The city of Los Angeles said Friday it is looking to global infrastructure consulting firm AECOM to assist with long-term fire recovery efforts as criticism mounts around leadership and next steps for rebuilding in the Pacific Palisades.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced in a statement AECOM would “expand its scope” of work with the city to handle a number of long-term initiatives in relation to the fire. That work will include a master plan for rebuilding, infrastructure that takes into account residential and commercial construction, logistics for the massive building effort and traffic mitigation efforts.
“AECOM’s expertise in long-term infrastructure planning and design will only further expedite our work to get families home,” Bass said in a statement Friday.
It’s unclear if Friday’s announcement is the result of an April request for proposals by the city that was reportedly worth $30 million. Bids were due by May 9 and encompassed “comprehensive recovery” work, according to the RFP page. More specifically, that would include infrastructure, environmental clean-up and reimbursements.
“With extensive global experience helping regions rebuild after natural disasters, we look forward to working closely with the city of Los Angeles to support a resilient and lasting recovery,” AECOM, which has global headquarters in Dallas and an office for its Americas business in downtown Los Angeles, said in a statement provided to The Real Deal on Friday.
AECOM did not immediately respond to a request for more information.
Representatives for the mayor’s office did not immediately respond to questions about the contract Friday.
The city said in its announcement AECOM’s work will be done in conjunction with Hagerty Consulting, the Chicago-area firm hired in February to oversee the rebuilding process. Hagerty was awarded a $10 million contract in February and since then has been focused on debris removal and “immediate disaster recovery support,” the city said.
Friday’s announcement about AECOM comes amid criticism and a rugged stretch to expedite the rebuilding effort.
Aside from the short-term contract to Hagerty, the city had also appointed in January developer Steve Soboroff to serve as chief recovery officer. However, the relationship appeared contentious with Soboroff leaving the position in April and telling the Los Angeles Times he thought AECOM should have been hired over Hagerty.
Last month, the Urban Land Institute, along with other real estate-related organizations, sponsored a survey in relation to rebuilding for those impacted by January’s Palisades and Eaton fires.
At the top of the list of concerns for the over 500 residents surveyed was a lack of leadership and questions around whether rebuilding will occur in a timely manner. The majority, or 70 percent, of those surveyed in the Palisades said they might not come back to the community if rebuilding took longer than three years. A little over 60 percent held that same view in Altadena, which was damaged by the Eaton Fire.
Among the more vocal of those critics has been developer Rick Caruso, who made headlines when he announced his upscale Palisades Village retail center will reopen next year, with a new flagship location for luxury boutique Elyse Walker.
“Let’s go! We need a sense of urgency,” Caruso wrote Tuesday on X. “Families are waiting. Small businesses are still recovering. The stakes are real.”