Mayor Bass issues new executive order to expedite rebuilds

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order this week that clears the way for quicker rebuilds of homes and businesses lost in the latest fires. 

"We will do everything we can to get Angelenos back home," she said. 

The Palisades and Eaton fires destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people after erupting on Jan. 7. Both are still only partially contained. 

Mayor Bass executive order

Some of the things her executive order will do include:

  • Creating a task force to coordinate debris removal
  • Directing city departments to expedite all building permit reviews and inspections
  • Bypassing state CEQA discretionary reviews
  • Allowing rebuilding "like for like" and waiving city discretionary review processes
  • Expediting availability of 1,400 housing units 
  • Coordinating additional relief with city departments

Read more about Emergency Executive Order No. 1 here

The order and updated emergency come as dangerous wind conditions threaten additional homes

Forecasters warn the return of Santa Ana winds poses a threat to the progress made against wildfires in Los Angeles County.

Calmer winds are expected to return to the forecast by Thursday. 

READ MORE: ‘Particularly dangerous situation’ hits SoCal as fierce winds return

LA fire budget cuts

Mayor Bass and other city leaders have been criticized in recent days for downplaying a $17.6 million budget cut to the LA Fire Department. 

City Controller Kenneth Mejia said the city ignored repeated warnings from the fire chief over what the cuts could bring. 

RELATED: City controller blasts Mayor Bass, city leaders over fire budget cuts: 'Disgraceful'

Mejia didn’t specifically name Bass or other city leaders, but Bass defended the cuts when asked about them at a news briefing last week. 

"I think it's most important to understand that we were in tough budgetary times. Everybody knew that," Bass said Thursday, Jan. 9. "But that impact of our budget really did not impact what we've been going through over the last few days."

"When we are past this period, there will be an evaluation of everything that went on," she added in a press conference Monday. "All of those (budget question) issues will be resolved when we are clear Angelenos are safe and we are clear to rebuild our city."

The Source: Information in this article was taken from a press release issued on Emergency Executive Order No. 1 on Jan. 13, 2025, to Mayor Karen Bass’ website. Background information about budget cuts was taken from previous FOX 11 reportings. 

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