California has enacted a law aimed at curbing what officials describe as predatory development in communities recovering from wildfires. The measure comes in response to the Eaton Fire, which devastated Altadena last year and left many homeowners vulnerable to speculative buyers seeking quick, below-market deals.
Resident Sylvie Andrews, whose yard still bears the scars of the fire—including a blackened pizza oven—says the pressure on her neighborhood has not let up. As she walks among the poppies and native plants that have regrown, her attention is drawn to the block beyond, where developers are circling properties.
The law is designed to give residents more protection against aggressive acquisition tactics, ensuring that rebuilding decisions stay in the hands of those who lived through the disaster. Supporters argue it is a necessary check on an industry that has learned to profit from catastrophe.