First Rebuild Permit Issued in Altadena

The nonprofit Habitat for Humanity said they received the permit in a press release on Thursday.

“This is not just about rebuilding homes—it’s about restoring hope, stability, and a future for families who have lost everything,” said SGV Habitat CEO Bryan Wong.

The property is located on North Olive Avenue. Habitat for Humanity built the home previously and will handle the rebuild for the family.

The announcement came just days after Los Angeles County received criticism after local media outlets, including Pasadena Now, reported that no permits had been issued despite promises of an expedited process while the fire was still burning.

Earlier this week, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger introduced a motion to create a Unified Permitting Authority (UPA) within the Altadena One-Stop Recovery Permitting Center to expedite the residential rebuilding process. Barger said she has been keeping a close eye on the County’s One-Stop Permitting shop and was not satisfied with the pace.

The motion is designed to cut through the red tape and get the rebuild back on track.

“No rebuild permits have been issued in Altadena and that’s unacceptable.”

UPA County departments will identify and fix problems that are slowing down the permitting process.

A “strike team” of senior-level staff from Regional Planning, Public Works, Fire and Public Health and other key County departments involved in approving rebuilding plans will also be created.

The team will work directly with fire survivors to move their applications forward. The Board of Supervisors will be updated to guarantee real progress and hold departments accountable.

In the days following the devastating wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles County, SGV Habitat announced their plans to help the community rebuild.

According to the release, in Altadena there are 9 Habitat partners who lost homes in the Eaton fire.

More than 9,000 homes in Altadena and Pasadena were lost in the fire which began on Jan. 7.