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Supervisor Kathryn Barger: Taking action a month on from the Eaton fire

February 8, 2025

Walking and driving through the streets of Altadena one month since the Eaton fire hits hard. Since that fateful seventh day of January, I have treaded the scorched streets countless times and spoken with hundreds of residents worried about their futures. I have listened to their fears, anger, and frustrations. As mayor of this town, every encounter and conversation has fueled my commitment to crafting a covenant with Eaton fire survivors – a promise to deliver a new beginning and rebuild stronger and more quickly than ever.

My promise to rebuild goes hand in hand with my launch of the Altadena Recovery Commission this week — a focused and pragmatic effort to organize, resource, and support the long-term recovery of our beloved Altadena.

When we think about recovery, we must think beyond simply reconstructing what was lost. Our mission is bigger than rebuilding houses and businesses. We must also work hard to restore hope with tangible and scalable solutions that are accessible, sustainable, and can be delivered quickly.

This is where the Altadena Recovery Commission comes in and will serve a critical purpose. Commission members will be laser focused on operationalizing and delivering a wide array of rebuilding options that can be executed with both urgency and expertise. Certainly, subject matter experts across many public sectors serving Los Angeles County play a critical role in restoring our roads, utilities, and public spaces. But through the Altadena Recovery Commission, community members and private-sector leaders in housing development, architecture, and finance will complement our county’s efforts, infusing additional expertise and speed.

My promise to rebuild is also based on the fact that we have an opportunity to modernize our infrastructure, to create scalable and cost efficient housing solutions, and to ensure that every resident — no matter their economic standing — has an option to return home.

The Eaton fire took a big toll not just on our physical landscape but also on the hearts and minds of nearly every resident in Los Angeles County. One month later, as many community members are still wading through the early fog of recovery, let me be clear: the buck stops with the county when it comes to rebuilding Altadena and I am committed to ensuring that every available resource is utilized to support my constituents. Altadena will recover. We will rebuild, and we will do it together.

It is no coincidence that the Altadena Recovery Commission’s acronym is ARC. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Today, I build on that sentiment and apply it to our community’s recovery: The arc of rebuilding Altadena will bend toward a stronger and more vibrant community. The Eaton fire will not define us. Instead, we will define our future by coming together, by taking action, and by refusing to accept anything less than a full and complete recovery.

Kathryn Barger is chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and represents Altadena.

Orange County Register

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Supervisor Kathryn Barger: Taking action a month on from the Eaton fire

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