Only four rebuilding permits issued since LA fires: Report

Two months after wildfires devastated Los Angeles, killing 29 people and scorching more than 16,000 structures, plus more than 37,000 acres of land

Only four permits to rebuild have been issued, according to reports. At a city council committee meeting earlier this week, residents from the Pacific Palisades showed up looking for answers

Local KABC 7 reports. LA City Council member Tracy Park told KABC, only four rebuilding permits issued is concerned

You know, when I hear in a committee meeting like we had today that only four permits have been issued and we're on day 75 post-fire, that is concerning to me

And I don't think it is necessarily a lack of interest in rebuilding

I suspect it is indicative of systemic issues that we need to continue to focus on

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, who's facing a recall effort, signed an executive order last week to quote

help Palisades residents expedite the rebuilding of their homes and businesses. The order states city departments will streamline permitting for owners who rebuild all electric, more fire-resistant homes

This means residents who rebuild without using natural gas, no gas stoves, ovens, or heaters would have priority to rebuild their homes faster

Getting residents home quickly and safely is my top priority, and we must rebuild with an eye toward the future, Mayor Bass said in a statement

The order also says phase two of the debris removal process is moving at an historical pace and has already been completed at hundreds of properties Permits to rebuild cannot be issued until all debris is removed Meanwhile New York Times opinion columnist Ezra Klein appeared on California Governor Gavin Newsom podcast Wednesday

and asked him why it's easier to build in states like Texas and Florida. Newsom blamed local

California governments. He revealed his administration had the goal of seeing 2.5 million new housing

units built in the state by 2030. You're not on track for that. Not even close. Why? For a number of reasons

macroeconomic. I mean, I think you have to be fair as it relates to the realities of what just

occurred as it relates to the constraints around the markets. You're saying that interest rates

are high. Interest rates are high. Obviously, we came out of a very difficult period during

COVID. But fundamentally, because of the inability to get local government to get out of the way

and allow for more construction. One day after this podcast, Newsom signed another executive order

related to rebuilding LA after the fires. According to a press release, the order expedites repairs

and replacements of electric, gas, water, sewer, and telecom infrastructure in fire damaged

communities. It also accelerates the undergrounding of utility equipment to help communities

recover faster and build resilience against future catastrophic fires. L.A. City Council

member Park told KABC, the city is looking at hundreds of billions of dollars in loss revenue

with the loss of businesses, calling the situation a mess. For Straight Arrow News, I'm Lauren Taylor

For more on this story, download the Straight Arrow News app or visit www.com