David Wagner reports on housing for LAist.
Ash from the Eaton Fire is visible on a windowsill that held potted plants. Health officials have said this ash potentially contains lead, asbestos and arsenic.The fires that tore through urban Los Angeles County in January 2025 didn’t just destroy thousands of homes — they left thousands more Assemblymember John Harabedian , who represents Altadena, introduced AB 1642 this week.
The proposed legislation calls on the state’s Department of Toxic Substances Control to set new standards for removing post-fire contamination from homes, schools and workplaces. “When it comes to our families' health we trust science, not insurance company guesswork,” Harabedian said in a news release. “Public health will be the standard, not the exception.”Public health departments have warned residents that smoke from the Eaton and Palisades Fires carried hazardous materials — including lead, asbestos and heavy metals — from burned homes into other nearby properties.Sign up for Building Your Block, a seven-issue newsletter course from LAist that explains the obstacles around housing development in L.A. and what you can do to make things better.Does LA need a ‘mansion tax’ makeover? City Council delays decision on sending it back to voters Measure ULA funds tenant aid by taxing mansion sales. But it also taxes new apartments. Multiple ballot initiatives are seeking changes — or repeal.A new City Council motion seeks to ask voters to change Measure ULA, including a tax exemption for new apartment buildings.Sponsored messagethat even after cleaning, 63% of tested homes contained lead on their floors at levels far above EPA safety limits. Nicole Maccalla, director of data science for the group Eaton Fire Residents United, praised the new legislative push. She said last year’s fires were categorically different from fires in more rural areas. “They weren't just wildfires — they were actually urban fires,” Maccalla said. “We're really at the forefront here in California of trying to identify clear standards so that we can be sure families and residents are safe in their homes and neighborhoods.”Currently, California law does not set uniform rules for re-occupying contaminated homes after fires based on risks to human health. Lawmakers are treating the bill as an urgency measure, meaning it would take effect immediately if approved. If passed into law, the bill would instruct the California Department of Toxic Substances Control to establish emergency regulations around testing and removal of contaminants by July 1, 2027.Newsom proposes $11.5 million for child-care providers affected by last year's firesIn response to the L.A. fires, state lawmakers have already clarified that landlords are responsible for cleaning contaminated apartments after disasters. This came in response to some tenants’ inability to get landlords to remediate their homes. This week, Pasadena officials settled a lawsuit alleging the city failed to protect renters’ right to a habitable home following Eaton Fire contamination. The settlement will require the city to carry out faster inspections and improve enforcement procedures. The deal is similar toYou come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead . Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community. Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.World Health Organization
Eaton Fire Palisades Fire Ash Damage Ash Remediation Post-Fire Clean Up Toxic Materials
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