Altadena fire survivors push for SB 1090 to block high-density rebuilding

ALTADENA, Calif. - The sound of construction fills Altadena as residents continue building following the destructive wildfires of 2025. While some lots are still waiting for permits or funding to rebuild, other proposed development plans face strong community objection.

Among those objections is a banner protesting a plan to build 10 houses on a single-family lot. Altadena community activist Shawna Dawson, who lost her home in the Eaton Fire, lobbied heavily to secure support for Senate Bill 1090 to address those concerns.

"We desperately need this to protect our community," Dawson said.

Altadena community fights unwanted development

Local perspective:

Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1090 into law ahead of the midnight deadline. The legislation received near-unanimous support from both the state Assembly and the Senate.

The goal of SB 1090 is to put a three-year moratorium on a law that encourages multifamily development to address the state's affordable housing shortage. Dawson explained that her objection to high-density builds is simple: that kind of construction will forever change the character of the neighborhood before homeowners even have the chance to navigate the challenges of rebuilding.

"The majority of people in Altadena cannot rebuild or even start rebuilding until they get through litigation and settle their claims with their insurance companies," Dawson said. "And we know State Farm and Farmers are both being sued actively right now by the county because they are not paying people their claims."

Disaster funding deadline threatens fire victims

Meanwhile, another clock is ticking for survivors of the Eaton and Palisades fires. Sept. 30 marked the figurative end of the Disaster Case Management Program, or DCMP, due to a lack of funding.

Bree Jensen of the Eaton Fire Collaborative said the program only survived through September because the state continued funding the DCMP while waiting for FEMA to release millions in previously promised funds.

Federal officials issued a release containing numbers and details regarding California disasters in general, including backdating disasters for DCMP, but the statement failed to mention the Eaton Fire directly.

"We don't really know what that means," Jensen said, adding that she has tried to confirm whether the announcement guarantees continued resources for the fire victims she works with. She noted she will only believe the funding is there when she sees it.

"Tomorrow it's going to be a big... now what?" Jensen said.

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