The county Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved a program to help homeowners in fire-ravaged Altadena remove lead-contaminated soil from their properties following the Eaton Fire.
The board authorized the Los Angeles County Development Authority to administer the Altadena Soil Remediation Program, which will provide up to $3 million for enrollment, administration and cleanup efforts.
The county will contribute $1 million from Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s Fifth District Climate Equity Account. That funding will be combined with $2 million approved in the 2025-26 state budget for the California Community Foundation, working with CONSORTIUM, to support the program.
The program will prioritize households with standing homes where pregnant women or children younger than six live because of the greater health risks associated with lead exposure.
“Families whose homes survived the Eaton Fire have faced obstacle after obstacle,” Barger said. “Many Altadena residents have spent months waiting for answers while insurance companies have fallen short of meeting survivors’ legitimate needs. Today’s action is an important step forward to help residents safely restore their properties and move on with rebuilding their lives.”
The board’s action authorizes the Los Angeles County Development Authority to oversee the program using an existing county contracting mechanism.
County officials said the funding will not affect the county’s General Fund because it comes from Barger’s discretionary Climate Equity Account allocation.
The program is expected to launch this fall.