Karen Bass Hands Down Rebuilding Order for Businesses

Mayor Karen Bass is using her power to foster faster rebuilding of Pacific Palisades businesses lost in the Palisades fire.

The mayor has issued Emergency Executive Order 10, which introduces measures intended to streamline the rebuilding process for commercial properties within the city’s designated Palisades Commercial Village and Neighborhoods Specific Plan area, L.A. Business First reported.

The order cuts red tape by allowing expedited permitting and a five-year extension on existing land-use entitlements valid as of Jan. 7, 2025. The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety will now allow licensed architects to self-certify compliance for certain tenant improvements, while local owners outside geohazard zones can skip bond requirements for small-scale repairs.

In addition, the order loosens procedural hurdles on soil and grading work, letting civil and geotechnical engineers self-certify site conditions. The goal is to quicken recovery for local storefronts and service businesses gutted by the deadly January blaze without jeopardizing the character of the area.

“Small businesses are the heart and soul of the Palisades community, and I remain committed to helping them rebuild as quickly and safely as possible,” Bass said in a statement. “With this new executive action, we are further streamlining the permitting process and cutting through unnecessary delays that will help business owners rebuild quickly, keep workers employed and restore community services that residents rely on, all while maintaining the unique community character of the Palisades.”

Bass’ latest demands follow Emergency Executive Order 8, issued in July to expedite the residential rebuilding process in the Palisades. Earlier this month, Bass called for exempting Palisades homeowners from Measure ULA, the city’s mansion tax on sales over $5 million.

Results are already showing, according to the city. Rebuilding permits for single-family homes in the Pacific Palisades are being approved nearly three times faster than before the fires, with over 1,100 plans approved and construction started on about 300 homes.

The City of Los Angeles has approved 1,142 plans and counting, and has issued 923 permits for 479 different addresses so far, according to the city’s rebuild progress dashboard.

— Chris Malone Méndez