Los Angeles City Council member Traci Park expressed concern on Tuesday about “elected officials” and “corporate developers” looking to leverage the recent Palisade fire for their own agendas.
The Palisade fire ignited on January 7th, lasting several days and consuming over 23,000 acres, while nearly 7,000 structures were lost in the Pacific Palisades area and nearby Malibu.
Among the residents affected are state and local politicians, including Governor Gavin Newsom, who voiced worries regarding signs that some developers aim to reallocate their properties to low-income households or private developers instead of aiding displaced residents in their rebuild efforts.
Last week, Newsom cast doubt on these developments when he announced a budget of $101 million for upcoming projects aimed at constructing low-income housing. People in the area are apprehensive that delays in reconstruction permits and insurance settlements could push them out of their homes.
Park recently appeared on a local podcast discussing the fire. During the episode, she was questioned about her stance on the redistribution of property or pressure to sell that might lead to increased property tax revenue.
Q: What are you trying to do? [co-host] Oren [Ezra] asked if these targets for redistribution or higher revenue were part of a larger plan.
Park: I think there may be various groups and individuals with certain objectives. Do I suspect some intentional delays by insurance companies? It’s possible, I mean, it’s not out of the question. However, as far as I know, there’s no coordinated government effort. That said, delays do create challenges for those looking to sell their properties. Are there elected officials wanting to utilize this situation to advance other policies? Yes, absolutely. Are you concerned about corporate developers changing your community’s character? Yes, I am. The Palisades has a unique identity that has developed over many years. I worry that this crisis might be exploited to push policies that don’t necessarily align with residents’ needs or safety. The idea of increasing density is particularly worrisome if there’s no parallel investment in proper infrastructure, especially regarding evacuation routes. It’s truly a miracle that no lives were lost during the evacuations on January 7th. It doesn’t seem reasonable to add more residents without a thorough evaluation of infrastructure impacts.
On Wednesday evening, Senator Ben Allen (D. Santa Monica) honored the rising public concern by pausing a bill that aimed to utilize local property tax revenue for establishing a new “resilient reconstruction authority,” which could potentially buy lots affected by the fire for multiple purposes, including low-income housing.
Park, who was elected in 2022, has garnered substantial support from the western Los Angeles communities, especially in areas like Venice that have struggled to address homelessness.
