County Orders Contractor-Fraud Taskforce for Altadena Within 30 Days

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday, Sept. 1, to order several county departments to convene a taskforce within 30 days to address and curb contractor fraud and other scams targeting wildfire survivors.

The motion, authored by Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Lindsey P. Horvath, is aimed largely at preventing fraud before it occurs, and it routes the work into the Altadena One-Stop Permitting Center, where residents rebuilding after the Eaton Fire already file their plans. It sets two deadlines and calls for county resources and enforcement tools to be better aligned so emerging complaints and potentially fraudulent activity can be identified and addressed.

The first directive instructs the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, working with the District Attorney, County Counsel, the Director of Public Works and other county departments, and in consultation with partners including the state Contractors State License Board, to build upon and strengthen existing county consumer protection and wildfire recovery efforts and to convene the taskforce within 30 days. The coordinated approach is to include stronger collaboration among consumer protection agencies and law enforcement partners.

A second directive sets a 45-day deadline. Within that window the department, coordinating with the Office of Countywide Communications, is to launch an expanded consumer awareness campaign delivering centralized information through the county’s Recovery LA website, recovery.lacounty.gov. Survivors are to receive expanded guidance on verifying a contractor’s license, understanding the terms of a contract, recognizing common warning signs of fraud, reporting suspected scams and reaching other consumer protection resources. Both intervals run from the Board’s action.

The outreach is aimed at populations that may be particularly vulnerable or difficult to reach, including older adults, individuals with limited English proficiency and displaced households. Consumer and Business Affairs, the Aging and Disabilities Department and Countywide Communications are to distribute the materials through existing communication channels, community meetings, recovery resource centers, online platforms and partnerships with community-based organizations. Outreach is also to include partnerships with trusted community and legal service organizations, along with expanded public awareness efforts in fire-impacted communities.

The taskforce’s work and the campaign are to be built into the Altadena One-Stop Permitting Center at 464 W. Woodbury Rd., Suite 210, reaching homeowners as they move through permitting and rebuilding. The county says the resources will also be integrated into its Calabasas One-Stop Permitting Center, which serves Palisades Fire survivors.

The Board acted as construction activity steadily increased and new contractors and construction companies entered communities recovering from the wildfires. The county says that while some complaints may involve intentionally predatory actors, other contractors may take on more work than they have the capacity to complete, potentially causing additional financial and emotional harm to survivors.

Barger, whose Fifth District includes Altadena, said her office is hearing increasing concerns about contractor fraud and bad actors targeting homeowners in Altadena. “My constituents have already lost far too much–they shouldn’t have to worry about being victimized again by an unscrupulous contractor or scammer,” Barger said. “We need our consumer protection and enforcement partners working together, while making sure survivors have clear, trusted information before they sign a contract or spend their recovery dollars.”

Horvath, who represents the Third District, said the county’s response must pair stronger enforcement with direct support for survivors who may already have been targeted. “Los Angeles County is standing with wildfire survivors and holding accountable those who seek to exploit them,” Horvath said. “If you believe you’ve been victimized, our Department of Consumer and Business Affairs is here to help.”

The District Attorney’s Consumer Protection Division filed felony charges on Dec. 4, 2025, against five men accused of contracting without a license in the Eaton Fire disaster zone in Altadena, following an undercover operation with the licensing board. Contracting without a license in a declared disaster area is a felony carrying up to three years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. A second operation in the Palisades Fire zone in April led to charges against six more, on bids the District Attorney’s office put at up to $1.27 million.

County guidance for disaster rebuilds sets limits survivors can check a contractor against. Rebuilding after a declared disaster is treated as a home improvement project, which requires a fixed-price contract rather than a time-and-materials arrangement, and a down payment may not exceed $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less.

Residents who believe they have been defrauded, or who want a contractor checked before signing, can reach the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs at (800) 593-8222, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at no cost, or at its Altadena office at 730 E. Altadena Dr., open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Its services include fraud and scam investigation, mediation and small claims assistance. Rebuilding help is available at the Altadena One-Stop Permitting Center, 464 W. Woodbury Rd., Suite 210, which takes walk-ins weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a 3 p.m. last call for permits, and offers rebuild consultation appointments Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at (626) 424-6743. Countywide recovery information is at recovery.lacounty.gov.