A man surveys the charred remains of his home, destroyed in the Eaton Fire, on Jan. 8, 2025. With the fire's devastation, he is uncertain if he will rebuild or return to the property.
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David Pashee
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AFP via Getty
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Topline:
People who lost their homes in the wildfires that swept through L.A. County last week won’t have to comply with some of the state’s strongest (and most time-consuming) environmental laws, according to a new executive order issued Sunday by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
But experts say it may not change much on the ground, and it could encourage risky development in high fire-risk areas.
What the order does: Newsom's order makes it easier for people whose homes burned down to rebuild as quickly as possible in exactly the same place, by allowing them to bypass the California Environmental Quality Act (known as CEQA) and the California Coastal Act’s permitting processes.
Why it raises some concerns: Some environmental advocates say CEQA is one of the few tools they have to challenge problematic construction projects. Others note that people looking to rebuild fire-damaged houses likely wouldn't need CEQA permits anyway, and that the bigger question is whether Newsom's order encourages risky development in high fire-risk areas.
People who lost their homes in the wildfires that swept through L.A. County last week won’t have to comply with some of the state’s strongest (and most time-consuming) environmental laws, according to a new executive order issued Sunday by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The order makes it easier for people whose homes burned down to rebuild as quickly as possible in exactly the same places, by allowing them to bypass the California Environmental Quality Act (known as CEQA) and the California Coastal Act’s permitting processes.
Others note that residents looking to rebuild fire-damaged houses likely wouldn't need CEQA permits anyway. The bigger issue, they say, is whether Newsom's order encourages risky development in high fire-risk areas.
What is CEQA anyway?
CEQA (pronounced See-qua) is a law designed to prevent new building projects from harming the environment. It also informs the public about potential projects that could be damaging to the environment, allowing ordinary citizens to weigh in.
The 1970 law has become controversial in recent years for dragging out the permitting process for new housing developments. Critics argue it has contributed to the state’s housing crisis by driving up the cost of construction and adding delays.
The California Coastal Act, meanwhile, seeks to protect the state’s coastline by requiring new development near the ocean to get a permit.
What really drives up building costs?
Exempting home rebuilding from these processes may sound like a sweeping change, but it may not actually change much.
Three planning experts LAist spoke with said CEQA and Coastal Act permits would not have been required to rebuild individual single-family homes that burned in a wildfire — even before the governor’s executive order.
Marylee Guinon, president of State Alliance for Firesafe Road Regulations and a retired environmental planner, wondered if the governor was unfairly blaming environmental laws for hampering rebuilding.
“This false narrative that this ‘red tape’ is driving up the cost of the rebuild process is not true,” she said.
“We know from many other fires that the cost and process of rebuilding was dictated by construction materials and supply chain issues during the pandemic," she continued. "So why the governor’s office is coming across like this, I honestly don’t understand.”
Rebuild or relocate?
The scene after a 2007 fire in Malibu. Homes were later rebuilt along the same beach.
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Brian Vander Brug
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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One question on some people's minds — especially in light of Newsom's order — is not will the neighborhoods come back as they were, but should they?
”I perfectly understand the political and optics that drove this decision,” Char Miller, a professor of environmental history at Pomona College, told LAist’s AirTalk. “But if we're really going to build back into neighborhoods that have burned, and burned multiple times, then I think we should ask a different policy question, which is why are we doing this?”
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As Los Angeles fires rage on, we check in on the devastation and discuss environmental policy
Char Miller talks about the environmental policy surrounding the fires.
The history of wildfire in Los Angeles County is one of building, burning, and re-building, as writer Mike Davis noted in this classic essay: "The Case for Letting Malibu Burn."
Instead of re-building once again, Miller suggested the government should offer buyouts to people to encourage them to rebuild in a safer location, something that has happened after devastating floods in New York, Houston and other parts of the country.
"There's a pattern here," Miller told AirTalk. "We have yet to stop ourselves from doing the thing that we know will harm us."
But rebuilding in fire prone areas after wildfires in California is inevitable, said Alexandra Syphard, an ecologist at the Conservation Biology Institute and an adjunct professor at San Diego State University.
Recent studies have found that most homes that burned down in wildfires in California are eventually rebuilt in the same places.
"The best we can hope for, I think, is rebuilding to more fire resilient standards,” Syphard said.
What about the building codes?
Most homes in California were built in the 1960s and '70s. Any homes that are rebuilt now will likely be more fire resistant than those older homes simply by virtue of complying with newer, more stringent building codes.
However, the governor’s executive order suggests some elements of the building code may be suspended for homes rebuilt after the wildfires, and gives various agencies 60 days to make recommendations.
Chapter 7A of the building code requires fire adaptations for homes in very high fire-risk areas, including fire-resistant roofs and siding, screens to keep embers out of attic vents, non-flammable decks and patios and heat-resistant windows.
The governor’s office did not clarify whether it was considering suspending those codes.
We're answering your questions
Do you have a question about the wildfires or fire recovery?
Check out LAist.com/FireFAQs to see if your question has already been answered. If not, submit your questions here, and we’ll do our best to get you an answer.
Cesar Becerra Jr. happily receives a gift from church members at Rock of Salvation.
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Jonathan Olivares
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Boyle Heights Beat
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Topline:
If you’re looking to donate, volunteer or find ways to give back, we’ve rounded up a list to help you get started.
Why now: With the holiday season underway, organizations across Boyle Heights and East LA are seeking volunteers to help distribute food, assemble bicycles, sort toys and sponsor families in need.
Local food distributions: The Weingart East LA YMCA hosts a food distribution every Monday and Wednesday to ensure families have access to nutritious meals. Volunteers are needed for each food distribution from 8:45 a.m. to noon.
Read on ... for other ways to give back on the Eastside.
This story was originally published by Boyle Heights Beat on Nov. 25.
With the holiday season underway, organizations across Boyle Heights and East LA are seeking volunteers to help distribute food, assemble bicycles, sort toys and sponsor families in need.
If you’re looking to donate, volunteer or find ways to give back, we’ve rounded up a list to help you get started.
Build bicycles and organize donations at a toy giveaway
The Weingart East LA YMCA is hosting its 19th Annual Toy Giveaway on Dec. 18, and volunteers are needed to help prepare toys and provide support. Before the event, volunteers can help by assembling bicycles and sorting and organizing toys on Dec. 17 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Volunteers are also needed to assist on event day from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The Weingart East LA YMCA hosts a food distribution every Monday and Wednesday to ensure families have access to nutritious meals. Volunteers are needed for each food distribution from 8:45 a.m. to noon.
Mercado al Aire Libre, which started earlier this month, provides families with free, fresh and seasonal produce on the first and second Wednesdays of every month at its farmers-market-style food distribution. The mercado takes place from 10 a.m. to noon on the first Wednesday of the month and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the second Wednesday. The next mercado will be on Dec. 3.
Address: Salesian Family Youth Center, 2228 E. Fourth St., Los Angeles
How to volunteer: Those interested in volunteering can reach out to Celene Rodriguez by phone at (323) 243-5758 or email at celene@visionycompromiso.org.
Drop off toys at First Street businesses
LAFC’s Expo Originals supporters group is collecting new, unwrapped toys and Venmo donations ahead of its annual community toy drive Dec. 14. Venmo contributions will go toward toy purchases, and the last day to donate is Dec. 6. Toys can be dropped off in person at the locations below until Dec. 13.
Proyecto Pastoral is collecting new jackets to keep its participants at the Guadalupe Homeless Shelter warm.
Where to donate: Jackets can be dropped off at the Proyecto Pastoral office located at 135 N. Mission Road from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sponsor a family, child or classroom ahead of the holidays
Proyecto Pastoral has many opportunities for the community to give back during its Holiday Drive this year. Those interested in fulfilling holiday wishes for a family, child or classroom have until Dec. 1 to register. Proyecto Pastoral will pair sponsors with community members in need to fulfill items from their wish list.
Individual toys also can be dropped off at Proyecto Pastoral’s office. The toys will be distributed to children who participate in Proyecto Pastoral’s youth programs at their end-of-year celebrations.
Makenna Sievertson
breaks down evolving policies and programs with a focus on the housing and homelessness challenges confronting some of SoCal's most vulnerable residents.
Published November 25, 2025 2:51 PM
California Attorney General Rob Bonta during a news conference Aug. 2.
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Myung J. Chun
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Greystar, which manages hundreds of properties in California, has agreed to pay $7 million to settle a lawsuit alleging the company and other landlords used a price scheme to raise rents artificially high.
Background: In January, Greystar was named as a defendant in an antitrust lawsuit filed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the U.S. Department of Justice and several other states against software company RealPage, which officials say uses algorithmic models to recommend price increases to subscribers.
Bonta alleges that Greystar used RealPage’s system to coordinate rental prices with other landlords by illegally sharing and gathering confidential information. According to his office, RealPage’s “price alignment scheme” affected rentals across the country, especially in multifamily buildings in Southern California, including in Los Angeles, Orange County and San Bernardino.
The settlement: Bonta announced last week that, as part of the settlement, Greystar has agreed to stop using software that uses competitively sensitive information to set rent prices, including from RealPage.
The company has also agreed to cooperate in the federal prosecution of RealPage and the other landlords named as defendants, such as Camden and Willow Bridge.
Greystar statement: Greystar told LAist that it’s “pleased this matter is resolved,” and the company “remain[s] focused on serving our residents and clients.”
Go deeper ... for more information on the case.
Greystar, which manages hundreds of properties in California, has agreed to pay $7 million to settle a lawsuit alleging the company and other landlords used a price scheme to raise rents artificially high.
In January, Greystar was named as a defendant in an antitrust lawsuit filed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the U.S. Department of Justice and several other states against software company RealPage, which officials say uses algorithmic models to recommend price increases to subscribers.
Bonta alleges Greystar used RealPage’s system to coordinate rental prices with other landlords by illegally sharing and gathering confidential information. According to his office, RealPage’s “price alignment scheme” affected rentals across the country, especially in multifamily buildings in Southern California, including in Los Angeles, Orange County and San Bernardino.
"Whether it's through smoke-filled backroom deals or through an algorithm on your computer screen, colluding to drive up prices is illegal,” Bonta said in a statement. “Companies that intentionally fuel this unaffordability by raising prices to line their own pockets can be sure I will use the full force of my office to hold them accountable.”
Details on the settlement
Greystar is the largest landlord in the U.S., according to the Department of Justice, managing nearly 950,000 rental units across the country. In California, the company manages about 333 multifamily rental properties that use RealPage’s pricing software, according to Bonta’s office.
Bonta announced last week that as part of the settlement, Greystar has agreed to stop using software that uses competitively sensitive information to set rent prices, including from RealPage.
The company also has agreed to cooperate in the federal prosecution of RealPage and the other landlords named as defendants, such as Camden and Willow Bridge.
Greystar said in a statement to LAist that it’s “pleased this matter is resolved” and the company “remain[s] focused on serving our residents and clients.”
Settlement with RealPage
The U.S. Justice Department’s Antitrust Division filed a proposed settlement with RealPage on Monday to resolve its claims against the company.
If the settlement is approved by the court, RealPage would be required to stop using competitors’ private, sensitive information to set rental prices and remove or redesign features in its software that limited price drops or aligned prices between competitors, according to the Justice Department.
RealPage also would be required to cooperate in the lawsuit against property management companies that have used its software and agree to a court-appointed monitor to make sure it complies with the proposed settlement.
Dirk Wakeham, president and CEO of RealPage, said in a statement Monday that the proposed resolution marks an important milestone for the company and its customers.
"We are pleased to have reached this agreement with the DOJ, which brings the clarity and stability we have long sought and allows us to move forward with a continued focus on innovation and the shared goal of better outcomes for both housing providers and renters,” Wakeham said.
RealPage denies any wrongdoing, attorney Stephen Weissman said in a statement.
Kavish Harjai
writes about transportation policy in L.A.
Published November 25, 2025 2:29 PM
One of the appeals partially accepted stemmed from a road safety project the city completed on Hollywood Boulevard last year.
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Courtesy of Los Angeles Department of Transportation
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Topline:
On Monday, Los Angeles officials considered claims that it did not install Measure HLA-mandated mobility upgrades where it should have. But the Board of Public Works rejected most of the claims, meaning the city maintains its position that it has been doing road work largely in accordance with Measure HLA. It was the first hearing of its kind since the city began accepting appeals this summer.
Measure HLA: The ordinance requires the city to install mobility upgrades, like bike lanes and pedestrian signal improvements, when it resurfaces at least one-eighth of a mile of certain streets throughout the city. As of August, L.A. city residents can file appeals claims to the Board of Public Works explaining why they think the city was not complying with Measure HLA. For more instructions and an explanation on that process, you can read LAist’s story here.
First round of appeals: The Board of Public Works partially sided with the appellant in one appeal and rejected the other six. Joe Linton, in his capacity as a resident and not as editor of Streetsblog L.A., filed all the appeals heard on Monday. “It’s the very first time, so we’re kind of throwing a lot of spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks,” Linton told LAist. “Not a lot stuck.”
One appeal approved: Linton partially won his appeal claiming the city did not adequately install pedestrian improvements along a nearly half-mile portion of Hollywood Boulevard that it resurfaced last year. The city said it will publish an “appeals resolution plan” to fix sidewalks there within the next six months. “It was really obvious to me that the city’s justification … was not true, so I was glad that that was acknowledged,” Linton said.
Most rejected: In the other six appeals, the Board of Public Works agreed that the city’s work was properly exempted from Measure HLA because it only involved restriping the road. Linton had argued in those appeals that the city's work should have triggered Measure HLA because it involved reconfiguring lanes, modifying parking and adding new signage.
More appeals to be heard: The Board of Public Works on Monday will hear four additional appeals Linton filed.
Yusra Farzan
covers Orange County and its 34 cities, watching those long meetings — boards, councils and more — so you don’t have to.
Published November 25, 2025 2:19 PM
Newport Beach residents to decide on plan to build far fewer housing units in the city.
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Allen J. Schaben
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Los Angeles Times
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Topline:
Newport Beach voters will decide if they want to replace a state-approved housing plan with one that zones for far fewer new homes in 2026.
How we got here: Proponents of the plan called the Responsible Housing Initiative say the state-approved housing plan will negatively affect quality of life.
About the initiative: The initiative rejects the city’s current housing plan — which allows for more than 8,000 homes — and instead proposes just 2,900 homes exclusively for extremely low-, very low-, low- and moderate-income households.
The state-approved city plan: According to California law, Newport Beach needs to build 4,845 new units — 3,436 of which must be affordable for very low-, low- and moderate-income households.
Read on ... for more on next steps and tug-of-war over development plans.
Newport Beach voters will decide if they want to replace a state-approved housing plan with one that allows for far fewer new homes in 2026.
Proponents of the plan, called the Responsible Housing Initiative, say the current plan will make the city overcrowded and negatively affect quality of life.
“This isn’t downtown Los Angeles,” said Charles Klobe, president of Still Protecting Our Newport, which backs the Responsible Housing Initiative.
Last week, city leaders voted to put the initiative in front of voters after the Newport Beach Stewardship Association submitted the Responsible Housing Initiative petition with more than 8,000 signatures. The initiative rejects the city’s current housing plan and instead proposes an amendment to the general plan to facilitate the development of 2,900 homes exclusively for extremely low-, very low-, low- and moderate-income households.
The city’s current housing plan, which has the backing of the state, allows for more than 8,000 homes, including the required affordable housing units.
“ We're against the city building more market rate than the state required. We believe it's a giveaway to developers who will fund re-election campaigns of the council,” Klobe said.
What does California law require?
California’s Housing Element Law sets housing targets for local governments to meet, including for affordable units. It allows the state to intervene every eight years to let cities know how much housing they must plan for. The law also requires cities to put together a housing element showcasing how they will achieve the state’s plan. The state then approves of the element or sends it back to cities to reconfigure according to the requirements.
According to California law, Newport Beach needs to build 4,845 new units — 3,436 of which must be affordable for very low-, low- and moderate-income households. According to the city, Newport Beach can’t just plan for affordable housing units “because that would assume all future projects would be 100% affordable, which is not realistic based on previous development experiences.” And so, the city’s rezone plans include more than 8,000 units.
Councilmember Robyn Grant said during the council meeting that she’s not in favor of the state mandate. But, she added, “After extensive legal analysis and public outreach and workshops and hearings and meetings and more meetings, this council approved an updated general plan to bring Newport Beach into compliance and avoid serious penalties, including the loss of local land use control."
Newport Beach did appeal the state’s housing mandates on the grounds that it did not take into account how some of the city’s coastal lands are protected from urban development, but the appeal was rejected.
To learn more about how Newport Beach arrived at its state-approved housing plan, click here.
What is the Responsible Housing Initiative proposing?
The Responsible Housing Initiative counts the number of housing units already in development and proposes an additional 2,900 affordable housing units to meet the state mandate.
Klobe said they believe the initiative will receive state backing because “they claim to want affordable housing and our initiative requires it.”
Supporters of the measure contend the city’s current plan will increase the population, result in excessive traffic and disrupt the quality of life. They also sued Newport Beach for not first going to voters, but they failed in court.
To learn more about the Responsible Housing Initiative, click here.
What’s next
Voters will have a chance to weigh in on the Responsible Housing Initiative in November 2026.
