After the Eaton Fire, the town of Altadena was left in shambles. This is the story - told in real time - of a community rising from the ashes to rebuild itself. Told from the lens of a fire victim trying to get his community back, The Altadena Rebuild aims to be a story of hope and resilience, giving listeners a peek at what the journey looks like once the cameras leave. Hosted by Austin LaRoche.
A preview of what to expect with The Altadena Rebuild, Season 2. Season 1 was all about the issues, check out what - and who - Season 2 is going to be all about
15 Jul 2025
Episode 12 - Soil
Joe Nagy and Stewart Campbell discuss mycoremediation at the Altadena Community Garden with host Austin, revealing how homeowners can apply these innovative soil techniques to their own properties; this is an interview.
17 Jun 2025
Episode 11 - Stuff
Local therapist Anna Johnson discusses the connection to possessions and how it has changed since the wildfire, exploring the relationship between physical objects and the senses in an interview with the host.
10 Jun 2025
Episode 10 - Parks & Rec
Norma Edith Garcia-Gonzalez, Director of the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation, details the rapid rebuild of Loma Alta Park after the Eaton Fire, showcasing the Parks Department's proactive response in this interview.
3 Jun 2025
Episode 9 - The Foothill Catalog
Austin interviews Cynthia Sigler, co-founder of The Foothill Catalog, about their mission to create affordable, pre-approved home designs that reflect Altadena's character.
20 May 2025
Episode 8 - Disaster. Insurance.
Homeowners Insurance. We all knew we had it, but few of us knew exactly what was inside that policy. Since the Eaton Fire, many have struggled with their insurance company's lack of communication, continued delays, and overall partnership. When these companies get really egregious, attorneys like Renee Callantine from the Cornerstone Law Group step in. In this week's episode, Austin and Renee discuss how to get the most out of your policy, what the future of homeowners insurance in California looks like, and much, much more!
13 May 2025
Episode 7 - Inside Out
Austin brings on his friend Neil Tyler for an episode about Emotions. Unlike some of the subject matter guests from previous episodes, Neil is in the same boat as Austin - he lost his home and is figuring out how to navigate this new normal. The two discuss their respective journeys through the lens of emotion. We break down different feelings - nostalgia, gratitude, fear, anger, amusement, sadness, joy, and hope - through stories and vignettes of what we have experienced. These tales tell two stories of what the first 120 days are like after losing your home in a wildfire...and all the emotions that come with it.
6 May 2025
Episode 6 - Damages
Wildfire attorneys Courtney Vasquez and Santo Riccobino join the show to discuss with Austin what they have learned the past decade from working cases all over the state against utility companies like PG&E and SoCal Edison. They walk us through what the process looks like signing on with an attorney, how contingency fees work, the upcoming timeline, and much more. To learn more about the work that Courtney and Santo do, visit www.fireattorneys.com.
29 Apr 2025
Episode 5 - Real Estates
In this episode, Austin sits down with Altadena realtor and Eaton Fire victim, Peter DiVito. We start with a quick history lesson of the different communities in the San Gabriel foothills before bringing Peter on to discuss the 2010s real estate boom in Altadena, the present state of affairs, and an outlook to what comes next for Altadena.
22 Apr 2025
Episode 4 - Boulder
The Marshall Fire in Boulder, Colorado took out over 1,000 homes in late 2021. One of those belonged to Matt Morris. Matt's background was in construction, so he had a brazen idea - what if I rebuild my dream home...by myself. I ask Matt about his journey but save a lot of time to ask more about the destination. What does it feel like to go from being displaced from your home for two years to moving back into your house? How does it feel? Matt's story is insightful, introspective, and inspiring. Eaton Fire victims will relate to his early days and look forward to one day getting to where Matt and his family ended up - in their beautiful, zero energy, disaster resilient home. Big thanks to Matt for his vulnerability and sharing the story of what his family went through.
15 Apr 2025
Episode 3 - Rebuilding 101
In Episode 3, Austin begins by explaining why building brand new homes isn't something most people in the city of Altadena ever thought was on their roadmap. Then he dives into a conversation with Abbie Liel, a leading construction professor at the University of Colorado in Boulder. She runs a team that studies the community rebuilds in towns decimated by wildfires and other natural disasters. We address building disaster resilient homes, what to look for in builders, and much more!
8 Apr 2025
Episode 2 - Good Grief
In Episode 2, Austin starts the show by discussing the parallels between 9/11 and the Eaton Fire through the lens of collective grief. Then he is joined by grief expert Vanessa Fierstadt to break down this unique and specific type of grief that the town of Altadena is going through. We do a deep dive on the emotional side of the recovery, and explore how our neighbors can feel so much at once and meet each other where they're at as we look to rebuild our community.
1 Apr 2025
Episode 1 - Unincorporated
We begin the story of The Altadena Rebuild by having Austin speak with Cal-State Northridge Professor and Eaton Fire victim, Tom Hogen-esch. Tom explains Altadena's obstacles given its Unincorporated status before the two ideate what incorporating or being annexed by Pasadena may look like.
25 Mar 2025
Introducing The Altadena Rebuild
A quick preview of what's to come on The Altadena Rebuild. Austin lays out the vision for the show and why it exists.
Who has been a guest on The Altadena Rebuild
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Joe Nagy
Stewart Campbell
Anna Johnson
Norma Edith Garcia-Gonzalez
Cynthia Sigler
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
3.3 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 14 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
16
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
30
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