Pacific Palisades Home Ready for Occupancy in Local First

Nearly a year after the Palisades fire destroyed nearly 7,000 structures, the first rebuilding endeavor in the wake of the blazes is officially complete.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced that a two-story showcase home on the 900 block of Kagawa Street received a certificate of occupancy from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, the Los Angeles Times reported. The approval comes after the home passed inspection and was deemed safe to inhabit.

The property was sold a year ago, a couple of months before the wildfire that would destroy the structure, for $3.4 million according to the report. Neither the cost nor value of the new home on the site have been disclosed.

The home was built by developer Thomas James Homes. The permitting process for the property took two months, while the rebuild took six. “Given that the community needs housing, we thought this would be a great opportunity to show them what we can do,” Thomas James chief executive Jamie Mead said.

Thomas James Homes bought the property before the fires ripped through the Pacific Palisades in January; the company purchased the home for $3.4 million last November. The new Palisades home is larger than its previous iteration, spanning four bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms across nearly 4,000 square feet. By contrast, the original home that burned down was a 1,600-square-foot ranch. The rebirthed Kagawa Street property boasts fire-resistant features like closed eaves to block embers and plumbing for a fire defense system that homeowners can opt to add; in the case of an approaching fire, the home will be covered in water and fire retardant.

The new home was constructed as a showcase home, meant to show other residents looking to rebuild what could be possible for their burned lots. Thomas James Homes is building residences for 30 families in the Palisades and plans to build 100 more next year. A grand opening for the home, in which the community will be able to visit, is set for Dec. 6.

So far, nearly 2,000 permits have been issued in both the Palisades and Eaton fire zones, according to the state’s rebuilding dashboard. An accessory dwelling unit in Altadena also received a certificate of occupancy last week. More than 340 projects have started construction in the Palisades, the mayor’s office said.

— Chris Malone Méndez