A homeowner in Altadena, California was finally freed from the bear living under his home after threatening a lawsuit, but it seems like the furry fiend may have simply moved next door.
California man Kenneth Johnson went viral in December 2025 after revealing that a 550lb black bear had been making its home in the crawlspace beneath his house since Thanksgiving of that year.
Both he and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) tried to do something about the situation for weeks, using a bevy of strategies to remove the unwanted houseguest, including air horns, strong scents, and even paintball guns.
However, the CDFW eventually stopped intervening after their attempts failed, prompting frustration from Johnson and sparking threats of a lawsuit against the organization for negligence and emotional distress.
Then, in January 2026, the bear was finally chased out of the crawlspace by bear rescue organization BEAR League, who successfully rooted the ‘squatter’ out of its hiding place within a matter of minutes.
Johnson was relieved to be rid of his furry guest, saying it had significantly damaged a gas line… but it looks like the bear didn’t learn its lesson.
Black bear spotted under a second Altadena home after ‘eviction’
As reported by KTLA on January 13, another black bear has made a home for itself beneath the house of a different Altadena resident who lives less than half a mile away from Johnson’s address.
According to the homeowner, the bear had made itself cozy beneath their house for about four to five days at the time of their report.
KTLA reached out to the CDFW on the homeowner’s behalf. The outlet states that a spokesperson for the group assured them they are “looking into” the situation.
The California Black Bear is the state’s only native species of bear, known for its omnivorous diet and flexible eating habits. Unlike Grizzly Bears, black bears are generally nonaggressive, but as seen in Johnson’s case, they can be destructive to items and property.
Black bears are increasingly being pushed out of their natural territory due to land development caused by humans, prompting them to search for food and shelter in homes and garbage cans.
