There was an audible gasp from the audience when they learned that 49% of the properties sold in the burn zone in the aftermath of the wildfire have been purchased by developers.
"It's definitely taking advantage of people that are -- you know, they're still..." Francine Cafarchia, who lost her home in the Eaton Fire, told ABC7 as she choked back tears. "It's my beautiful Altadena and they're going to ruin it."
The line to get into the town hall stretched around the building. The two state senate bills, SB 1123 and SB 9, allow developers to construct up to 10 units, three-stories tall, on a single lot.
The proposed projects include one on Punahou Street that is now up for sale with approved plans for a multi-unit development alongside a small single-family home.
"They are trying to turn it into some urban density with condo density, and we just don't have the infrastructure," said Gwen Sukeena, whose home was destroyed in the wildfire. "It was the very infrastructure that burned our city down."
The push for protections is being driven by concerns over water, power, parking and potentially losing the cultural heritage on which Altadena was built.
"These two bills silenced local control of land use," said Los Anglees County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who has joined state Sen. Sasha Renee Perez in cosponsoring a new bill aimed at exempting Altadena from the two laws for at least five years
"I want to get a handle on this now and make sure we protect Altadena from what I fear will change the entire complexion of that community," Barger said.
Altadena neighbors step up to clear overgrown lots: 'I want to see my community come back'
The county has voided the more than a dozen building applications under SB 1123, which only allows developments in built-out areas.
Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an exemption order in the Palisades Fire burn zone, pausing SB 9 which allows splitting a property into 10 parcels, because the entire area is in a high fire zone, but he has not done that for Altadena since 70% of the community is outside of the state-designated high-fire zone.
"We need a moratorium on this and that needs to be an executive order from the governor's office," said Shawna Dawson of the advocacy group Beautiful Altadena. "That's it. Full stop."