As debris removal continues in Altadena, residents eager to learn next steps to rebuild

LOS ANGELES — After the fire destroyed their home of nearly 60 years, Toni Raines’ parents weren’t sure they could ever rebuild. Their neighborhood in Altadena was gone; one friend didn’t survive. Amid so much anguish, uncertainty and an overwhelming deluge of information, where would they even begin?

This was the town Raines was raised in — where she went to preschool, elementary school and high school. She began doing her own research to distill facts to her parents, who are in their 80s; her sister, who also lost her home; and to the community, determined to do whatever she could to help rebuild. On a recent afternoon, she gathered more than a dozen architects and contractors that she vetted inside her Pasadena church to meet with residents. The goal was to provide answers.

“The people who lost everything are owed accuracy,” Raines, 59, said.

More than two months after the Eaton fire tore through Altadena, questions persist for residents eager to get back. As debris continues to get sifted, foundations to be cleared and guidance to shift, many sheltering in hotels, on air mattresses and in temporary housing wonder how long it will take to rebuild their homes, what the process will require and whether they can manage the wait.

The fire destroyed more than 6,000 residential properties and affected nearly 800 more. The March 31 deadline to opt in or opt out for the Army Corps of Engineers debris removal program is fast approaching. Los Angeles County Public Works has received a little more than 5,000 forms opting in for cleanup in Altadena and roughly 200 forms opting out. But the agency is still assessing how many property owners have not responded.

After the cleanup phase, when building is allowed, the process could take time. At the town hall inside Victory Bible Church, one contractor estimated a timeline of about 18 months from permitting, to design and construction, noting that permits could be expedited with “like for like” plans — a build that doesn’t stray more than 10% from the home’s original size and layout. County officials have encouraged residents to start the rebuilding process now, to avoid a backlog of permitting requests that could slow the process down.

Attention to fireproof materials will also be key in an area that could face another fire. Most of the homes that were destroyed in Altadena were built decades ago. Jeff Bailey, a fire chief at Cal Fire and Raines’ brother, reminded residents that such homes, including his parents’, will require updated standards.

“There’s a lot of codes that didn’t apply back in the ‘60s when that home was built,” he said. “So with any of you that plan on rebuilding, the developers here are going to be using those codes based on what the law is.”

Contractor Allison Allain noted that the requirement for rebuilding is a “moving target” that continues to evolve.

“We don’t have the structural guidance yet for engineering, cross sections, foundation or roof plans,” she said.

The state requires new homes to include solar panels, double-paned windows and fire sprinklers. But the L.A. County Board of Supervisors has requested that Gov. Gavin Newsom suspend some of the state’s building laws in areas that have been devastated by fires.

“We do not want those requirements to be a burden on those who have lost everything,” Supervisor Kathryn Barger said at a recent community meeting. “We know that implementing solar, battery storage and other hardening opportunities can benefit our residents. But similarly, I know and have asked the Chief Sustainability Office to prioritize any and all funding opportunities, grants and resources at the county level.”

Altadena resident Richard Pallay simply wants the facts for how to rebuild.

“Don’t be optimistic, don’t be pessimistic — just be realistic. Tell me what paths look like. Tell me what journeys look like,” he said.

Like many others in Altadena, his house on Altadena Drive has multigenerational ties. It’s where his wife grew up, and where they raised their children. Wearing a “Rebuild Altadena” baseball cap, he is committed to getting back — on his own terms.

“Let me gauge for myself — don’t sway my opinion.”

The forum of builders included several with ties to Altadena. They were there to offer insights into the design and construction process for many who have not gone through it before, make connections with residents looking to rebuild and offer solace. Ariel Babikian, an architect and a pastor, grew up in Altadena. He didn’t have all the answers yet, he said, but he was confident the community would return to homes that felt like their own.

“Your houses are going to be rebuilt,” he preached. “I believe, by the grace of God.”

Different ideas for how the community will rebuild have emerged since the fire erupted. One group of architects is trying to create an online catalogue of home build designs for residents who don’t want to start from scratch. Other residents are forming a coalition to develop plans for a reimagined community when the cleanup is done and building can begin. Raines hopes that the group she assembled can work to rebuild in tandem, where architects and contractors can collaborate across organizations and where residents can volunteer their time for labor.

But an information gap has persisted for some. Raines, who organized the town hall with the Altadena Talks Foundation — a podcast and resource hub for residents — said that has been especially concerning for older residents who make up a large chunk of the town’s population. They may not be on social media, she said, where information is widely shared. They may still be processing their grief.

“When you are throwing information out there and you have all these deadlines and people have not fully grieved that their whole life is gone, it’s tough to ask them to move on to the next phase,” she said.

Raines thinks about her mom, who hasn’t wanted to cook in the apartment where she is currently living because it’s not her kitchen on Wapello Street. She recently contacted Babikian about building a new home in the style of the old, but hasn’t been able to bring herself to sift through the remains of the property, where leaves have begun to grow again on the old oak tree and where flowers have started to bloom throughout her charred neighborhood. The pain of what was lost is still fresh.

“My biggest prayer has been, God, let them not leave this Earth until they’re back in their home,” Raines said. “That’s the only thing that I want.”