Foundation Awards Milestone Grant to Rebuild 22 Altadena Homes

The Altadena Builds Back Foundation (ABBF), an initiative of Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF), has announced its first grant: $4.55 million to the San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity (SGV Habitat).

This milestone investment marks the largest grant ever distributed from a PCF fund to date and represents an important step in long-term recovery efforts for Altadena residents impacted by the devastating Eaton Fire. The disaster has left thousands displaced, many of whom have yet to return to their homes and are now grappling with the emotional and financial challenges of rebuilding their lives.

The ABBF grant will support the rebuilding of 22 homes over three years in West Altadena for low-income, underinsured, and uninsured homeowners who lost their residences.  Many of the applicants—whose average age is 72 and who have lived in their homes for more than three decades—represent multigenerational families or seniors on fixed incomes. Through its outreach in the community after the fire, San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity heard from homeowners that they have a desire to rebuild their homes and stay in Altadena. Unfortunately, many low–income, fixed-income, or underinsured fire survivors face a significant funding gap that puts rebuilding out of reach.

“Pasadena Community Foundation and its supporting organization Altadena Builds Back Foundation believe that recovery must begin with—and be led by—our community,” said Candice Kim, ABBF Project Director. “This inaugural grant is a powerful first step for ABBF. It embodies our deep, decades-long commitment to Altadena and our trust in SGV Habitat to deliver community-rooted solutions.”

Restoring Hope, Stability, and a Future

SGV Habitat has been focused on long-term recovery needs and finding solutions to helping impacted residents rebuild. Its plans include offering comprehensive case management and financial support while ensuring survivors are able to rebuild without taking on new debt.

“Due to our diligent efforts, we received the first rebuilding permit in Altadena earlier this year,” said Bryan Wong, CEO of SGV Habitat. “With this first grant from the Altadena Builds Back Foundation, we can provide hope to 22 households over the next three years. Many residents are reaching out to us trying to find options to affordably rebuild. With partners like ABBF, this is possible.”

SGV Habitat will lead the three-year rebuild project, offering comprehensive case management and financial support while ensuring survivors do not take on new debt. In collaboration with Los Angeles County and Foothill Catalog, SGV Habitat has already submitted pre-approved home and Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) designs to accelerate construction timelines. Wong notes,

“This is not just about rebuilding homes—it’s about restoring hope, stability, and a future. These homes represented generations of resilience and legacy. With this support, families can begin to rebuild more than walls—they can rebuild lives.”

About the Altadena Builds Back Foundation

Pasadena Community Foundation established the Altadena Builds Back Foundation in March 2025 to focus on the long-term recovery of Altadena following the Eaton Fire. The organization will assist in the leadership and funding of the rebuilding of Altadena through a community-centered process that reflects the strengths, opportunities, and priorities of those directly impacted by the disaster.  The resources of ABBF will be focused on the broad issue of housing with priority to preserve the demographic, socioeconomic, and creative diversity that has always been woven into the fabric of Altadena.

About San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity

Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, a small group of committed volunteers founded San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity in 1990. Fueled by the generosity of volunteers and donors, we’ve served over 300 families in our local community and abroad. Families and individuals partner with Habitat to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners receive a hand up, not a handout, as they help build their own homes alongside volunteers. All Habitat homebuyers pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability, and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. To learn more, visit sgvHabitat.org.