Monday, September 29, 2025

Three Neighbors Who Lost Homes Lead Vision for Altadena’s Public Spaces After Fire

Michele Zack, Mark Goldschmidt, and Hans Allhoff lost their homes in January’s Eaton Fire. Now the three longtime Altadena residents are organizing neighbors to shape their community’s public spaces at an October 4 open house.

The free gathering will bring residents, architects, and County planners together to design parks, streets, and gathering spaces that preserve what made and makes Altadena unique — before market forces decide for them.

“Things are happening in Altadena and following the fire change is inevitable,” Zack said. “We need the community at the table so changes that occur are not just left to pure economic forces.”

SWA architecture/urban design firm and Disney will provide free professional design support at the October 4 event at Loma Alta Park Gym, 3330 N. Lincoln Avenue.

County staff will explain new rebuilding regulations adopted in 2024 but never tested until now. The event includes activities for children. No registration required.

Home rebuilding has consumed about 98 percent of recovery efforts since January, while planning for parks and public spaces has barely begun, according to the organizers.

“We want to be part of the forces that are going to shape the new Altadena because change is coming,” Zack continued. “We want our artists and musicians and the great diversity of people who made Altadena Altadena, and they saved it from being just another suburb. We want an Altadena that people who want to return to can return to.”

Zack, Goldschmidt, and Allhoff have each served as past or current chairs of Altadena Heritage, a local preservation group, and are trusted volunteers. All three are rebuilding their destroyed homes while organizing the community effort.

Steadfast LA, a nonprofit founded by Rick Caruso to speed rebuilding in fire zones, sponsors the event.

After the open house, organizers will hold design charrettes to create a design brief for County officials and the Altadena Recovery and Rebuilding Commission.

The initiative models community-driven disaster recovery with potential broader impact. The organizers assert it is a crucial moment for residents to reclaim agency over recovery planning.

The gym at Loma Alta Park survived the fire and has served as a gathering point for residents since January. Before the fire, Altadena’s west side was experiencing positive organic changes. The organizers want to build on those changes rather than simply rebuild what existed.

Community input from the October 4 meeting could help determine whether the County supports resident-designed recovery plans or leaves rebuilding to developers.

For information: (626) 798-1173 or https://www.altadenaheritage.org.