The Brief

The speedy processing of building permit applications is not typically considered a popular political cause.

The recent Los Angeles firestorm may have changed that.

Thousands of Angelenos are now desperate to rebuild their homes as quickly as possible. They have the sympathy and focus of elected leaders at every level of state government. And many of them — particularly in well-heeled Pacific Palisades — have pull at city hall.

That’s helped bump the otherwise dull-as-drying-paint politics of permitting policy to the top of many lawmakers’ agendas.

Exhibit A: The L.A. City Council voted unanimously last week to consider a building permit “self-certification” program.

Rather than require architects and engineers working on small residential construction projects to submit their plans to the city’s building department and wait — often months, if not years — for the green light, self-certification would allow them to sign off on their own handiwork and start construction immediately. The city would still inspect the projects during and after construction.

Councilmember Nithya Raman, who introduced the motion, said she began looking into the idea well before fires torched thousands of homes around the city. But the politics of permitting has changed in ways that could have effects far beyond the footprints of the fires.

“There is a constituency of people that have been asking for these changes, but now there is an urgency around it that has helped speed this process forward,” she said. “We should definitely be focusing on rebuilding the Palisades, but we should also make sure that rebuilding the Palisades doesn’t slow down construction in the rest of the city, which is already much lower than it needs to be.”

Over the last four years, the median length of time required to get a permit approved to construct a single family home in Los Angeles was nearly eight months, according to real estate data firm ATC Research. For apartment projects, the typical wait was more than 10 months.

The motion the council passed instructed city staff to look into the idea and report back by early March. The council would then have to vote on a specific proposal before anything about the current process changes.

The general concept seems to have at least the interest of Mayor Karen Bass, who asked city staff to look into the idea shortly after the fires started in early January.

The cause of self-certification is the latest, and likely the most radical, example of lawmakers pushing to cut red-tape in the wake of the blazes.

In early January, with the flames still uncontained, Gov. Gavin Newsom directed his own housing department to look into state permitting requirements, building codes and local bureaucratic processes that could be suspended, expedited or removed to speed up reconstruction. Based on those reports, Newsom on Thursday issued an executive order which, among other things, loosened building permit rules to allow homeowners of recently constructed homes to recycle their own plans. The governor’s office refused to release a copy of the report itself when CalMatters asked for it.

San Diego Assemblymember Chris Ward introduced a state bill that would give small building project developers the ability to hire a third-party licensed architect or engineer to sign off on a project’s plans if a city’s planning department is too slow.

Like Raman in Los Angeles, Ward came up with the idea before the fires. But the drive to bring down construction costs and speed up approval times is a goal that “really needs to apply everywhere all the time,” he said in an interview with CalMatters last month. “I don’t want you waiting six months to build a home.”

From outside the halls of government, developers and pro-housing advocates are hoping that, in the wake of disaster, fast-tracked building approval is an idea whose time has come.

“I do think this is starting to light a fire under folks around bureaucratic streamlining reforms,” said Scott Epstein, policy director at the advocacy group Abundant Housing LA.

“Proceed at your own risk”

Los Angeles already allows contractors to go ahead with limited maintenance, heating and air conditioning systems work and roofing without a city-issued go-ahead. Inspections, and any necessary fixes, occur after the fact.

Raman’s current proposal would go much further, allowing builders to start work on entire single family homes without having their plans reviewed. It’s an unusual idea, but not unprecedented even in Los Angeles County.

The city of Bellflower, packed into just 6 square miles in southeast L.A. County, has been allowing virtually all construction projects to go ahead self-certified for a decade.

If a project architect or engineer is “willing to put their license and their stamp on a set of plans and say, ‘this meets the building code and we’re ready to build it,’ then let’s get out of their way and give them the ability to go start at their own risk,” said Ryan Smoot, city manager.

That risk is considerable. If problems emerge after construction begins, the owner is on the hook to fix them. In practice, that has meant that most projects that go the self-certification route are relatively straightforward.

The aftermath of the Palisades Fire on Jan. 15, 2024.

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Ted Soqui

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CalMatters

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Developers are told to “proceed at your own risk, effectively,” said Smoot. Those without the stomach to do so are invited to go through the standard permitting process and then “don’t complain about it when it takes a little longer to do those reviews than you like.”

In the wake of the fires, Smoot said he welcomes the new attention on Bellflower’s permitting process.

“You got 10,000 homes that are going to need to be rebuilt and 10,000 families that just want to get back to normal life and we have an obligation as local governments to get out of the way as much as possible,” he said. “It is actually, from our perspective, really exciting to see other local and state agencies starting to think the same way.”

“I hate to see it in the context we’re in,” he added. “But the silver lining is maybe we’re rethinking how we do government.”

Building departments from Chicago to New York to Dallas allow a degree of self-permitting in construction projects.

But few in California are willing to put quite so much faith in a project’s architect or engineer, no matter their license or experience. Even in development-friendly San Diego, which has a self-certification option for solar installations and office remodels, letting a developer start construction on an entire new house without the city’s once-over is a bridge too far.

“From my experience, we’ve never seen a brand new building — from ground up — that is a perfect submittal that did not have any health or safety issues,” said Kelly Charles, the city’s chief building official.

Imagine an architect messes up and makes the foundation a little too wide, she said. That doesn’t just hurt the licensed experts and the developer. “I’m a homeowner. I’m waiting for my house. My whole yard is torn up. And now you have to saw-cut concrete,” said Charles. “Taking two feet out of the house is not easy!”

Many builders and architects scoff at the idea that city staff know their trade better than they do.

“Why shouldn’t we be able to self-certify if all the liability rests on us and we’re only using licensed professionals?” said Tom Grable, former chair of the California Building Industry Association. “When something happens in the field we fix it.”

He called the entire pre-construction plan check process “redundant and unnecessary.”

Smoot, in Bellflower, said costly re-dos are exceedingly rare, if only because most developers don’t actually opt for self-certification. In Phoenix, Arizona — which has a similarly permissive self-certification program — uptake is also on the low-end. Evidently builders often prefer to have someone double-check their work.

Both cities also have an audit system in place to give a sampling of project plans an official review.

“Just because a program goes to self-certification it doesn’t necessarily mean that city staff aren’t going to be looking at it,” Jason Blakely, Phoenix’s assistant development director.

How to best speed up permitting?

What might work in a sprawling valley like the Phoenix area or a flat suburb like Bellflower may not work so easily across Los Angeles, with its hillside developments facing seismic and wildfire risk, said Steven Somers, the CEO of Crest Real Estate, which consults with developers to navigate the city’s lengthy building approval process.

“The solution is maybe simplifying the code or outsourcing more reviews to increase bandwidth and staffing,” he said. That’s a better solution than handing regulatory oversight to someone working on the project itself and who may have “a financial motivation to make the process go quicker than it should.”

Raman acknowledges the city of Los Angeles still has plenty of questions to answer about how this program would work. She said beefed up oversight and accountability measures would likely be necessary. But whatever the end result, she said, the city should make the approval process faster — both in and outside the still-smoldering burn scars.

With the fire still raging in January, Bass ordered city staff to blitz through post-fire permit applications within 30 days. This week, the city’s Department of Building and Safety turned its West Los Angeles office into a one-stop regulatory shop for rebuilds. What all that extra bureaucratic attention on reconstruction will mean for new proposed housing in other parts of the city is so far unclear.

“What I want to think about as we move forward in Los Angeles,” said Raman, “is not just ways to rearrange the queue, but to actually shorten the queue entirely.”

Eleven Los Angeles County workers have been charged with felony grand theft for claiming unemployment benefits, despite working full-time during the pandemic, according to L.A. County District Attorney's Office on Friday.

Similar charges were field against 13 other county employees in October.

The D.A.'s office said the 24 individuals allegedly submitted fraudulent unemployment insurance claims totaling more than $740,000 to the California Employment Development Department between 2020 and 2023 — even though each was working full time and earning at least $3,000 a month.

The D.A.'s office says it'll seek restitution from each person, and that county has reimbursed the state for the stolen money.

If convicted, 23 of the defendants face a maximum sentence of three years in state prison. One defendant faces a maximum sentence of seven years in state prison for additional charges.

The Auditor-Controller’s Office estimates that the county has lost more than $3.5 million from unemployment insurance fraud during the pandemic — either committed by county employees or by those faking the identities of county employees.

This story was originally published by Boyle Heights Beat on Friday.

All December, local pop-ups and community arts spaces are hosting holiday markets on the Eastside.

Whether you’re trying to find one-of-a-kind pieces, handmade jewelry, or simply looking to support small businesses during the holidays, we’ve got just the guide for you.

Holiday Mercadito — Tonalli Studio

Inside Tonalli Studio

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Alma Lucia

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Boyle Heights Beat

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Tonalli Studio opens the holiday season with Holiday Mercadito, where you can shop goods from local artists, creatives and printmakers. Enjoy an afternoon of shopping while you check out the opening reception of the studio’s newest exhibition, La Morenita. The showcase will feature over 20 artists, including the works of Chicana altarista Ofelia Esparza, the studio’s co-founder.

Holiday Market Sale — Plaza De La Raza

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Plaza de la Raza

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Plaza de La Raza’s Holiday Market Sale returns this year with its annual host, Los Angeles-based Chicano artist Frank Romero. Taking place in the Boathouse Gallery, the two-day sale will feature a “stop and shop” with artists and other vendors, where attendees can buy unique gifts this holiday season. Admission and parking are free on-site.

Holiday Artist Mercado — LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes

Visitors exploring the mercado at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes.

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Courtesy LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes

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Local vendors, live screenprinting, holiday-themed workshops and even a Bad Bunny look-alike contest are what you’ll find at this year’s Holiday Artist Mercado. Explore booths featuring jewelry and clothing, and enjoy coffee from Acurrúcame Cafe, while listening to live DJs. Winners of the Bad Bunny look-alike contest will take home a $150 grand prize. Only the first 15 people who arrive in their Bad Bunny attire will be able to participate. A live screenprinting session with artist Mario Hernandez will allow guests to take home limited-edition shirts of Patrick Martinez’s neon art, “Tierra Y Libertad.” Guests also can visit the gift-wrapping station to experiment with a variety of different papers, ribbons and stamps to decorate gifts this holiday season. The event is free. You can let them know you’re attending by registering here.

Goddess & Queer Jingle Mingle — The East LA Goddess and Queer Mercado

A vendor at the 2024 Goddess and Queer Jingle Mingle event in East L.A.

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Courtesy Goddess Mercado

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Monthly East L.A. pop-ups Goddess Mercado and Queer Mercado are combining Latina and queer vendors for this special holiday collaboration event. The holiday fiesta encourages attendees to shop with intention and explore the unique arts and gifts for sale. Beyond shopping for the holidays, guests can check out the East LA Farmers Market, full of goods and community resources to explore. The event will feature live entertainment, a fashion show, an art walk, food and creative workshops. From clothing, apothecary, cosmetics, books and even handmade goods, the Goddess and Queer Jingle Mingle can be your next stop this gifting season.

Brigade Artisan Marketplace Solstice Holiday Sale — Brigade Artisan Marketplace

The 14th annual Solstice Holiday Sale returns to the Pico Aliso Recreation Center this year. This free family event will feature handmade gifts, fine art, self-care products and vintage upcycled fashion. The first 20 shoppers who purchase from a vendor will be entered into a raffle to win gifts and prizes. There also will be a raffle fundraiser with proceeds for IMPACTO Youth Programming. Grab some food and desserts while you catch live entertainment, including guest DJs and Danza Mexica performances. A solstice community altar will be on display for guests to leave an offering.

Mercado Del Pueblo Winter Marketplace

Eastside Cafe and Mercado Del Pueblo return this year to host the 24th annual Mercado Del Pueblo Holiday Market. This two-day event is open to all ages and will have a variety of activities to enjoy, from live DJ entertainment to food and drinks and raffles. Attendees also can shop around to support local artisan vendors and makers all weekend long.

Barrio Flea: Holiday Makers Market — Ray and Roy’s Market

The inaugural Barrio Flea Holiday Makers Market will take place at the new Ray and Roy’s Market, which opened earlier this year. Featuring over 20 vendors, makers and curators, you can find a selection of original handmade gifts, vintage clothing, art, jewelry and prints for sale, among many other goods. The event will have holiday Mexican wine specials and food pop-ups for folks looking to grab a bite to eat. Enjoy the sounds of DJs Linda Nuves and Ojos de Hojas while shopping locally. The Holiday Market is free and open to all ages.

Holiday Mercadito — Self Help Graphics & Art

Self Help Graphics & Art Marketplace.

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Eric Jaipal

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Self Help Graphics & Art

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This year, the Lincoln Heights Senior Center will transform into a Holiday Mercadito hosted by Self-Help Graphics and Art. Attendees can shop a variety of art, high-quality goods, crafts and decor from L.A.-based artists and artisans. Explore the booths, art and vendors — you might just find something for everyone on your list here.

By Our People For Our People: Community Night Market — InnerCity Struggle

InnerCity Struggle is hosting a community night market, By Our People For Our People. The organization encourages people to bring their loved ones and shop small this holiday season. Enjoy free food, giveaways and activities for all ages, including a DIY holiday gift-making activation. The evening also will feature local artists and vendors and a free community closet.

As the one year anniversary of the Palisades fire approaches, a group of volunteers and Scouts with Scouting America are headed back to a beloved camp for the first time since it was lost in the blaze.

An historic site

The 110-acre site nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains known as Camp Josepho has welcomed thousands of Scouts since the 1940s. But a change in the direction of the wind during the Palisades Fire meant it would never look the same again. Pretty much everything was lost in the blaze, save for a concrete pool house.

“It’s a bit of a gut check, it almost doesn’t feel real, 85 years of camp... was just decimated that fast and that suddenly,” Nathan Erlandson, chief operating officer of Scouting America’s Western Los Angeles County Council, told LAist.

An undated photo of Camp Josepho

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Courtesy Dr. John S. Dahlem

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Listed as a Los Angeles Historical Cultural Monument, the land was gifted to the organization by the Josepho family. Ganna Josepho was a silent film star. Her husband, Anatol Josepho is credited with inventing the photo booth, which was coined the ‘Photomaton.’

Anatol Josepho

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Courtesy Dr. John S. Dahlem

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For decades, Scouts young and old have made the pilgrimage back to the place.

“Some of the older generation, a lot of them are no longer with us, they absolutely loved their experiences down there. It was just such a beautiful location,” said Lee Harrison, Scout executive for Western Los Angeles County Council. He’s been involved with his local council since he was 15, nearly four decades ago.

Harrison remembered Camp Josepho before the fire, when it was complete with the towering Malibu Lodge, which was built with redwood by aircraft manufacturer Donald Douglas and resembled a hangar.

Harrison used to love throwing his sleeping bag down in front of the lodge’s towering stone fireplace.

“It is irreplaceable and had a tremendous amount of history in it. And that’s the saddest part is that you would walk into that cavernous space, you could look at all the names that were written on the walls... And all of that’s gone,” he said.

Many famous and notable people visited Camp Josepho over the years, at least one of them uninvited.

Camp Josepho post Palisades Fire

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Aaron Kupferman

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There was the time Adam Sandler buzzed onto the historic grounds.

“He drove his gold cart down into the camp one day, and the site manager who was there had no idea who he was and chased him out of the camp. And he [Sandler] said ‘I’ll never come back here again,’” Harrison recalled.

This weekend, Scouts and members of the community will start to bring the place back to life, weeding out non-native plants and invasive species that have sprung to life around the ruins.

What's left of a pool at Camp Josepho

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Aaron Kupferman

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Harrison said the hope is to build the camp back with a lighter footprint, blending it more with the surrounding nature.

“People were -- and are -- very passionate about this place. And I think primarily because we’re able to bring lots of kids who don’t necessarily get access to the outdoors... in a very easy and quick way,” he said.

Harris and Erlandson said they are looking for support from the community as they breathe new life into the camp. You can visit their website to learn how you can help.

It's the ultimate road for the ultimate driving machine, known for its coiling, hairpin turns that have lent a 2.4-mile stretch of Mulholland Highway the sobriquet of "The Snake."

On Tuesday, this famous squiggle etched through the Santa Monica Mountains finally reopened, seven years after it was shut down by the Woolsey Fire.

Here’s the catch: People who live in the area and enthusiasts who frequent the route wish you didn’t know. More about that later. But first, let’s take a short drive down memory lane.

Connecting L.A.

Groundbreaking ceremony for Mulholland Drive in 1923, called Mulholland Highway at the time.

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Keystone Photo Service

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Courtesy Security Pacific National Bank Collection, Los Angeles Public Library

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Aerial view of Mulholland Drive taken in 1924, looking east over the Hollywood Hills from a point just east of Girard.

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Robert E. Spence

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Courtesy Security Pacific National Bank Collection, Los Angeles Public Library

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The Mulholland corridor, all 50-some miles of it, has long lured motorists chasing speed against a scrolling backdrop of the city. In fact, when the thoroughfare carrying the name of the man who brought water to modern Los Angeles first opened in 1924, the prediction was that it'd become "one of the best known scenic roads in the United States."

The project, backed by landowners who wanted to bring development to the Hollywood Hills, was conceived to link the burgeoning city to the mountains and the sea.

The road has inspired art, film — and since its earliest days, movie stars. Before World War II, it was Gary Cooper and John Carradine taking their Duesenbergs there for a spin. In the 1950s, James Dean used its turns and switchbacks as a training course of sorts.

"All I've been doing is driving around Mulholland Drive," said the actor, according to lore, after placing second overall in the Palm Spring Road Races.

A winding Mulholland Drive in Hollywood Hills in 1933.

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Courtesy Security Pacific National Bank Collection, Los Angeles Public Library

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View of the Hollywoodland sign from Mulholland

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Herman J Schultheis

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Herman J Schultheis Collection / Los Angeles Photographers Collection, Los Angeles Public Library

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A decade later, it was Steve McQueen, taking The Snake on his Jaguar or Triumph, before making a pit stop at the Rock Store, the nearby biker hangout.

The bad stretch

As legends of the road grew, so too did the crowd, including thrill-seekers — locally and from all corners of the world — looking to strut their stuff.

For years, a YouTube channel documented these rides and wipeouts, with cameras set up at the unofficial end of The Snake, dubbed Edwards Corner.

Officer G. H. Yeaton gives Norman Norlander directions atop Mulholland Drive at Beverly Glen as children wave placards urging traffic safety in 1937.

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Gordon Dean

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Courtesy Valley Times Collection, Los Angeles Public Library

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Those videos stopped in 2018 after the Woolsey Fire and mudslides a year later caused major damage to The Snake.

Keeping it low key

Now, those 2.4 miles finally have reopened. But instead of fanfare, it’s been met with controversy and a hope that outsiders don’t notice.

That’s because a debate was raging about whether the stretch should be reopened at all to the public.

On the one side, you have homeowners and residents who have long been turned off by the noise and the open exhaust pipes — not to mention the crashes — from a constant stream of motorists.

Skyline view of downtown Los Angeles from Mulholland Drive

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Jeff Thurlow

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COVID-19 Community Archive, Los Angeles Public Library

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On the other, you have the riding clubs and Mulholland regulars wary of the same thing: that overuse will bring the callous riders, complaints and crashes of the before times.

“Sadly, irresponsible riders will have it closed again before you know it,” a poster in a Facebook thread said of The Snake’s reopening.

The question was even addressed by L.A. County Public Works officials in an FAQ issued this year, where they said the roadway did not meet the criteria for a permanent closure and that closing it permanently would cut off a key access point for residents.

LAist reached out to a number of riders for the story, to no avail. Same with our request to the CHP division that oversees The Snake.

So there you have it. The famed route is now open. Just don’t expect any welcoming waves if you venture through.