Los Angeles County is creating a Disaster Recovery District for unincorporated Santa Monica Mountains communities to help fund critical infrastructure projects. The District will enable infrastructure improvements without adding new taxes or fees for property owners.
Unincorporated Santa Monica Mountains Wildfire Disaster Recovery Financing District
About the Unincorporated Santa Monica Mountains Wildfire Disaster Recovery Financing District
The January 2025 Southern California wildfires, particularly the Palisades Fire, ravaged through the Topanga State Park and parts of the surrounding communities during extremely high drought conditions and very severe Santa Ana Winds. The Palisades Fire devastated the lower portion of the community, with many homes near the coastline and beaches destroyed, and other homes and infrastructure damaged or destroyed north into the Santa Monica Mountains communities.
Climate Resilience Districts (CRDs), a type of Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD), use future property tax increment to fund the construction of public infrastructure. However, the adoption process for these projects is time consuming, and can take up to two-years. Recognizing the need to quickly rebuild critical infrastructure in Southern California after the Eaton and Palisades wildfires, Senator Perez authored SB 782, which was signed by the Governor on October 10, 2025.
SB 782 creates a new type of CRD, a disaster recovery district. The district can repair damaged or destroyed structures and improvements, support economic recovery, and mitigate the risk of future disaster. It also allows for an expedited adoption process.
Los Angeles County is in the process of establishing a Disaster Recovery District (District) for unincorporated Santa Monica Mountains communities to assist in funding critical infrastructure projects. The purpose of the District is to establish a funding mechanism that can facilitate the construction of infrastructure improvements. The establishment of the EIFD will not result in any new taxes or fees to property owners.
Once established, the incremental property taxes collected by the County in the District area above the amount collected in the base year (expected to be 2025) would be specifically used to fund the infrastructure projects listed in the Infrastructure Financing Plan (IFP). These infrastructure improvements include the rebuilding of damaged infrastructure including street improvements, water and sewer projects, and other utility projects.
Bonds could be issued that would pay for these projects once new development occurs in the District. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will establish a separate body/governing board, the Unincorporated Santa Monica Mountains Wildfire Disaster Recovery Financing District Public Financing Authority (PFA), to oversee the creation of the District and to consider the Infrastructure Financing Plan. The PFA will be responsible for implementing the projects included in the Plan and potentially issue bonds in the future. The PFA meetings will be open to the public, and meeting locations and times will be posted on this website. Additionally, you may submit comments using the form below.
Submit Public Comment
Comments may be emailed to commserv@bos.lacounty.gov or submitted online here: