The thousands of Los Angeles residents who lost their homes in the wildfires are now faced with a big decision: rebuild or find somewhere new to live.
For those choosing to stay, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced an executive order on Sunday that will help streamline the rebuilding process by waiving two building permits for homeowners and businesses.
Newsom waived California's Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which is meant to protect surrounding residents from the pollution that's produced by construction.
Newsom also waived the California Coastal Act, which protects the coast's habitat and ensures that buildings don't interfere with public access to it.
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Gregg Cantor, president and CEO of Murray Lampert, said waiving these permits will fast-track the rebuild phase.
"It can take three to six months to pull a permit normally, and I imagine this is going to be probably weeks at the most," Cantor said.
Cantor, however, expects some challenges for homeowners and businesses.
"What we don't know is how quickly the insurance companies are going to be able to process the claims," Cantor said. "If they're building in kind, it'll be a very fast track permit, but if somebody wants to customize what they had, then that might extend the process."
Following the devastating Cedar Fire in 2003, which destroyed 280,278 acres in San Diego County, Cantor has suggestions for LA homeowners based on what San Diego learned in its rebuilding phase at that time.
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"In San Diego, when rebuilding happened, there were developments where people got together and hired a builder, and a builder would come in and do several homes at the same time instead of just one," Cantor said."
Newsom's executive orderwill also protect Los Angeles residents against price gouging on building materials, storage services, construction, and more until January 2026.
Newsom's order also promised to look at other building permits that can be safely suspended. He promised to discuss with the legislature what laws can be changed to speed rebuilding while ensuring that the same homes will be protected against future wildfires.
