US EditionOnly four rebuilding permits issued since LA fires: Report
- In the aftermath of the January wildfires in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, which destroyed or damaged over 6,000 homes, only four permits have been issued for rebuilding as of March 24, day 75 post-fire.
- The slow permitting process has drawn criticism from local leaders and residents, with Councilmember Traci Park expressing concern over the limited number of permits issued, suspecting systemic issues rather than a lack of interest in rebuilding.
- The city hired Hagerty Consulting for $10 million to oversee the recovery effort, a decision that has been questioned by city lawmakers given the city's $1 billion budget deficit, with some suggesting that existing city departments are capable of managing the recovery.
- State Representative Joe Patterson suggested putting Los Angeles planning and building departments into receivership and letting the free market help people rebuild, while residents showed up at a city council committee meeting looking for answers and demanding expedited rebuilding.
- The rebuilding process faces challenges including the removal of contaminated debris, potential soil restoration issues due to toxic elements like asbestos and lead in the ash from older homes, and the need for increased dust control due to the large number of vehicles involved in debris removal.
47 Articles
47 Articles
San Diego Union Tribune
If California bails out LA’s $1 billion budget deficit, beware the slippery slope
As fate would have it, the very destructive and deadly wildfires that swept through Los Angeles neighborhoods this year erupted as its city officials were struggling to close a large gap in their budget. At the time, the city’s deficit was estimated to be $600 million, but this month it was updated to nearly $1 billion. It would be tempting to attribute the larger shortfall to the fires, and they undoubtedly are a factor. But City Controller Ken…
Center for California Real Estate's wildfire expert panel shares recovery lessons, innovations for rebuilding Southern California's communities
LOS ANGELES, March 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Paradise, Calif., Mayor Steve Crowder provided firsthand insights on an expert panel discussing wildfire recovery hosted last week by the Center for California Real Estate (CCRE), telling attendees he expects his town's recovery from the 2018 Camp Fire to last 20 years. The panel, The Road to Recovery: Rebuilding Communities After the Wildfires also featured key policy insights, innovations and consum…
Press-Telegram
Daily BulletinOreo, the dog reunited with owner after Palisades fire, inspires pet rescue bill
Pacific Palisades resident Casey Colvin wasn’t home when the January wildfire started. Despite the area being under an evacuation order, Colvin desperately tried to return home to save his two dogs. But he was stopped from entering the evacuation zone. In his stead, a fire battalion chief went to Colvin’s home but only managed to retrieve one dog. Colvin’s home burned down that night, and for several anxiety-filled days, he could only hope that …
Beloved historic landmarks navigate an uncertain future after the LA fires
In Pasadena, The Gamble House was in a fire evacuation zone and its custodians are trying to safeguard its future. In Altadena, only concrete walls are left from the former home of novelist Zane Grey.(Image credit: Susan Pickering Photography)
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