Rebuild Altadena

A community‑anchored wildfire recovery initiative working to keep displaced Altadena residents in place, protect threatened community assets, and rebuild with equity in a region marked by deep resource disparities.

Ongoing Project

Overview  

Wildfires in Altadena and Pasadena destroyed homes, disrupted businesses, and placed entire neighborhoods at risk of displacement. In response, local leaders created the Altadena Recovery CDC as a community‑anchored hub focused on equitable recovery, asset protection, and long‑term resilience.

This ongoing effort continues to evolve as needs change. LabGov collaborates with the CDC to strengthen recovery through innovative governance, shared learning, and community‑driven planning. The work emphasizes stabilization, preventing displacement, supporting informed decision‑making, and establishing fair‑value land banking, while advancing climate‑resilient rebuilding, community‑led governance structures, and accessible, multilingual relief systems.

Strong local partnerships and pooled land‑banking mechanisms continue to guide transparent, community‑centered redevelopment.

Phase I: Stabilization & Protection

  • Preventing displacement and supporting families navigating post‑wildfire uncertainty
  • Establishing fair‑value land banking to protect community assets
  • Providing informed decision‑making tools for homeowners and renters
  • Building governance capacity through shared learning and community workshops

Phase II: Climate‑Resilient Rebuilding

  • Advancing community‑led governance structures for long‑term recovery
  • Designing accessible, multilingual relief systems
  • Supporting climate‑resilient rebuilding strategies
  • Strengthening partnerships across civic, nonprofit, and neighborhood organizations

Why It Matters  

The recovery model aligns with the Co‑Cities Framework by embedding community ownership, co‑production, and co‑governance throughout the process. Altadena’s approach demonstrates how community‑anchored institutions can steward land, protect residents, and guide equitable redevelopment after climate‑driven disasters.

Partners

  • Altadena CDC
  • Local civic and neighborhood organizations
  • Community‑based recovery networks

Status  

Ongoing

Learn More  

Visit the Altadena CDC website for updates and resources: https://altadenacdc.org/