The first certificate of occupancy for a rebuilt residence in Altadena was issued on Wednesday, marking a major milestone for a community still recovering from January’s Eaton Fire, which burned more than 14,000 acres and displaced thousands of residents.
The new home belongs to Altadena resident Ted Koerner, who lives alongside his 13-year-old golden retriever, Daisy May. Their residence is the first home in the city to be fully rebuilt since the fire. The beige, single-family home sits on a hillside with a patio that overlooks the neighborhood, a view Koerner said he missed most during months in temporary housing.
Koerner’s property was among the first to be cleared of debris, and he was one of the first homeowners to receive a building permit.
His builder rebuilt the home in just over four months, faster than the 12-18-month estimate he received from the Army Corps of Engineers in January.
Even with the head start, he said the process was filled with delays, especially around permit approvals and mortgage servicers releasing insurance funds.
“County agencies have taken a lot of unfair press,” Koerner said. “They’re trying hard, and they’re making revisions every day. No city was ready for this level of disaster. Don’t give up and keep asking for help.”
Jun Li Lujan, another Eaton Fire survivor, recently put the finishing touches on a new Pasadena residence. She and her husband celebrated the achievement by throwing a housewarming party for their neighbors last week.
Los Angeles County currently averages 89 days to issue a building permit due to the dramatic influx of submitted permit requests after debris removal. Of the 2,426 Altadena homeowners seeking to rebuild, 899 have been issued permits as of Wednesday.
Neighbors see Koerner’s completed home as a milestone and a symbol of hope for frustrated residents currently entrenched in the delayed permitting process. Koerner said he understands why the rebuild carries so much weight in the community.
“It’s going to be the only brand new city in America,” he said, describing how many Altadena homes will be reconstructed at once.
Many residents, including students and faculty connected to USC, still face significant permitting delays. Justin Zandi, a senior studying aerospace engineering, is among those whose families are waiting to move forward with construction.
“I would say it’s been a mix of emotions,” said Zandi, regarding the efforts to rebuild both his house and his childhood neighborhood. “There’s going to be some absent parts, absent people. But I’m not worried about the community as a whole,” Zandi said. “If anything, the community will be stronger.”
LA Public Works and Regional Planning Supervisor Kathryn Barger toured Koerner’s home before signing the formal certificate of occupancy. She said the speed of the rebuild shows what is possible when residents and county agencies work together.
“For me, it shows people in Altadena what can be done,” Barger said. “The fact that it was completed in a little over four months sets a high bar, but Ted was tenacious. Today sends a message that it can be done.”
Barger acknowledged the emotional toll survivors continue to carry.
“When Ted talks about what he lost — his piano, guitars, his plans for the house — he gets emotional,” she said. “But when he looks at Daisy May, he’s happy. That’s how a lot of people feel. You grieve what’s gone, but you also start building a new life.”
Koerner said the fire unexpectedly brought him closer to his neighbors.
“Altadena is a very special place,” he said. “I’ve met people I would have never met if it weren’t for this fire. There’s more of a sense of community now than ever.”