Journal Entry #20 -Open House Recap & Spring Updates 🌻
A brief summary of our open house, a few updates, and answering the question: what’s actually included in a Foothill Catalog pre-approved plan?
TFCF Open House Recap –
Earlier this month, we were joined by several hundred community members at our Open House hosted at the Eaton Fire Collaboratory. It was wonderful to see so many neighbors and friends - including families at many different stages of their Foothill Catalog rebuild journey.
Some highlights from the day included a full update on pre-approved plans and interior design packages…
3D printed home models, including a site model at scale showing three Foothill Catalog homes under construction on Tonia Ave …
And of course, exploring AR/VR (Augmented & Virtual Reality) walkthroughs of Foothill Catalog homes in partnership with TKEI* and Autodesk.
For our team, the event was also a chance to pause and reflect on everything that has happened over the past year. With much to do ahead of us, it’s easy to fall into a day-to-day of keeping our heads down to just keep working (!!) without really looking up or back to see all that’s happened in a relatively short amount of time.
Seeing so many community members engage with the Catalog enthusiastically - while several Foothill Catalog homes begin to break ground across Altadena - has truly meant the world to us.
Thank you to our partners in the day - Eaton Fire Collaborative, Highlight Coffee, TKEI*, and Autodesk.
So what’s included in a Foothill Catalog pre-approved plan?
Following the Open House, we wanted to briefly re-introduce the service TFCF offers as a nonprofit organization - what’s included in a pre-approved plan and how the process works.
The Catalog brochures we share online and at events are just the tip of the iceberg. A true pre-approved plan developed by TFCF is a fully documented construction set that has already been reviewed and approved by the local permitting authority.
TFCF assesses a $5/SF* License fee for full utilization of any pre-approved plan in the Catalog. This includes:
Architectural Drawing Set
Structural Drawing Set & Calculations
Energy (Title 24) Calculations
Mechanical & Electrical Drawings
Optional Interior Design Packages
Think of it like everything a builder needs to construct and build a home, minus the site!
*Fire survivor rate. For non-fire survivors, please contact us for an estimate.
We often get asked if TFCF’s involvement ends after a plan is selected - and the answer is no!
Through the Foothill Catalog consultation process, our Homeowner Engagement Team supports families from the very beginning and stays with them throughout the full eight-step Rebuild Roadmap process. This includes ongoing guidance as homeowners move through plan selection, contractor selection, site specific approvals, and construction.
If you’re even a little curious about the process, we encourage you to fill out the Rebuild Questionnaire and schedule a consultation. Our ultimate goal is to provide end-to-end support, ensuring every family has a clear path forward and a support system walking alongside them every step of the way.
Some New Designs –
We recently unveiled a few new designs including the Wagner & Calanda- a 705 SF ADU, available as a detached garage + ADU, or an attached ADU with one-car or two-car garage variations.
We also want to reintroduce The Passivist, a concept design by Graham Irwin currently in the development phase. This 1,800~ SF MCM home features 3 beds, 2.5 baths. The Passivist will be available with standard construction detailing, or it can also be designed to the Passivhaus standard for those looking to push the envelope of resilient design.
Upcoming Event: For the Pacific Palisades Community –
Last week, the City of Los Angeles announced our initial collection of pre-approved plans now available for the Pacific Palisades. Following the announcement, we’ll be hosting an Open House in collaboration with the Palisades Recovery Coalition on March 28th, from 10am-1pm.
For those in the Palisades community, we would love the opportunity to meet you, hear about your needs, and learn what you envision for a future Palisades Catalog as TFCF expands its work within the City of Los Angeles.
Foothill Catalog X Palisades Open House - Free Event - Register Here
đź“… Saturday, March 28th, 2026
⏰ 10am - 1pm
đź“Ť Palisades Branch Library* (861 Alma Real Dr, Pacific Palisades)
*Updated venue
Lastly - an update from another FC home going up in Altadena - this one was fully framed in just a couple weeks!
Builder: 5blox
Construction updates and move-in announcements are on the horizon - more soon.
Until Next Time,
The Foothill Catalog