Altadena family living outside burned home in RV says they were ticketed twice by parking enforcement

An Altadena family living outside of their home, which was badly damaged in the Eaton Fire, says that their RV was ticketed by Los Angeles County Parking Enforcement twice last week as they work to rebuild their lives from the ground up. 

Derrick Collins shared cell phone video footage of their confrontation with the parking enforcement officers last week.

"This is harassment, man. I'm trying to get my life together. You think I want to be on the street?" he can be heard asking the officers as they measure the family's fifth-wheel recreational vehicle. 

When the Eaton Fire broke out last January, Jo Collins and his neighbors were able to spring into action and save some of the homes on El Sereno Avenue, but like many others across the city, the home they've lived in since the 60s was damaged and deemed unlivable. 

"The house to the south of us was completely engulfed, and the vents to our attic are on the south side, so all the soot rolled into the attic and, just all of our insulation, it just looks like black tar," Jo Collins said. 

Since then, his parents have been living in the RV outside of their home, joining the dozens of other recreational vehicles now found across Altadena since the fire. They say that for the last 13 months, there haven't been any issues. 

"It's created a lot more stress outside of what we already have," Shirley Collins said. 

The Collins family was given two tickets, one on Tuesday and another on Thursday, telling them that they had to move their RV off the street. 

Altadena city leaders visited with the Collins family on Saturday to discuss the matter. 

"Altadena Town Council and Sheriff's Station did not put out a directive to get on the street and start gathering these up," said Nic Arnzen, a city council member. "They certainly wouldn't be looking for fire victims and try to make their lives harder. Now, what they're doing could inadvertently do that."

The Collins family says that they're still mounting legal and financial hurdles to get back into their home, and that the added fines and tickets are pushing them to a breaking point. They hope that others like them won't have to face the same circumstances in the near future. 

"It's uncharted waters for everybody, but we're in survivor mode," Jo Collins said. 

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officials shared a statement with CBS LA regarding the tickets. 

"The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department recognizes that housing and recovery challenges following the Eaton Fire have been difficult and stressful for many of our residents who are navigating complex decisions while working to rebuild their lives and homes. Los Angeles County has provided options that allow impacted residents to park an RV on their own property as part of the recovery plan, helping reduce financial strain as families work to return and rebuild. Parking RVs on public streets is not included in the recovery plan due to existing county and state parking regulations, as well as broader community concerns. These concerns include traffic safety, equitable access to shared street parking, and maintaining clear and accessible sidewalks for pedestrians, including individuals with disabilities and those using wheelchairs. The Station has received several complaints from residents about unauthorized RV parking on the streets.

In this situation, an RV has remained parked on a public street for several months and has received citations related to these violations. Altadena Station personnel have contacted the homeowner to offer education and guidance on available options to help them align with the recovery plan. Additionally, Altadena Town Council leadership is working to connect the resident with nonprofit organizations that may be able to provide financial assistance to help relocate the RV onto their property. The Altadena Sheriff's Station remains committed to supporting our residents throughout the recovery process while also ensuring public safety, accessibility, and quality of life for the entire community."