Rebuild Altadena

February 4, 2025 Information Update

Here is an update on rebuilds as we gather more information.

Phase 1 seems to be moving right along, which is great news. They may actually be on track with their timeline on this one. Which was stated to be 30 days from January 30th 2025.

That said, as Phase 1 moves forward, it becomes even more crucial and time sensitive for you to determine whether you should opt IN or OUT of the Phase 2 FEMA run debris cleanup. There are a few important factors to consider when making that determination.

For you to make an educated decision on this, we are trying to bring some clarification of the unknown factors, so you can understand what the less obvious costs you might be responsible for if you were to opt OUT of the Phase 2 program.

The main unknowns we see are:

Can you save your existing foundation or not? This will be a huge factor in upfront debris removal costs as well as rebuild costs. We are currently working on narrowing down Engineers now that are willing to put the time in to really make this determination, as many are not interested in taking on these jobs. Many would prefer to remove them and start from scratch, regardless of whether or not they might be salvageable.

This Engineer will work with a specialist who will test your foundation for structural stability, x-ray for rebar, etc. to assist the Engineer in making that determination. We have specialists we’re talking to now that we like for this.

Once this is done you will also need to determine if asbestos or other hazardous material is present on your property within the debris, and what would be the protocol for removing it if so. A Certified Asbestos Consultant will have to test to make that determination, which we are working on lining up now as well.

Other factors to consider:

How much money and to what degree does your insurance policy cover for debris/hazardous cleanup?

I’ve seen several homeowners’ line items on their policies, and unfortunately, the coverage is often quite low. One lot we looked at, we estimated the private debris removal, including foundation, would cost about $50k. Yet their insurance policy would only cover $25k of that.

The first reaction a homeowner might have could be to say “OK then, we will definitely opt into the phase 2 program, since we know it will cost us at least double if we don’t”. For some, that may be the right choice. But there is more to consider. The Phase 2 timeline is still unknown. You may be adding 18 months or more to your rebuild due to being at the mercy of the Phase 2 cleanup timeline. Not only is this potentially a problem for your own personal reasons, but if your insurance is not covering more than a year of rental, you will need to consider those costs as well. It may very well be less expensive to pay the difference for private cleanup up front rather than the additional costs of rent and other expenses for another year or more.

As of yesterday we have confirmed that the dump site for the debris has not yet been determined. They hope by end of this week it will be confirmed, but it could be next week they say. This is important information needed to properly price out private debris cleanup, so we’re waiting on that before finalizing any estimates on private phase 2 work.

We hope this helps. If you need further assistance in making a decision or moving onto next steps, we’re happy to advise. You can also visit the DRC nearest to you and get information there on your own. There are lots of departments, booths, etc from building to government to help answer questions. Whether it involves using us, someone else or opting into the County program, we’ll do what we can to help determine what is best for you.

The fire has taken everything from so many people in Altadena. We are here to provide information, solutions, and prediction for what it will take to rebuild the community. We will be updating this page as more information is gathered and the way through becomes more clear.

REBUILD / CLEAN UP INFORMATION AS OF JAN. 30, 2025

There are currently two main points to discuss.

First,

Regarding debris removal. Here you will find the link to the LA County Debris Removal program.

To sum it up simply, there are two Phases to cleanup. The first Phase is already in motion and cannot be opted out of. The 2nd Phase, you can choose to “opt in” or “opt out” of.

As of January 30th the County has announced that they intend to have Phase 1 completed in about 30 days and Phase 2 in about a year. This seems very ambitious to us, but if it’s accurate, that’s great.

You can watch yesterdays meeting here where they talk about time lines and other pertinent information.

Phase 1 covers going to all burned structures and removing hazardous materials only. Once this is completed, Phase 2 can begin. If you choose to opt into Phase 2, whatever funds you have allocated in your insurance plan toward debris removal, and/or hazard tree removal, will be turned over to the program in full and used in the “pot” to cover everyone else who opted into the program.

Alternatively, you can choose to manage the Phase 2 cleanup independently or hire a contractor (like us) to do it for you. We are working now to get you the information you will need to make an informed decision as to what makes the most sense for your individual circumstances. The main two factors so far, as we see them, to make this determination are going to be two things; How much insurance coverage you have for this removal? And are you willing to be at the mercy of the County time line to start your rebuild?

We have figured out our basic cost breakdowns at this point with the information with have. There are still unknowns and questions that need to be answered before we can be certain of our costs, such as dump locations and fees and safety protocols specific to this disaster.

We have been informed that several of these factors have not yet been determined.

And so, our numbers as of now, are based on common sense debris cleanup protocols.

One very important piece of information we did obtain is that you can opt into the Phase 2 program and then change your mind and opt out. But you CANNOT do the opposite- opt out and then change your mind and opt back in.

So, with that said, WE RECOMNEND THAT EVERYONE OPT IN TO THE PHASE 2 PROGRAM. Then let’s determine together whether you should change your mind or not as unknowns become clear and unanswered questions are answered.

Secondly,

After several calls and trips to the County building to get more information on rebuilding homes, we spoke with the building department head as well as the head of the planning and zoning department, these are our findings:

Our first goal was to get a better understanding of the “like for like” incentive since it was a bit vague.

Unfortunately, it does not apply toward building codes or engineering codes at all. It only applies to planning and zoning. ie, they will make exceptions for property line encroachments, floorplan, height, etc. As far as building requirements, rebuilds will have to meet ALL current building codes, with no exceptions, as of now. This may change, since things are changing day by day, and a lot of people are going to be pretty unhappy with these current requirements, I would imagine.

What this means is that a full set of plans will need to be submitted as if it were new construction, and must meet all current building, state and federal codes ie- solar, fire sprinkler, title 24, engineering, foundations, etc.

When we inquired further about the 10% additional square footage allowance, they clarified that all that is meant by this is you will be eligible for expediting and zoning/planning exceptions, if you do not exceed your previous home’s size by more than 10%.

Building to current codes is time consuming and expensive. Also, attempting to replicate the charm and character of a historical home will be challenging. This is because current codes do not allow for many of the historical design elements like large window openings without having major structural elements and significant engineering. Also, other elements like low exterior railings, original gas fireplaces and appliances, etc would be prohibited per today’s building codes.