It’s a No Trespassing Sign of the Times

On January 7th, 2025, the Altadena Eaton Fire became the most devastating disaster in Los Angeles County history, destroying more than 9,400 structures, including 6,889 homes. The scale of loss has left families displaced and communities fragmented.

As residents begin the long journey of rebuilding, there is an urgent need for support to ensure that recovery is safe, dignified, and community driven.

The Fire devastated portions of Altadena, destroying vegetation, fencing, structures, and cars while leaving many properties open and unprotected without access to electricity and Internet services.

^{Video: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department}

In the aftermath, homeowners have reported ongoing trespassing incidents, including loitering, illegal dumping, theft, squatting, and unauthorized photography or exploration. People returning home with a lack of utilities have left thousands of Altadena properties vulnerable to criminals and those wishing to take advantage of others.

With fences burned or removed and homes left vacant or partially standing, properties are now easy targets for criminal activity. This raises serious concerns about safety, insurance liability, theft, squatting and homeowner trauma. A rapid-response mitigation program is urgently needed to address this rising problem.

In the coming months, the Los Angeles Sheriff Department expects crime to increase when billions of dollars of equipment and construction supplies enter Altadena for the rebuild phase of recovery.

In response, the Sheriff’s Station’s proposed trespassing mitigation program seeks to install a temporary barrier around effected properties for owners who wish to participate by creating a legal mechanism to remove violators if necessary.

The physical barrier would involve an average of 400 linear feet of temporary fencing installed with “No Trespassing” signage and solar-powered lighting around each impacted property to create clear boundaries and visibility. The goal is to restore a sense of safety and protect homeowners from further distress and liability during this critical time.

The Altadena Sheriff’s Station is seeking local non-profits to run the program under community leadership. For property owners who are financially challenged and wish to participate; they will be able to sign up and have volunteers install the barriers at no cost.

The Sheriff’s Station is also seeking volunteers to install the barriers. So far, Altadena Rotary and the Veterans Club at PCC have offered to provide labor.

Here are the program details and goals as provided by the Altadena Sheriff’s Station:

• To participate in the program, residents are required to submit a Letter of Agency (ref. Penal Code section 602) to authorize deputies to act on their behalf in cases of trespassing on their property. This legally allows the Altadena Sheriff’s Station to protect and respond swiftly to unauthorized access.
• Volunteers will install a temporary, visible barrier to clearly demarcate property lines: an average of 400 linear feet of 4-foot-high orange plastic construction fencing with a combination of 60-inch metal T-post stakes and wood stakes.
• To deter unauthorized access through proper signage and strategic lighting, five “No Trespassing” signs will be placed in key visibility points on all sides of the property and will be illuminated at night by solar-powered landscape lights.
• Goals include providing peace of mind to property owners during the recovery phase, and reducing the potential for vandalism, injury and illegal use of fire-affected lots by creating a legal barrier during the rebuild phase when construction supplies are present and while homes are being rebuilt.

Altadena residents are invited to contact the Altadena Sheriff’s Station at 626-798-1131 for further information about the proposed trespassing mitigation program.

^{Reporting on the aftermath of natural disasters is supported, in part, by a generous grant from the Institute for Nonprofit News.}