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LEGAL WATCH - In a powerful demonstration of community resistance and legal advocacy, tenants displaced by the Eaton Fire announced a pair of lawsuits against Los Angeles County and the City of Pasadena. The lawsuits allege that both governments failed to protect low-income tenants from toxic and uninhabitable living conditions in the aftermath of the wildfire.
Filed by Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA) in partnership with Morrison Foerster LLP, the legal action was brought on behalf of members of the Altadena Tenants Union, the Pasadena Tenants Union, and individual tenants affected by the disaster. The plaintiffs accuse the jurisdictions of neglecting their legal obligations to inspect, monitor, and enforce minimum habitability standards for temporary and long-term housing made available to fire-displaced renters.
Neglect in the Wake of Disaster
The Eaton Fire, which ignited in the foothills above Altadena and Pasadena earlier this year, destroyed dozens of structures and left hundreds of residents scrambling for shelter. Many were relocated into temporary housing, some through government programs, others through emergency arrangements with landlords who, advocates say, took advantage of the crisis by leasing unsafe and poorly maintained units.
According to NLSLA, tenants reported exposure to mold, lead-based paint, structural hazards, rodent infestations, and unventilated fumes in the weeks and months following their relocation. Complaints to city and county officials allegedly went unanswered.
“The law is unambiguous,” said a spokesperson for NLSLA. “Agencies have a duty to ensure the homes people are placed in—especially under government authority—meet basic health and safety standards. That duty was ignored, and vulnerable families paid the price.”
Failure to Inspect, Failure to Act
The lawsuits contend that LA County and Pasadena failed to conduct timely inspections of the units where displaced tenants were placed, and failed to enforce existing state and local housing codes once habitability violations were reported. California housing law requires that all rental units be “fit for human occupancy,” even during disaster recovery, and that public agencies respond to complaints of substandard conditions.
“These were not hidden violations,” said a representative of the Altadena Tenants Union. “People were living with visible mold, collapsing ceilings, and sewage leaks. And they were ignored. It’s unconscionable.”
A Broader Pattern
This case, tenant advocates argue, reflects a larger problem in post-disaster recovery: governments often fail to prioritize the needs of low-income renters, particularly in wealthier or mixed-income areas. Pasadena, which has long struggled with affordable housing access and gentrification pressures, has been slow to implement tenant protections even under normal conditions.
"The Eaton Fire displaced families, but it was the neglect that came afterward that deepened the trauma," said a tenant from northwest Pasadena who joined the lawsuit. "We were told we’d be taken care of. We were abandoned."
About the Organizations Behind the Lawsuits
- Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA) is a nonprofit legal aid organization that has served LA County for 60 years. It provides free legal help to low-income individuals in areas including housing, health, public benefits, and disaster recovery.
- Morrison Foerster LLP, a global law firm, joined the effort on a pro bono basis, adding legal muscle to what could become a landmark housing case.
- The Altadena and Pasadena Tenants Unions are grassroots organizations advocating for housing justice, rent control, and tenant protections in their respective communities.
What Comes Next
The lawsuits seek injunctive relief, monetary damages for impacted tenants, and court-mandated reforms in city and county inspection protocols. Legal observers note that the case could set precedent for how California jurisdictions handle tenant housing standards after wildfires, earthquakes, and other disasters.
As rebuilding efforts continue across the San Gabriel foothills, survivors and their attorneys say they won’t stop until officials are held accountable—and until no tenant has to choose between homelessness and hazard.
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