Mayor Bass Announces First Approvals Under New Standard Plan Pilot Program to Further Expedite Palisades Rebuilding

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Due to Emergency Executive Actions and Suite of Tools Available, Rebuilding Permits are Being Approved Nearly 3X Faster than Before Wildfires; More than 70% of Single-Family Permit Clearances No Longer Required

More than 340 Projects Confirmed to Have Started Construction in Pacific Palisades

LOS ANGELES - Mayor Karen Bass today announced a new milestone in the City's ongoing work to fast-track rebuilding in Pacific Palisades: the first approvals under the City of Los Angeles' Standard Plan Pilot Program for single-family homes.

"The City of Los Angeles remains laser-focused on expediting the rebuilding of homes, businesses, and community spaces in the Palisades to get families home, no matter what it takes," said Mayor Karen Bass. "The City's Standard Plan Pilot Program is just one of many tools now available to residents to fast-track the plan check process and get them home sooner."

Established through Mayor Bass' Executive Directive 13, the Standard Plan Pilot Program provides a library of pre-approved, code-compliant single-family home designs, dramatically reducing permitting time, cost, and uncertainty for homeowners, builders, and architects rebuilding in Pacific Palisades. With the first plans now approved, homeowners can choose from a growing library of pre-approved designs that have already been reviewed by the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety for full code compliance. This allows eligible projects to move swiftly to permit issuance, cutting time off the traditional review process.

Additional plans will continue to be accepted- with more currently in the approval pipeline - and uploaded to the library on a rolling basis, ensuring a growing variety of options for homeowners over time.

Fast-Tracking Rebuilding

Thanks to Emergency Executive action taken by Mayor Bass, Pacific Palisades rebuilding permits are being approved nearly three times fasterthan typical single-family home projects before the wildfires, and more than 70% of single-family permit clearances are no longer required. To date, more than 1,200 rebuilding plans have been approved for 600+ addresses for projects in the Palisades, and 1,000+ permits have been issued for roughly 515 addresses. Hundreds of rebuilding plans are in the process of being reviewed.

Construction underway across Pacific Palisades

More than 340 projects are already confirmed to have started construction, with more starting the process every week. While rebuilding is a deeply personal choice, more rebuilding plans are being submitted to the City every day. The first rebuilding permits were issued in 57 days, twice as fast as permits were issued following the devastating Camp and the Woolsey Fires. The latest permitting numbers for the City of Los Angeles, updated hourly, are available onthe dashboard here. Thestate also published a dashboardshowing permits issued for the City of L.A., L.A. County, Malibu, and Pasadena (updated daily).

Expediting the Rebuilding of Commercial Properties and Community Spaces

In addition to fast-tracking the rebuilding of homes, Mayor Bass has taken action to expedite the rebuilding of commercial properties and key community spaces. Last month, she issued Emergency Executive Order 10(EO10) that introduced a set of emergency measures designed to streamline the rebuilding process for commercial properties located within the Palisades Commercial Village and Neighborhoods Specific Plan area, including properties in the Coastal Zone. These measures focus on administrative efficiency, economic relief, and community preservation, ensuring that recovery is not only fast, but consistent with the area's existing development standards.

Early on in the debris removal operation, Mayor Bass requested that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers prioritize debris removal at key community spaces, including the Palisades Rec Center, Palisades Playground, and Palisades Library. In April, Mayor Bass, LA Strong Sports, Steadfast LA and others announced the creation of a public-private partnership to fund, design and rebuild the Palisades Rec Center with the project expected to break ground in January 2026. While the plan to rebuild the permanent library progresses, the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) is planning to open a temporary library facility in early 2026.

Fastest Recovery Effort in Modern California History

• Utilities restored at record rate: In just two months, water and power were safely restored for standing homes in the Palisades. In comparison, safe drinking water wasn't restored until 18 months after the devastating Camp Fire in Paradise, California.

• Debris Removal Complete Ahead of Expectations: The Private Property Debris Removal program in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was completed nearly a year ahead of original expectations, expediting the timeline for families to rebuild. The debris removal process began just 35 days after the wildfires ignited, roughly half the time it took after the devastating 2018 Woolsey Fire.

• Fastest hazardous materials clearing in EPA history: Phase 1 of the debris removal finished in 28 days - months ahead of expectations - and removed more than 300 tons of hazardous materials, such as exploded lithium ion batteries, from the Palisades.

• Mayor Bass' Executive Actions to Expedite and Support Rebuilding:

  • Cutting red tape: Less than a week after the start of the Palisades Fire,Mayor Bass issued Emergency Executive Order 1(EO1) to cut red tape and streamline the rebuilding process. EO1 established the One-Stop Rebuilding Center, waived CEQA and discretionary processes, directed City departments to expedite building permit reviews in 30 days or less, and more. More than 5,500 people have been helped so far at the One-Stop.

  • Expanding pathways for expedited rebuilding: Mayor Bass issuedEmergency Executive Order 8to further streamline the permitting process for those seeking to rebuild beyond 110% to align with California Governor Gavin Newsom's executive order, including an expansion of the scope of single-family home projects eligible for the State's emergency suspension of CEQA and the California Coastal Act.

  • Providing tax relief for businesses: Following action to postpone the 2024 City business tax payment deadline for businesses affected by the wildfires, Mayor Bass issuedEmergency Executive Order 3waiving 2025 business taxes for impacted firms.

  • Resilient rebuilding: On March 21, Mayor Bass issuedEmergency Executive Order 5to help Palisades residents expedite the rebuilding of their homes and businesses in ways that better protect against wildfires and other climate-fueled disasters.

  • Suspending the collection of rebuilding fees: Mayor Bass issuedEmergency Executive Order 7directing City departments to suspend the collection of permit and plan check fees associated with the repair or reconstruction of homes damaged or destroyed by the January wildfires. While fees are not being collected thanks to Mayor Bass' action, a full waiver requires City Council approval. It has been approved by the Ad Hoc Committee on Recovery and the Budget and Finance Committee and is awaiting scheduling for consideration by the full City Council.

  • Local prohibition of SB 9 applications: On July 30, Mayor Bass issuedEmergency Executive Order 9to prohibit Senate Bill 9 applications within a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone in the boundaries of the Palisades Fire area, aligning with Governor Gavin Newsom'sexecutive order.

  • Creating a public-facing library of pre-approved plans: Mayor Bass issuedExecutive Directive 13to launch a pre-approved standard plan pilot program for single-family homes and create a public-facing, virtual library of pre-approved, code-compliant designs to fast-track rebuild projects.

  • Expedited commercial rebuilding and recovery: Mayor Bass issued Emergency Executive Order 10that introduced a set of emergency measures designed to streamline the rebuilding process for commercial properties located within the Palisades Commercial Village and Neighborhoods Specific Plan area, including properties in the Coastal Zone.

  • Leveraging AI technology to speed up the permitting process: At the end of April, Mayor Bass issuedExecutive Directive 10directing the L.A. Department of Building and Safety to report back on the feasibility of implementing an AI tool to accelerate pre-plan check reviews. Over the summer, the City launched Archistar's eCheck AI Pilot to help homeowners review building plans for compliance with local building and zoning rules prior to submitting them to the City and formally starting the application process. At Mayor Bass' direction, Archistar's eCheck AI Pilot now offers more Zoning Code and Building Code checks, providing a robust suite of tools for residents and contractors navigating the rebuilding process, including expanded checks for those utilizing the streamlined process in Mayor Bass' Emergency Executive Order 8 (EO8). The tool is available at no cost to homeowners and design professionals.

  • Establishing Los Angeles' first-ever Self-Certification Pilot Program: Mayor Bass issued Emergency Executive Order 6establishing a Self-Certification Pilot Program to reduce time spent on the permitting process. Self-certification is a strategy that supports homeowners in the plan check process by allowing qualified architects to self-certify that their plans meet the California Residential Code.