Nearly two years after the Eaton Fire tore through his Altadena neighborhood, an 87-year-old disabled U.S. veteran is still trying to get back into his own home. His contractor, hired to build him a prefabricated house, is now asking for tens of thousands of dollars more than the original price just to finish the job.
The veteran's ordeal was reported by journalist Jasmine Viel in a segment for CBS News Los Angeles, which detailed his continued fight to return home after the fire destroyed it. The Eaton Fire ripped through Altadena during the 2025 wildfires, and according to Catalyst California, it burned 14,000 acres over 24 days, destroyed 9,413 structures and killed 19 people.
Nearly two years later, the veteran's experience echoes what fire survivors across Altadena have described: a rebuilding process bogged down by money, permitting and contractor troubles.
A Recovery Measured in Single Digits
Nearly two years out, Altadena's rebuild numbers remain stark. Citing the Los Angeles County dashboard, CBS News Los Angeles reported that 18 months after the fire, just 100 homes had been fully rebuilt, 1,796 were under construction and 2,981 building permits had been issued. Catalyst California's tracking found an even starker figure: as of December 2025, only 23 of nearly 6,000 residential properties with significant fire damage had completed all rebuilding and repairs.
An earlier analysis found some movement on paperwork, even if it hadn't translated into finished homes. The Los Angeles Times reported in April that about 44% of homeowners it analyzed had fully approved permits to rebuild, but only 30% had actually started construction. The same report pointed to a lack of capital and delayed insurance payouts as key obstacles slowing residents down.
That pace stands in sharp contrast to other fire-recovery efforts. The Los Angeles Times noted that rebuilding in both Altadena and Pacific Palisades has been markedly slower than it was in Santa Rosa following the 2017 Tubbs Fire.
Prefab Promised Speed, But Not Everyone Gets There Smoothly
Prefabricated construction has emerged as one path some Altadena families have chosen in hopes of rebuilding faster, though the scale remains limited. A drive-by survey cited by the Los Angeles Times identified 24 prefab projects in part of Altadena, or roughly one in nine rebuilds in the area surveyed. Plant Prefab, one such builder, had 97 homes under contract — what the paper called a tiny fraction of the more than 12,000 homes destroyed across the Eaton and Palisades fires combined. The outlet also reported that Reframe Systems delivered its first Altadena home in April, a three-bedroom, two-bath model with a backyard accessory dwelling unit.
Prefab construction is one option some Altadena families have pursued in rebuilding.
Questions About Contractor Obligations
The veteran's dispute raises questions about whether his contractor is licensed and what obligations the contractor has under California law.
The veteran's contract and the contractor's obligations under California law are central to the dispute.
For now, the central facts remain what CBS News Los Angeles first reported: an 87-year-old disabled veteran who lost his Altadena home to the Eaton Fire is still displaced, with a contractor seeking tens of thousands of dollars beyond the price he was first quoted to finish building his prefab house.
