Seven months after the Eaton Fire, Altadena is working through an extensive rebuild process, with 1,307 applications submitted and 138 permits issued, Los Angeles County officials confirmed this week.

At the August 4 Altadena Community meeting, Supervisor Kathryn Barger reported that debris removal is nearly complete, with more than 99% of properties cleared and the final Army Corps-abated site finished. The last private property in the affected area is scheduled for debris clearance on Aug. 14.

Restoration of a local golf course is underway, and clean-up efforts at Elliot School remain on track for early-to-mid September completion.

Permit processing remains a top concern, with 807 plan reviews in progress. County officials outlined turnaround goals of 10 business days for initial reviews and five business days for resubmissions. The County has received 379 refund forms and 127 permit waiver requests and continues to waive and refund fees for eligible homeowners.

Barger also addressed mounting anxiety over insurance, highlighting ongoing investigations into State Farm’s claims handling practices and citing “hundreds” of alleged violations by the California Fair Plan. California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara reported that $17 billion in wildfire claims have been paid to date, with 38,000 claims filed statewide and 35,000 partially paid.

Acknowledging the lingering psychological toll of the disaster, Barger announced expanded access to trauma-informed mental health services for wildfire survivors.

Residents are reminded they have up to five years from the emergency declaration to submit like-for-like rebuild applications, though permits remain mandatory and property maintenance is required to avoid nuisance violations.

Altadena’s weekly community meetings will soon shift to a streamlined 30-minute format, eliminating open Q&A in favor of targeted, real-time responses.

Officials encouraged residents to continue engaging with recovery services such as the Recovery One-Stop Permit Center and the Homeowner Alert Service.