’s newly launched Financial Aid Support Program. The church is located on the Westminster Presbyterian Campus at 1757 N. Lake Avenue in Pasadena.

Qualified applicants who have submitted their information through the LIFT International portal will receive funds to address immediate needs, helping to alleviate financial strain and promote financial stability resulting from the wildfire that impacted the Altadena and Pasadena communities.

“At LIFT International Church, we believe in the strength of community and the importance of providing support where it’s needed most,” said Dr. Anthony McFarland, pastor of LIFT International Church. “This financial aid program is a testament to our commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of our community members.”

The initiative reflects the church’s ongoing commitment to empowering and uplifting individuals in need of support and care as the aftermath of the California Wildfire,

Sunday, March 30, 2025

LA County Schedules Weekly Meeting on Eaton Fire Recovery

Supervisor Barger to update residents on rebuilding efforts Monday

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger will host the next weekly community meeting on Eaton Fire recovery efforts on Monday at 4 p.m., with updates on debris removal, permitting and rebuilding support.

The meeting, which will be held both virtually and in-person to maximize accessibility, continues a series of sessions that have served as a forum for residents affected by the fire to receive information and submit questions about recovery resources.

“I encourage you to submit questions ahead of time by Sunday, March 30 at 1 p.m. so we can make sure to answer them and provide you with the latest information about recovery,” Barger said in a statement.

Previous meetings have addressed concerns about delays in debris removal, affordability of rebuilding and issues with evacuation alerts that contributed to fatalities in west Altadena. Barger has used the platform to provide updates on expedited permitting through a one-stop center in Altadena and plans for modernizing infrastructure to enhance resilience against future disasters.

Friday, March 28, 2025

California Lawmakers Seek to Change CEQA (Again)

By Lynn La, CALMATTERS

A handful of legislators rallied near the state Capitol Thursday to promote what they’re calling an “extremely unsexy,” but important, bipartisan bill package intended to put California’s housing development into overdrive.

But one bill stands out for its potential to turn a landmark state environmental law on its head.

As CalMatters’ Ben Christopher explains, a proposal by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks would exempt most urban housing developments from the California Environmental Quality Act. Known as CEQA, the law requires government agencies to review and disclose the environmental impact of any public project, including new housing developments.

If the bill by the Oakland Democrat becomes law, it would mean:

• No more environmental lawsuits over proposed apartment buildings;
• No more legislative debates over which projects should be exempted from CEQA;
• Environmental justice advocates, construction unions and anti-development neighborhood groups can’t use CEQA to delay development.

Friday, March 28, 2025

PUSD Board Grapples with Teacher Layoffs, Fire Recovery in Marathon Meeting

Altadena Arts Magnet likely to remain at temporary campus amid safety concerns following Eaton Fire

The Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education dealt with contentious issues surrounding teacher layoffs and fire recovery during a marathon 6-hour Thursday night public meeting that stretched past midnight.

Dozens of teachers, students and parents packed the Elbie J. Hickambottom Board Room to protest the District’s decision to lay off 115 teachers, with many speakers urging the Board to reconsider the cuts.

“These layoffs are harming us, the students, because of all the drastic changes happening in our lives right now,” wrote student Consuelo Martinez in a journal entry read during public comment. “Many teachers have lost their homes and now the District is saying they might have to take their jobs away too.”

The Board also discussed a measure allowing Altadena Arts Magnet School to remain at its temporary Allendale Elementary campus until January 2026, responding to parent and staff concerns about returning to their original campus that sits near areas devastated by the January Eaton Fire.

Friday, March 28, 2025

Metro Advances Plan to Boost Construction Opportunities for Women

CITY NEWS SERVICE

As LA Metro prepares for global events coming to the region and major projects on the horizon, the Board of Directors is advancing an effort Friday to increase opportunities for women in construction.

In a unanimous vote Thursday, the Board approved a report and instructed staff to expand initiatives to help women, meet equity and hiring goals. Staff are expected to provide a progress update in the second quarter of fiscal year 2026.

“Our goal is that we want to make the trades simpler for women,” Board Chair and L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn said. “Our leaning in is to make it simpler and easier, and to break down those barriers so that women can have a co-equal chance at succeeding in the construction trades.”

In 2019, Metro took steps to examine the disparity in construction opportunities for women. They authorized a study that assessed female participation levels in various trades and discussed barriers in recruitment and retention of women in construction roles.

Thursday, March 27, 2025

Altadena Residents Express Concerns Over Noise, Air Quality Amid Eaton Fire Cleanup Efforts

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

Residents of Altadena near the Altadena Golf Course are raising concerns over noise and air quality as crews work to clean up properties damaged by the Eaton Fire.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is set to begin crushing concrete and recycling metal on the golf course starting next week.

The fire, which started in Eaton Canyon on Jan. 7 led to 17 deaths, destroyed 9,000 structures and scorched 14,000 acres, left tons of debris in Altadena and forced the Corps to find a location to move the devastation as it clears local properties.

Homeowners whose properties are still standing are worried, and have expressed concerns over the potential hazards posed by the cleanup operations.

The Army Corps maintains that the operation will be safe, despite its proximity to residential areas. Officials say air quality will be closely monitored, and the noise level will be kept to a minimum, comparable to the sound of “loud traffic”

Thursday, March 27, 2025

How Much Lead and Other Toxic Metals are Present after the Eaton Fire?

Courtesy of CALTECH

On the evening of January 7, 2025, Caltech professor of geochemistry François Tissot evacuated his Altadena home with his family as the Eaton fire spread. Fires in Altadena and surrounding communities ultimately took 17 lives and destroyed over 9,000 buildings, causing widespread damage estimated to cost more than $10 billion. Tissot’s home sustained heavy smoke, ash, heat, and fire damage: melted windows and roofing, compromised waterproofing, cracks in several walls, and more.

The Eaton fire was unique in that 90 percent of the homes that burned had been built before 1975, meaning that they likely contained some amount of lead paint and asbestos, building materials that are now banned by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for their danger to human health. In the aftermath of the fire, Tissot saw an opportunity to help by leveraging his laboratory’s state-of-the-art techniques to measure the presence of toxic metals like lead in the debris. As a geochemist, Tissot has deep expertise in studying the chemical signatures of elements like lead and uranium in meteorites to learn about the early solar system,