Pasadena Approves Recovery Fee Waivers for Eligible Standing Homes
The Pasadena City Council has approved an expansion of its Eaton Fire recovery fee-waiver program to include qualifying owner-occupied standing homes damaged by smoke, soot, ash or water during the Eaton Fire.
Eligible homes must have been owner-occupied on January 7, 2025 and located within an official evacuation order or warning area. Fire-related damage can be documented through professional reports from licensed contractors, industrial hygienists or environmental professionals, HVAC assessments, insurance adjuster findings and, in some cases, dated photographs. Waivers apply to repairs restoring the home to its pre-fire condition, not elective remodeling or expansion. The City estimates individual waived permit and plan-check fees will generally range from about $150 to $2,000.
The Council also directed the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance exempting qualifying repairs from the City’s construction tax.