LOS ANGELES – Mayor Karen Bass today issued an Emergency Executive Order to help Palisades residents expedite the rebuilding of their homes and businesses in ways that better protect against wildfires and other climate-fueled disasters. At the Mayor’s direction, City departments will develop paths forward to:
- Streamline permitting for owners who rebuild all-electric, more fire-resistant homes
- Promote the use of fire-resistant construction materials to harden homes and businesses as Los Angeles begins to rebuild
- Further strengthen the resiliency of utilities and ensure power reliability during severe weather events
“Getting residents home quickly and safely is my top priority – and we must rebuild with an eye toward the future,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “With today’s Executive Order, we are taking action to help residents harden their homes and businesses against wildfires, ensure our city’s infrastructure can better withstand future disasters, and protect communities for generations to come, all while ensuring the pace of rebuilding continues ahead of expectations.”
Mayor Bass is leading the fastest recovery effort in modern California history:
- Record Rate of Utilities Restoration For Standing Homes: In just two months, water and power were safely restored in the Palisades. In comparison, safe drinking water wasn’t restored until 18 months after the devastating Camp Fire in Paradise, California.
- Fastest Hazardous Materials Clearing in EPA History: Phase 1 of the debris removal process finished in 28 days – months ahead of expectations – and removed more than 300 tons of hazardous materials from the Palisades. In comparison, Phase 1 of the debris removal process for the Camp Fire took more than twice as long to complete.
- Debris Removal Moving at Historic Pace: Phase 2 of the debris removal process is moving forward and has already been completed at hundreds of properties, speeding up the process to get residents back home.
View the full Executive Order below:
EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 5
Return and Rebuild
Issue Date: March 21, 2025
Subject: Resilient Rebuilding
INTRODUCTION
The firestorm that ignited on January 7, 2025, burned more than 23,000 acres of land, destroyed over 6,800 structures, and took the lives of 12 people. Thousands of residents have lost their homes and their jobs. As the risk of similar, climate crisis-fueled disasters grows, we must protect communities by integrating resilience throughout all stages of recovery.
As removal of all hazardous materials, ash, destroyed chimneys and other fire debris continues moving at a historic pace, the City must create a pathway for resilient rebuilding of homes, parks, libraries and public infrastructure to stand up to future climate threats. This order directs City departments to develop cost-effective methods for innovative, sustainable and resilient rebuilding, and to enhance wildfire planning and preparedness citywide. Rebuilding with resilience provides an opportunity to protect the city from increasing climate risks, minimize the economic impact of future disasters, design stronger and safer public infrastructure, and create a more sustainable City.
To integrate resilience throughout all stages of rebuilding fire-devasted communities in the City of Los Angeles, pursuant to City Charter Section 231, subsection (i), and under the provisions of the Los Angeles Administrative Code Section 8.29 that authorize me to promulgate, issue and enforce emergency rules, regulations, orders, and directives, I hereby declare the following order to be necessary for the protection of life and property and I hereby order, effective immediately that:
Resilient Rebuild Permitting Fast Track: Within 60 days, the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety shall provide recommendations on a streamlined permitting pathway for homeowners who choose to rebuild with all-electric systems and appliances for an eligible like-for-like project (e.g., heat pump HVAC and water heating, induction stoves, electric clothes washers and dryers, solar PV, and battery storage). Within 30 days LADWP shall review and provide recommendations on its customer incentives programs to add appropriate incentives for all-electric new construction and retrofits for commercial and residential structures.
Wildfire Prevention & Fire-Resistant Construction: Within 90 days, Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, the Los Angeles Department of City Planning and other relevant City departments shall provide recommendations to promote fire-resistant construction materials and assemblies, retention of stormwater on-site for dousing, landscape management, and timely adoption of “Zone 0” regulations, pursuant to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-18-25, which will require an ember-resistant zone within 5 feet of structures located in the highest fire severity zones in the state.
Infrastructure Resilience: Within 90 days, the LADWP, Board of Public Works, and LADOT shall report on actions that can be taken to enhance the resiliency of utilities and other public right of way infrastructure, including undergrounding, joint trenching, neighborhood-scale resilience and electrification upgrades, and other infrastructure improvements. The report should take into consideration lessons from the recent wildfire events, LADWP’s 2023-2025 Wildfire Mitigation Plan, and identify potential policies and actions that can ensure power reliability during severe weather and fire events, including backup batteries or solar power for critical facilities and measures to reduce vulnerabilities in infrastructure, built and natural environments.
Resilient Public Facilities: The Bureau of Engineering shall work with Recreation and Parks and the Los Angeles Public Library to ensure municipal facilities rebuilt in the Palisades incorporate climate and fire resilient features into their design.
Water System Resilience: Within 90 days, LADWP shall report on the feasibility of potential actions to enhance the resilience of LADWP’s water supply and management from future wildfire events, including an assessment of the City’s water system distribution, storage, ability to support aerial and other firefighting operations, and pump capacity and potential upgrades to enhance the resilience of the water system within the limitations inherent to urban water systems.
Flood & Landslide Protection: Within 30 days, the Bureau of Engineering, in coordination with other relevant departments, to report on the steps necessary to develop actions that can be taken to strengthen hillside protections and control erosion, including nature-based solutions to maximize runoff infiltration. The report shall include evaluation of current strategies to promote fire-smart landscaping and urban forest management that safeguard ecosystem health and increase community safety, particularly areas in the Wildlife Urban Interface (WUI) and into the Wildfire Influence Zone defined as wildland areas within 1.5 miles of the WUI.
Wildfire Disaster Preparedness: Within 60 days, the Emergency Management Department, in coordination with the Los Angeles Fire Department and relevant agencies, shall evaluate existing wildfire preparedness and warning systems. The evaluation shall include recommendations on how to improve evacuation routes and procedures, and emergency notification systems in light of lessons from the January 2025 fires.
Aligning Planning: Within 90 days, the Department of City Planning, in coordination with the Emergency Management Department, Los Angeles Fire Department, Department of Building and Safety, Department of Water and Power, and relevant agencies shall evaluate the City’s various planning policies and assessments that address risk from wildfire and extreme weather events to ensure alignment including but not limited to the City’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, Climate Vulnerability Assessment, General Plan, Fire Code and LADWP’s Wildfire Mitigation Plan, and the Los Angeles Resilience Plan. The Emergency Management Department, in coordination with the Los Angeles Fire Department, LADWP, and relevant agencies shall also evaluate the benefits of developing a Community Wildfire Prevention Plan (CWPP) for the City of Los Angeles.
Enhance Community Resilience: Within 60 days, the Los Angeles Fire Department shall work with relevant City Departments and local community based organizations to develop a plan to expand and promote the Community Emergency Response Team training program and conduct ongoing wildfire preparedness trainings for residents in the fire affected area and in other communities in Local Responsibility Area (LRA) Fire Hazard Severity Zones in the City.
Resilient Rebuild Advisory Committee: Within 30 days, the Mayor’s Office shall establish a committee to review and make recommendations on resilient rebuilding. This Committee shall be comprised of Palisades community representatives, the Mayor’s Office, Council Offices, City department leaders, and key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, including businesses, philanthropy, nonprofits, academia, and faith-based organizations. The Committee shall meet on a regular basis to ensure achievement of resiliency goals and objectives. This Advisory Committee will engage with the LA County Blue Ribbon Commission on Climate Action and Fire Safe Recovery and other similar efforts and look to implement resilient rebuilding measures.
- Insuring Resilient Homes: Within 60 days, the Mayor’s Office shall work with the State of California Insurance Commissioner to explore expanded insurance options and provide guidance to homeowners on insurance availability and pricing for wildfire-resilient homes.