Our story is a
community's story.
Altadena CDC is a community-rooted organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and strengthening Altadena through equitable recovery, community-driven development, and long-term resilience. Founded and led by Altadena natives with deep roots in the community, the organization brings lived experience, trusted relationships, and an unwavering commitment to helping residents rebuild, remain rooted, and thrive.
In the aftermath of the Eaton Fire, Altadena CDC and its partners launched Dena Care, providing direct financial assistance to homeowners to help them navigate the earliest stages of recovery.
Today, our work has grown into a comprehensive recovery effort focused on helping residents return home and remain rooted in Altadena. Through recovery navigation, rebuilding support, strategic partnerships, homeowner preservation, and anti-displacement initiatives, we strengthen the organizations, partnerships, and systems working together to ensure an equitable and resilient recovery.
Altadena CDC's mission is to help Eaton Fire-impacted Altadena residents recover, rebuild, return home, and remain rooted.
We advance that mission by helping residents navigate recovery programs and resources, supporting rebuilding and rebuilding-readiness efforts, expanding access to housing and financial guidance, preserving homeownership, advancing anti-displacement strategies, and coordinating community recovery partnerships.
Our work includes Altadena Ally, our recovery navigation platform; the Rebuild Altadena Pilot Project, our community-centered rebuilding initiative; housing counseling and financial empowerment partnerships; and ongoing homeowner preservation and recovery coordination.
Our goal is not simply to rebuild property. It is to help create the conditions that allow Altadena residents to return home, preserve ownership, and remain part of the community.
Altadena CDC advances community-centered recovery, housing stability, and long-term rebuilding in Altadena, with a focus on helping residents impacted by the Eaton Fire recover, rebuild, preserve homeownership, access trusted resources, and remain connected to the community. Our programs put this mission into action by helping residents navigate recovery resources, prepare for rebuilding, preserve homeownership, access trusted support, and create pathways to return to and remain in Altadena.
Meet the people helping build pathways toward a stronger future for Altadena.
VAN BROWN
Managing Director
PROPHET WALKER
Advisor
MELISSA FREENY-YOUNG
Advisor
KATHERINE PEOPLES
Partner - HPP Cares
A dedicated group of leaders, advisors, and community stewards committed to helping ensure that recovery benefits the people who built Altadena.
Aja Brown
Founder, Board Chair
Anthony McFarland
Secretary
Greg Pitts
Treasurer
Sheila Foster
Board Member
Ethan Smith
Board Member
Recovery requires collaboration.
We work alongside residents, community organizations, public agencies, and private-sector partners to build a more coordinated and community-centered recovery ecosystem.
