Rental Board Assesses City’s Rented Housing Stock in the Wake of Twin Wind, Fire Disasters

Pasadena Rental Housing Board members heard reports on the status of rental units affected by the Eaton Fire at the Board’s emergency meeting on Thursday.

Residents and property owners are wrestling with immediate health concerns from toxic ash and smoke damage, as well as the outright habitability of units across the city.

“The City has contracted with the Environmental Protection Agency for phase one, and then I believe they’ve contracted with Federal Emergency Management Agency for phase two and it’s free of cost for all of the owners,” explained Rent Stabilization Department Director Helen Morales. “The first phase is going to be the Environmental Protection Agency that comes up and does the toxins and … remediates that.”

For occupied rental units affected by smoke and ash but not destroyed, the Department has received 15 specific inquiries: one yellow-tagged property, two cases of displacement due to utility outages, and 12 reports of smoke contamination.

One landlord has engaged ServPro for professional cleaning while another agreed to split patio cleanup costs with tenants.

“It’s very complex, and it’s on a very, very case-by-case basis. Your unit may have been more affected than the unit downstairs from you or vice versa,” Morales explained regarding habitability assessments. “The wind could have blown stronger in your area and it came in your area more than in others.”

The fire has severely affected five multi-family properties, with four parcels containing 14 units being red-tagged as unsafe to occupy, including two Section 8 voucher holders who are working with the Housing Department.

Two affected properties were not registered with the City.

One additional property received a yellow tag allowing restricted use due to wind damage.

State law prohibits landlords from raising rents more than 10% during the emergency period, with both criminal and civil penalties for violations. The City Prosecutor has committed to enforcing these anti-price gouging measures.

To assist affected residents, the City has established a Disaster Recovery Center at Pasadena City College offering Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance and other resources seven days a week.

The Rent Stabilization Department will launch an online portal next week for tenants to file habitability petitions requesting rent reductions. Housing counselors are also available to help navigate available aid programs.

The City’s Public Health Department has issued strict cleanup protocols prohibiting dry sweeping of toxic debris and requiring N95 masks and other protective equipment. Officials emphasized that professional assessment may be needed to determine safety concerns, particularly given the presence of “lead, asbestos, arsenic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pH paps, dioxins, and other hazardous materials.”