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Altadena leaders urge temporary moratorium on statewide infill laws to aid Eaton Fire recovery
Summary
SB 1090 would pause certain statewide infill/density laws in Altadena through 2030 so the community can rebuild after the Eaton Fire; survivors and local officials said investor pressure and infrastructure limits risk displacement, while housing advocates warned the pause could constrain rebuild financing options.
Sen. (SB 1090 author) told the committee SB 1090, titled the "Keep Altadena Lands in Altadena Hands Act," would impose a temporary pause on SB 9 and related state infill laws in the Altadena ZIP code through 2030 to protect post-disaster recovery and limit investor-driven displacement. He described community advocacy and asked members to include an urgency clause and continue working with stakeholders on clarifying amendments.
LA County Supervisor Catherine Barger, a sponsor, said the Eaton Fire killed 19 people and destroyed nearly 6,000 homes and urged the temporary pause so families have time to rebuild and infrastructure can be repaired, noting an estimated north-of-$2 billion cost to rebuild Altadena infrastructure. "We just need a pause to recover and breathing room to do it right," she said, and asked the committee to adopt an urgency clause.
Opponents including Abundant Housing LA and housing advocates argued a moratorium would not address the key barrier — insurance shortfalls and reconstruction costs — and could remove tools like ADUs and lot splits that might help displaced residents generate income to rebuild. Testimony reflected a split between immediate local recovery needs and broader housing-policy trade-offs.
