Los Angeles County Accelerates Wildfire Recovery with Bold Blueprint to Rebuild Safer, Stronger Communities
LA County Forward: Blueprint for Rebuilding Charts a Clear Path that Coordinates and Mobilizes Government, Community, Philanthropy and Private Industry to Lead Next Phase of Rebuilding
Los Angeles County leaders today unveiled LA County Forward: Blueprint for Rebuilding, a comprehensive roadmap focused on unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County—where many of the hardest-hit neighborhoods are located. Previewed last month, the Blueprint fully details a coordinated roadmap to accelerate recovery, create conditions for an equitable reconstruction, and give residents greater clarity, certainty, and support on the path to returning home.
As the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completes most of its debris-removal operations, Los Angeles County is stepping forward with this new plan to guide the critical next phase of wildfire recovery. At its core, the County’s plan is centered on actions that reflect current needs and help pave the path to reconstruction, including lowering building costs, speeding permitting and inspections, and protecting communities from future fire danger.
A Roadmap for Action
“As we turn the page from recovery to rebuilding, we’re doing it with a clear plan, strong partnerships, and the urgency this moment demands. This report creates a step-by-step guide to accelerate rebuilding and provide support to impacted families,” Governor Gavin Newsom said.
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger said: “The Blueprint is an essential roadmap forward, a shift from debris removal to reconstruction that will help residents and businesses navigate the path home with greater clarity and support. Our residents have been through so much, and they deserve nothing less than our full commitment to help them rebuild. This Blueprint shows what’s possible when multiple levels of government, private industry, philanthropy and community partners come together with urgency to facilitate large-scale solutions. Together, we will show up for communities and help get homes and businesses rebuilt more efficiently, safer, and stronger.”
The Blueprint’s key initiatives include:
- Supporting a feasible financial path to return: Helping families and businesses access needed financial support to cover gaps, lower costs, and return home
- Accelerating permitting and inspections: Streamlining permitting and speeding up inspections so people can start rebuilding sooner
- Growing the pool of builders and materials to achieve scale and lower costs: Bringing down costs by scaling up the supply of builders and materials and expanding access to affordable designs
- Ensuring critical infrastructure is in place: Making sure fundamental infrastructure is ready quickly, so homes have access to essential services such as water, gas, power, and internet
- Mobilizing the workforce and coordinating delivery: Training and hiring more workers to fill gaps for the rebuild, and coordinating logistics so rebuilding happens more quickly with fewer bottlenecks
- Bringing back everyday services and public assets: Restoring essential services—like grocery stores, childcare, healthcare—and critical public infrastructure like parks and schools to help neighborhoods thrive
Los Angeles County Chief Executive Officer Fesia Davenport said the report prioritizes community needs and decisive actions: “This next phase is not just about rebuilding homes—it’s about rebuilding lives, restoring neighborhoods, and making sure families and communities can come back stronger and safer. We’ve listened to residents, studied the barriers they face, and now we’re following through with a plan that brings collective resources together to deliver real solutions at scale.”
These solutions include:
- Lowering upfront construction costs: The County is committed to using its scale and authority to lower rebuilding costs. This includes taking actions to waive requirements that don’t impact life and safety—such as new rules for rooftop solar and storage, electrification, and other efficiency standards—along with working in partnership to increase access to affordable plans and contractors.
- Supporting a financial path to return: In addition to more than $50 million in direct relief funding, the County is committed to expanding financial flexibility for property owners. This includes new actions to keep property taxes down through rebuilding and unlocking the value of land via lot splits and gentle-density development. The County also is committed to working with private industry and philanthropy to expand access to lending, bridge funding and insurability.
- Accelerating permitting & inspections: The County is operating with urgency and flexibility to better support residents in the rebuilding process. This includes expediting reviews for like-for-like rebuilds, allowing access to self-inspections for licensed architects and engineers, opening one-stop permitting centers and providing new AI eCheck tools to streamline approvals. As recovery continues, the County will scale its efforts to match evolving community needs, such as increasing staffing to keep permit timelines on track and working to connect residents with trusted rebuild navigators who can guide them from financing through final construction.
- Rebuilding critical and public infrastructure more resiliently: The County has made a public commitment to work with state and utility providers to bury more than 150 miles of electric, gas, and telecom lines to strengthen public safety, reduce wildfire risk, and deliver more reliable, resilient infrastructure. In tandem, the County will take action to direct and prepare for rebuilding through the restoration of public infrastructure and sewer, stormwater, road, sidewalk, streetlight, and traffic systems in the unincorporated areas.
The Blueprint for Rebuilding reflects the County’s focus on action, recognizing that the months ahead will define the next phase of recovery and require strong partnerships to deliver with and for communities in unincorporated parts of the County. It includes immediate, actionable steps the County and its partners must take over the next 120 days to support residents, remove barriers, and jumpstart reconstruction.
To access the full report, click here.
To see what the Blueprint for Rebuilding means for you, click here.
CONTACT: Countywide Communications, pio@ceo.lacounty.gov