Rebuilding and restoring communities.
The Foothill Catalog
A collection of pre-approved home designs for displaced residents to affordably and expeditiously rebuild, while collectively retaining our community identity and local architectural character.
The Foothill Catalog is envisioned as a collective design effort, placing the community’s voice at the forefront.
Read more about our first concept design showcase, and view initial designs, and more:
Fill out the TFCF Homeowner Intake Survey
Notes from the community: our “why” -
“When I saw the sketches and floorplans of the Spanish/Mediterranean, I burst into tears in the middle of the T-Mobile Store. It finally feels like rebuilding might be doable when I see these”.
“I am an Altadena senior who home burned down in the Eaton Fire. I’m very concerned about being able to go through the rebuild process on my own. I would love to rebuild my bungalow, and the idea of working with a group, being able to select a pre-approved design, and having support to get through this process is very encouraging and potentially, much less stressful”.
“I am interested in learning more about this concept as you develop the catalog. I believe this may be the best and only way for me to rebuild”.
“This seems like a wonderful project, and thank you for prioritizing the architectural style of Altadena as we know it. Our family is eagerly following along."
“Thank you for the update and for starting this project. It will help so many of us who are eager to make our way back to Altadena.”
“The process of rebuilding and trying to figure everything out oneself is so daunting that I often want to scrap it all and just move. I’m hoping that with the designs and guidance and community found within the Foothill Catalog, I will remain an Altadena til... Thank you all!”
The Foothill Catalog Foundation is now fiscally sponsored by Community Partners
Community Partners is a nonprofit fiscal sponsor and intermediary organization that provides us with administrative services, expert guidance, and the benefits of tax-exempt status.
Our Process.
The Foothill Catalog will consist of a wide range of home designs developed through the collaboration of many Architects, Engineers, Builders, public officials, and community members.
Displaced residents looking to affordably rebuild a home will have the option to select a design, style, and price range that is appropriate for their neighborhood and their budget.
The repeatable nature of pre-designed, pre-approved homes can vastly increase the speed of construction and lower the floor of affordability to enable a diverse group of property owners to remain in control of their land and, ultimately, to remain in their hometown.
Our neighborhoods, once decimated by wildfire, can be efficiently rebuilt with the same eclectic architectural character so intrinsic to our collective identity.
Mural by Greetings Tour
The Foothills: a community rooted in history and culture.
Altadena and the surrounding foothill neighborhoods are characterized by the ever-present mountains and a diverse, soul-filled community steeped in the history of Southern California. Due to the Eaton Fire, much of the built environment that reflected this character has been reduced to ashes. It’s up to all of us to preserve and restore the essence of this community that is beloved by so many.
The Catalog: a tangible architectural revitalization resource for homeowners
The residential structures that were lost within the Foothill community represented significant cultural value that cannot be easily quantified or replaced. Homeowners and residents of these communities shared strong emotional connections to these places, and many will have limited means or resources to rebuild on their own in a traditional way.
The primary mechanism for this revitalization effort is the development of a series of repeatable, pre-approved home designs that are representative of the historical identity of the Southern California locale.
Modeled off of the Sears Catalog Homes popularized in the early 1900s, different options of local character-defining style residences can be developed in a variety of sizes, orientations, and articulations. This catalog of home designs will allow displaced homeowners an efficient and predictable mechanism to rebuild their home, while simultaneously rebuilding the historic identity of their neighborhood.
Upcoming Events
more events coming soon…
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Altadena Revealed: Reflections of People & Place #03: Stephanie Landregan, FASLA
May 30th, 2025 | 7pm - 9pm
The Blinn House
Stephanie will speak about the critical role of trees in fire recovery, climate resilience, and cultural memory.
What we’ve been up to…
Let’s rebuild our community together.
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