Rebuilding Workshops

Join LA County Recovers for a virtual workshop about rebuilding using a self-certified building professional. LA County’s new Building Plan Self-Certification Pilot Program allows state-licensed architects or engineers to certify that their plans comply with building codes, streamlining the plan review process. This workshop will explain self-certification requirements, discuss examples of projects that qualify and demonstrate the benefits of self-certification while providing a venue to ask questions of LA County officials directly.

Join LA County Recovers, LA County Development Authority (LACDA), Altadena Builds Back Foundation and Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) for a virtual workshop all about funding your rebuild project. A key part of every rebuild is understanding the total cost and securing any additional financing needed. This workshop will review the costs for each phase of a typical project, identify possible funding sources, and explain how to evaluate options to cover any gaps.

Join LA County, the Contractors State License Board, the County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, and Neighborhood Housing Services for a virtual workshop on the importance of using a licensed contractor for your rebuilding project. Learn about how the licensing process helps keep you, your families and your contractors safe, while getting an in-depth overview of how to search for, select, and work with a licensed contractor as you rebuild.

For reasonable ADA and Title VI accommodations, interpreting services, and materials in other languages, please contact Public Works at (626) 940-7998. This service is free.

Join LA County for a virtual workshop on the Resilient Rebuild Resource Guide for communities in unincorporated LA County recovering from the Eaton and Palisades wildfires. The workshop included an overview of the resource guide and the information and resources for planning, designing, and constructing a high-performance building more resilient to fire risks.

*Note: Images of structure damage by fire – The presentation content by IBHS displays the critical science behind design strategies to mitigate fire damage. These videos and images are from controlled settings and are demonstrations of different designs and building materials. These images and video clips begin to appear around the 54-minute mark of the video recording through approximately the 1 hour and 6-minute mark.

To watch the Spanish dubbed version of the Resilient Rebuilding Resources Guide workshop video, please click here.

LA County Recovers hosted a virtual webinar on Like-for-Like and Why It Matters for Unincorporated LA County.  Representatives from LA County shared information on “Like-for-Like” rebuilds for communities in unincorporated LA County recovering from the Eaton and Palisades wildfires. A Like-for-Like rebuild is the construction of a house that is the same as (or similar to) the house that existed prior to the fires. The Like-for-Like rebuild process offers homeowners a streamlined review and shorter approval time.

The workshop included an overview of the zoning and permitting process, making it ideal for the design professionals and builders leading the charge to rebuild our communities. LA County experts discussed what makes a rebuild project Like-for-Like, and how to take advantage of this process, which can help homeowners rebuild efficiently, safely, and affordably.

To watch the Spanish dubbed version of the Like-for-Like Rebuilds: And Why It Matters workshop video, please click here.

• LA County Recovers hosted a virtual webinar on a new pre-approved plan option for fire rebuilds. The new program allows designers to submit home plans to LA County for preapproval for code compliance. Once designers submit and get plans approved, a catalog of participating designers and home options will be made available for homeowners to consider as an option for rebuilding their home.
• *Note: Foothill Catalog Foundation and Sunset Mesa Collective have partnered with LA County to make this program available to our communities, and all designers are encouraged to submit their plans to LA County for preapproval. LA County will not recommend one architect, designer or plan over another. If you are interested in engaging with one of these design professionals, you will need to contact them directly.

To watch the Spanish dubbed version of the Preapproved Plans: A Headstart for Homeowners workshop video, please click here.

Looking for guidance on rebuilding?
Join us to learn how to solicit, select, and work with a design professional who can support your goals. We’ll guide you through the rebuilding process, with industry professionals and agency officials available to answer your questions.

Speaker: Jessica Orlando
Licensed CA Architect & Vice President,
American Institute of Architects Pasadena & Foothill

To watch the Spanish dubbed version of the How to Engage with a Design Professional workshop video, please click here.