ALTADENA, Calif. (KABC) — Nine months after the Eaton Fire devastated residents in Altadena, a new report finds that most homeowners have made little to no progress in the rebuilding process.
The report, published Thursday by UCLA researchers, closely studied the impact of the January wildfire – specifically to answer the question: “Who’s coming home?”
Gabriella Carmona, senior research analyst with UCLA’s Latino Policy & Politics Institute, said “recovery is stalled for most families.”
To try to find the answer, researchers looked at property sales and permits to rebuild. They found that roughly 70% of all severely fire-damaged homes remain in limbo with no permit and no sale recorded.
“The conversation should start around what are these homeowners dealing with? What are the gaps? Are they still uncertain about, are they not applying for permits because they don’t have the financial means to, or is it a larger conversation around not understanding what the rebuilding or construction process looks like?”
Permits seem to be stuck mid-process. One in four severely damaged homeowners filed applications to rebuild but remain stalled.
The report is the first in a series examining the racial equity in housing recovery in Altadena. It reaffirmed earlier findings that Black homeowners continue to face the steepest barriers to rebuilding, attributing part of that to an older population of homeowners.
It also found they’re more likely to apply for like-for-like permits, while Latinos stood out for temporary housing permit applications.
Asian American households seem to be in a holding pattern, along with most fire survivors.
According to researchers, a small percentage of properties have sold – two-thirds to outside investors.
Through the data they’re gathering, researchers hope to contribute to helping people made decisions about their futures and homes.
“How do we ensure that there is the right technical and financial counseling available to those folks to help them make the best decision, the best informed decision for them?”