Altadena business owner is racing to thwart developers

Shelene Hearring is sprinting against big developers to try to buy a slice of Altadena on Lake Avenue, a part of the unincorporated town she sees as crucial to the community's identity.

- BY MELISSA GOMEZ

AARON JONES SHELENE HEARRING ran Two Dragons Martial Arts Studio on Lake Avenue in Altadena for 18 years.

Hearring, who ran Two Dragons Martial Arts Studio for 18 years on Lake Avenue, placed a bid to buy the land after her studio burned down in the Eaton fire in January. The bid was accepted by the landowner last week, and Hearring notified the community that she has until Nov. 25 to raise $600,000 to secure the property.

"We want to maintain the sense of community that we used to have," Hearring said. "Big businesses were looking to buy it up. I said no, we gotta have something for our community. We want to get back to where we used to be."

Hearring’s case is one of the few instances, and possibly the only one, of an Altadena small business owner attempting to buy property they once rented by launching a GoFundMe campaign. When she learned the property was being sold, she realized developers were putting in offers. Now she’s hoping the community will support her efforts to stay in Altadena, as many residents fear the culture and fabric will change as more families move out and developers swoop in.