Due to Emergency Executive Action, Rebuilding Permits in Pacific Palisades are Being Approved Nearly 3X Faster than Before Wildfires; More than 70% of Single-Family Permit Clearances No Longer Required
LOS ANGELES – Mayor Karen Bass today announced a major milestone in the City’s recovery effort in Pacific Palisades: the first home has officially been issued its Certificate of Occupancy, the final step in the rebuilding process. Located at 915 N Kagawa Street and built by Thomas James Homes, the Certificate of Occupancy was issued by the L.A. Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) this morning, November 21.
“The Palisades community has been through an unimaginable year, and my heart breaks for every family that won’t be able to be home this holiday season. But today is an important moment of hope,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “With more and more projects nearing completion across Pacific Palisades, the City of Los Angeles remains committed to expediting every aspect of the rebuilding process, until every family is back home.”
“Rebuilding the Palisades has been a shared commitment from day one, and we are grateful for the City’s leadership in accelerating this effort,” said Jamie Mead, Chief Executive Officer of Thomas James Homes. “Completing this first ground-up rebuild in approximately six months shows what is possible when public and private partners work with urgency and purpose. For Thomas James Homes, this is about one thing: helping families return home as quickly and safely as possible.”
Less than a week after the start of the Palisades Fire, Mayor Bass issued Emergency Executive Order 1 to cut red tape and streamline the rebuilding process to expedite projects like this. To date, more than 340 rebuilding projects are confirmed to have started construction across Pacific Palisades.
Last week, Mayor Bass announced the first approvals under the City of Los Angeles’ Standard Plan Pilot Program for single-family homes. Established through Executive Directive 13, the Standard Plan Pilot Program provides a catalog of pre-approved, code-compliant single-family home designs, dramatically reducing permitting time, cost, and uncertainty for homeowners, builders, and architects rebuilding in Pacific Palisades.
Fast-Tracking Rebuilding
Thanks to Emergency Executive action taken by Mayor Bass, Pacific Palisades rebuilding permits are being approved nearly three times faster than typical single-family home projects before the wildfires, and more than 70% of single-family permit clearances are no longer required. To date, more than 1,300 rebuilding plans have been approved for 650 addresses for projects in the Palisades, and 1,070+ permits have been issued for 540+ addresses. Hundreds of rebuilding plans are in the process of being reviewed.
Construction underway across Pacific Palisades
More than 340 projects are confirmed to have started construction. While rebuilding is a deeply personal choice, more rebuilding plans are being submitted to the City every day. The latest permitting numbers for the City of Los Angeles, updated hourly, are available on the dashboard here. The state also published a dashboard showing permits issued for the City of L.A., L.A. County, Malibu, and Pasadena (updated daily).
Expediting the Rebuilding of Commercial Properties and Community Spaces
In addition to fast-tracking the rebuilding of homes, Mayor Bass has taken action to expedite the rebuilding of commercial properties. Last month, she issued Emergency Executive Order 10 (EO10) that introduced a set of emergency measures designed to streamline the rebuilding process for commercial properties located within the Palisades Commercial Village and Neighborhoods Specific Plan area, including properties in the Coastal Zone. These measures focus on administrative efficiency, economic relief, and community preservation, ensuring that recovery is not only fast, but consistent with the area's existing development standards.
Early on in the debris removal operation, Mayor Bass requested that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers prioritize debris removal at key community spaces, including the Palisades Rec Center, Palisades Playground, and Palisades Library. In April, Mayor Bass, LA Strong Sports, Steadfast LA and others announced the creation of a public-private partnership to fund, design and rebuild the Palisades Rec Center with the project expected to break ground in January 2026. While the plan to rebuild the permanent library progresses, the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) is planning to open a temporary library facility in early 2026.
Fastest Recovery Effort in Modern California History
Utilities restored at record rate: In just two months, water and power were safely restored for standing homes in the Palisades. In comparison, safe drinking water wasn’t restored until 18 months after the devastating Camp Fire in Paradise, California.
Debris Removal Complete Ahead of Expectations: The Private Property Debris Removal program in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was completed nearly a year ahead of original expectations, expediting the timeline for families to rebuild. The debris removal process began just 35 days after the wildfires ignited.
Fastest hazardous materials clearing in EPA history: Phase 1 of the debris removal finished in 28 days – months ahead of expectations – and removed more than 300 tons of hazardous materials, such as exploded lithium ion batteries, from the Palisades.
Mayor Bass’ Executive Actions to Expedite and Support Rebuilding:
Cutting red tape: Less than a week after the start of the Palisades Fire, Mayor Bass issued Emergency Executive Order 1 (EO1) to cut red tape and streamline the rebuilding process. EO1 established the One-Stop Rebuilding Center, waived CEQA and discretionary processes, directed City departments to expedite building permit reviews in 30 days or less, and more. More than 5,600 people have been helped so far at the One-Stop.
Expanding pathways for expedited rebuilding: Mayor Bass issued Emergency Executive Order 8 to further streamline the permitting process for those seeking to rebuild beyond 110% to align with California Governor Gavin Newsom’s executive order, including an expansion of the scope of single-family home projects eligible for the State's emergency suspension of CEQA and the California Coastal Act.
Providing tax relief for businesses: Following action to postpone the 2024 City business tax payment deadline for businesses affected by the wildfires, Mayor Bass issued Emergency Executive Order 3 waiving 2025 business taxes for impacted firms.
Resilient rebuilding: On March 21, Mayor Bass issued Emergency Executive Order 5 to help Palisades residents expedite the rebuilding of their homes and businesses in ways that better protect against wildfires and other climate-fueled disasters.
Suspending the collection of rebuilding fees: Mayor Bass issued Emergency Executive Order 7 directing City departments to suspend the collection of permit and plan check fees associated with the repair or reconstruction of homes damaged or destroyed by the January wildfires. While fees are not being collected thanks to Mayor Bass’ action, a full waiver requires City Council approval. It has been approved by the Ad Hoc Committee on Recovery and the Budget and Finance Committee and is awaiting scheduling for consideration by the full City Council.
Local prohibition of SB 9 applications: On July 30, Mayor Bass issued Emergency Executive Order 9 to prohibit Senate Bill 9 applications within a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone in the boundaries of the Palisades Fire area, aligning with Governor Gavin Newsom’s executive order.
Creating a public-facing library of pre-approved plans: Mayor Bass issued Executive Directive 13 to launch a pre-approved standard plan pilot program for single-family homes and create a public-facing, virtual library of pre-approved, code-compliant designs to fast-track rebuild projects.
Expedited commercial rebuilding and recovery: Mayor Bass issued Emergency Executive Order 10 that introduced a set of emergency measures designed to streamline the rebuilding process for commercial properties located within the Palisades Commercial Village and Neighborhoods Specific Plan area, including properties in the Coastal Zone.
Leveraging AI technology to speed up the permitting process: At the end of April, Mayor Bass issued Executive Directive 10 directing the L.A. Department of Building and Safety to report back on the feasibility of implementing an AI tool to accelerate pre-plan check reviews. Over the summer, the City launched Archistar’s eCheck AI Pilot to help homeowners review building plans for compliance with local building and zoning rules prior to submitting them to the City and formally starting the application process. At Mayor Bass’ direction, Archistar’s eCheck AI Pilot now offers more Zoning Code and Building Code checks, providing a robust suite of tools for residents and contractors navigating the rebuilding process, including expanded checks for those utilizing the streamlined process in Mayor Bass’ Emergency Executive Order 8 (EO8). The tool is available at no cost to homeowners and design professionals.
Establishing Los Angeles’ first-ever Self-Certification Pilot Program: Mayor Bass issued Emergency Executive Order 6 establishing a Self-Certification Pilot Program to reduce time spent on the permitting process. Self-certification is a strategy that supports homeowners in the plan check process by allowing qualified architects to self-certify that their plans meet the California Residential Code.