Los Angeles City Council members expressed their frustration after learning that they have only issued four building permits since the Palisade fire on Tuesday.
La Mayor Karen Bass proudly announced in February that the city had established a “one-stop” centre for fire-affected residents to obtain permission for the city to rebuild its homes without having to withstand the usual urban bureaucratic processes.
However, as a local ABC News affiliate KABC-7 It has been reportedonly four permits have been issued in the last six weeks.
KABC cited Councillor Traci Park, representing Pacific Palisade, as she expressed her rage.
Trace Park, councillors attended on behalf of Pallisard. [city council] The meeting says it is unacceptable.
“When I heard at the community meeting, as I do today, at the community meeting, only four permits have been issued, and we're 75th day after the launch – that's about me,” Park said. “And I don't think that's a lack of interest in reconstruction. I think it shows a systematic issue that we need to focus on.”
Similarly, Councillor Monica Rodriguez questioned the $10 million the city spent on Hagerty consultants.
“We have a city department that knows how to do this recovery and has been involved in recovery efforts in the past,” Councillor Monica Rodriguez told ABC7. “Even so, they can't give the opportunity to hire the necessary personnel, but they can give outside agents a $10 million contract to help them write a report for us.”
Rodriguez called the Hagerty deal “indecent.”
As Breitbart News reported in February, “The city has hired a consulting company in a secret process. The amount and terms of the contract have yet to be made public. Haggerty has been hired despite recently admitting that he recently committed a crime for fraudulent New York City's federal relief fund during Hurricane Sand disaster recovery.”
When Breitbart News asked Bass about the Hagerty contract at the time, she said:
Hagerty is a world-renowned disaster recovery company with a long track record in California. …The county and city coincides with Hagerty. And they manage the entire project. We are confident in their ability to get the job done. They have a proven track record in California. They have a proven track record in the county. They reach out to our local government to make sure we get our job done. And they will start in the next few days.
Hagerty's role is under further scrutiny, as there are only four approved permits. Tuesday's meeting was the first time LA City Council members have openly questioned the contract.
Joel B. Pollack is a senior editor at Breitbart News; Breitbart News Sunday Sirius XM Patriot will be available Sundays from 7pm to 10pm (4pm to 7pm). He is the author of Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Daysyou can pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author Trump's Virtue: Lessons and Legacy of President Donald TrumpIt is now available on Audible. He is the winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter @joelpollak.
