Thousands of homes still aren’t available as Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass reportedly doesn’t show the urgency to rebuild a few months after the catastrophic wildfires wreaked havoc throughout the Southern California community.
Cal Fire reported that over 12,000 homes, businesses and schools have been lost to the fire, and more than 100,000 people have had to leave since the fire in January.
So far, only 23 permits with 16 addresses have been approved to rebuild a destroyed or damaged home in a wealthy Pacific Palisade enclave, Los Angeles city officials told Fox News Digital.
“The original reconstruction permit was issued on March 5, 2025, 57 days after the start of the Palisade Fire and 57 days after the devastating camp and Woolsey fire, more than twice the permit,” city officials said.
Los Angeles issues only four permits to rebuild the home after the devastating Palisade fire: Report
This view shows a beachside home destroyed in a Palisade fire along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California on January 16, 2025. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
As of April 22, LADBS said it had received 192 permit applications related to the repair or reconstruction of serious fire damage at 156 unique addresses in Pallisade, including 5,495 homes in Pallisade, at 156 unique addresses in Pallisade, which were damaged or destroyed in the Pallisades fire.
“Mayor Bass has been working to promote the restructuring process so that once property owners are ready, they can issue permits as soon as possible,” city officials said.
A wildfire declared a national emergency after President Donald Trump visited Golden State to investigate the damage just four days after the inauguration.
During his visit, Trump sat for a roundtable with bass and state officials. At one point, she criticized the bass for not using her emergency to deal with wildfires.
“You have the same urgency as me… you have to exercise them too,” Trump told the Bus.
Trump then vowed to sign an executive order to open water valves in the area.
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This view shows a home destroyed by the Palisade fire along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California on January 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
“Until you see it, I don’t think you’ll be able to see how rough it is or how devastating it is,” Trump said of the damage caused by the wildfire. “The federal government is standing behind you, 100%.”
Trump added that he will waive federal permits for rebuilding in the region.
“I’m going to be president to help you fix it,” he said. “We waive all federal permits. …We don’t want to take 10 days, as federal permits can take 10 years.”
Under the bass Executive Order 1issued less than a week after the wildfire, authorities said the bus had cut the deficit and “instructed the city department to complete the review within 30 days and to complete the review to rebuild the home.”
“LADBS is currently completing its plan check review in about six days. It’s twice as fast as before the wildfire. One-Stop Reconstruction Center “As a centralized resource for residents and business owners to access them to rebuild everything they need from the city,” city officials said.
Bass ‘Office introduced the question to LADBS.
California State Sen. James Gallagher told Fox News Digital that Trump supported the bargain ending in his cleanup effort, but California politicians didn’t deliver it.
“When President Trump came to LA in January, he vowed to remove the deficit and asked California politicians to do the same.
“Grants are slow and bureaucracy is fat. [Gov.] “Gavin Newsom and Democrats can’t get out of their paths and deliver them for fire victims,” he continued.
Liz Benichou, a Malibu real estate agent and lifelong resident of the area, told Fox News Digital that he was “not surprised” that he has made little progress since the fire.
“Only 55 homes have been rebuilt since the Malibu Woolsie Fire, and that was in 2018,” Benichow said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Office told Fox News Digital that the city of Los Angeles “has the legal jurisdiction to review and approve permits for Palisade homes in the Pacific Ocean,” adding that the state “will not play a formal role in the local permitting process.”
The governor’s office said “it is to remove barriers and cut off the deficits that have been able to quickly and safely rebuild homeowners since the days after the fire ignited.”
“We will continue to remove barriers and red tapes that get in the way as the state helps the Los Angeles area rebuild and recover. We will not stop overregulation from helping to rebuild and recover the LA community.”
Newsom’s Office said he took a series of “proactive actions to help homeowners navigate the recovery process.”
- Cut red tape to help you rebuild Los Angeles faster and stronger
- Provide tax and mortgage relief to people affected by fires
- Fast tracking temporary homes and tenants protection
- Protection from survivor price procurement
- Protecting victims from real estate speculators
After the fire broke out, Trump cited forest and water management policies and denounced Newsom and Democrats’ city policies for damage.
$500,000 pay for 90 days of work in Los Angeles Wildfire czar
On January 7th, 2025, firefighters respond when a helicopter dropped water into the Palisade fire in Pacific Palisade, California. (David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump initially threatened to withhold wildfire aid until certain regulations were met in California, including changes to water policy.
In February, Newsom traveled to the White House to drive increased federal funding for recovery efforts, and said he and Trump had a “very productive meeting.”
“As we approach a month after the devastating wildfires in Southern California, we will continue to speed up our recovery and cleanup efforts and reduce our deficits to ensure our rebuilding efforts are quick,” Newsmom said in a previous statement. “We, as always, work across the aisles to ensure the resources and support that survivors need.”
“The governor expressed his gratitude for the Trump administration’s early collaboration and was particularly grateful to EPA administrator Lee Zeldin for his agency’s prompt action.
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Trump declared that his administration is “trying to perfect something, and the way you can complete it is to work together.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House.
Aubrie Spady, Anders Hagstrom and Louis Casiano from Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, murder, national crime cases, illegal immigration and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
