Mayor Karen Bass has stepped in with a proactive approach aimed at accelerating the rebuilding process for the ravaged Palisades community. The Mayor has issued an Emergency Executive Order to streamline permitting procedures for the construction of fire-resistant and all-electric homes, setting Los Angeles on a path toward recovery and resilience against climate-fueled disasters.
According to a statement obtained by the Mayor's Office, Mayor Bass says, "Getting residents home quickly and safely is my top priority – and we must rebuild with an eye toward the future." The declaration comes in the wake of the devastating January 7th firestorm which, destroying over 6,800 structures, has compelled the city to adopt innovative measures ensuring future structures are robust against the escalating threat of wildfires.
The scope of the emergency executive order is expansive, including directives that within a mere 60 days, the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) shall deliver recommendations on a more efficient permitting pathway for residents who opt for all-electric homes. Compelled to recover with swiftness, the city is also prioritizing the utility restoration process, a feat managed in just two months for standing homes in the Palisades—dwarfing the 18-month timeline it took Paradise, California, to restore potable water following the Camp Fire.
The order also directs officials to elevate the resiliency of the city's infrastructure, a measure essential to not just the present but also to safeguarding the uncertain march of future conditions climatic in nature. Highlighting efforts to ensure power reliability during severe weather events and wildfires, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and other agencies are to produce reports on actions to bolster the resiliency of city utilities.
Furthermore, the Mayor's push for resiliency transcends public infrastructure, reaching into the very fabric of civic preparedness. The Emergency Management Department, brushing up against history, is tasked with evaluating existing wildfire preparedness and updating evacuation and emergency notification systems—initiatives that will enhance the city's ability to warn and protect its citizens from potential future fiery threats.
In aiming to boost community resilience, the Los Angeles Fire Department shall, within the next 60 days, collaborate with local organizations to amplify the Community Emergency Response Team training program. The order concludes with Mayor Bass's commitment to forming a Resilient Rebuild Advisory Committee, comprised of various stakeholders, to ensure that the resiliency goals and objectives of the city are met and upheld.
