The Eaton Fire devastated Altadena, a Los Angeles neighborhood with a long history of Black homeownership. The fire's impact is deeply felt by residents, highlighting the community's resilience and the challenges they now face in rebuilding.
Amari Jackson and Terri Lyday of Altadena. Jackson is a lifelong resident and his family owns multiple properties in the area.If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.Altadena is one of those rare places in Los Angeles County where people of many backgrounds and ethnicities have been able to afford the American Dream of homeownership.
Major societal change came during the Civil Rights Era. Racist property-use laws became unenforceable and later legal actions banned housing discrimination outright, helping end de facto practices that locked Black families out.This contributed to a"white flight" from the area as one of L.A.
“I'd say about five generations were raised in that house,” she said, her voice breaking. “It's always been a home — I mean, to the community, like, not just our family. My grandma opened her doors to anyone that ever needed anywhere to stay….The family members found shelter in an Ontario hotel room at first, then later in a two-bedroom apartment they own in Pasadena, Large said.
Akeem Mair, left, and his aunt Tamara Carroll outside Carroll's home. Both of their family homes survived, but they worry how Altadena will change in the rebuild.“Growing up here with the Santa Ana winds, we used to come out in the street and play,” Carroll recalled. “Me and my brothers, it’d be pitch black and we would try to see who could stand the longest without moving in the winds. But these winds were different. They were more angry.
In recent decades, rising prices have already changed the demographics of many of these neighborhoods.
BLACK COMMUNITY HOMEOWNERSHIP FIRE ALTA DENA DISASTER
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