Meet Charles T Bryant

“Altadena has been home for 42 years. I raised my kids here. Built my career here. I’ve invested in this community my entire adult life. It’s more than where I live—it’s where I belong.”

Charles Bryant has spent more than four decades in Altadena. As one of just 2% of licensed architects from historically underrepresented communities—and a licensed contractor—he’s dedicated his career to designing spaces that serve families, businesses, and neighborhoods. 

Over the years, he’s designed schools, office buildings, and homes across Southern California. But none meant more than the one he built for himself.

For 22 years, Charles and his wife lived on a two-acre property just above Loma Alta. Once rugged horse land, he transformed it into a peaceful, tree-lined sanctuary—what he called his “mini park.” He planted over 80 trees, cleared brush, and built a space that reflected both his skill and his soul. “It was a personal project,” he says. “Every inch of it meant something.” 

But everything changed the night of the Eaton Fire. 

Charles and his wife were working late at their office when they saw news of a fire in Eaton Canyon. At first, they didn’t think it would reach their street. Fires had come close before—but never this far down.

Just in case, they picked up a few essentials and decided to spend the night at the office. Around 4 a.m., a friend called: her lawn was on fire. They raced toward home, but the streets were unrecognizable—engulfed in smoke, flames on both sides, and downed power lines. “It was like a war zone,” Charles recalls. 

“We had no choice but to turn around.”

By the time they returned later that morning, the damage was done. In fact, all three homes Charles had lived in during his 42 years in Altadena were destroyed that night in the Eaton Fire.

Now displaced, Charles and his wife are staying with family in Los Angeles. Though grateful for the support, the distance makes it difficult to manage the rebuild—and the costs are quickly stacking up. Insurance won’t cover everything, and as a contractor managing the project himself, being on-site is critical.

Without an ADU on The property, CHARLES FACES:

• Displacement from the community he’s called home for over 40 years

• Increased costs and delays due to the inability to manage construction on-site

• Emotional and physical distance from the land he worked so hard to build

• Limited housing options while insurance and rebuilding timelines stretch on

With an ADU on The property, CHARLES CAN:

•  Live on his own property while rebuilding, cutting costs and accelerating progress

• Oversee construction directly as a licensed contractor—closing gaps in insurance and managing quality

• Return to the land he’s poured decades into nurturing and developing

• Reclaim stability, autonomy, and the sense of place that has grounded him for 42 years