Executive Actions to Return and Rebuild

In response to the January wildfires, Mayor Bass has taken a number of executive actions to clear the way for Los Angeles residents and business owners to return and rebuild as quickly and safely as possible:

• Emergency Executive Order 1 – Expedited Community Rebuilding and Recovery: This Executive Order clears the way for L.A. residents to rapidly rebuild by cutting red tape. Specifically, it streamlines debris removal, establishes a one-stop-shop to swiftly issue permits, directs City departments to expedite building permit reviews and inspections in 30 days or less for rebuilding homes as they were, and more.
• Emergency Executive Order 2 – Expediting Measures to Protect Water, Beaches and Ocean From Hazardous Pollutants: Ahead of wet weather, this Executive Order directed crews to shore up burn areas to mitigate the health and environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants on the stormwater system, beaches, and ocean and to protect vulnerable hillsides.
• Emergency Executive Order 3 – Providing Tax Relief for Businesses Directly Impacted by Wildfires: Following Mayor Bass' action to postpone the 2024 City business tax payment deadline for businesses affected by the wildfires, this Executive Order waived 2025 business taxes for impacted firms.
• Emergency Executive Order 4 – Temporary School and Child Care Facility Use: This Executive Order expedited the reopening of schools and child care centers by increasing enrollment caps and allowing damaged schools or child care facilities to operate elsewhere in the city to help families move forward.
• Emergency Executive Order 5 – Resilient Rebuilding: This Executive Order helps Palisades residents expedite the rebuilding of their homes and businesses in ways that better protect against wildfires and other climate-fueled disasters. At the Mayor’s direction, City departments will develop paths forward to: streamline permitting for owners who rebuild all-electric, more fire-resistant homes; promote the use of fire-resistant construction materials to harden homes and businesses, and; further strengthen the resiliency of utilities and ensure power reliability during severe weather events.
• Emergency Executive Order 6 – Self-Certification Pilot Program: This Emergency Executive Order establishes Los Angeles’ first ever plan check Self-Certification pilot program to reduce time spent on the permitting process for the rebuilding of homes damaged or destroyed by the Palisades Fire. 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. Under the Self-Certification pilot program, plans that are submitted for qualifying homes will no longer require plan check, but the buildings themselves will still be inspected for code compliance to ensure they are safe. 
• Emergency Executive Order 7 – Suspending Collection of Plan Check and Permit Fees: This Executive Order directs City departments to refrain from collecting permit and plan check fees associated with the repair or reconstruction of homes damaged or destroyed by the January wildfires, pending City Council’s adoption of an amendment to waive these fees. Additionally, the Emergency Executive Order requests the City Attorney to prepare and present for Council’s consideration the draft urgency ordinance to waive the fees.
• Executive Directive 10 – Artificial Intelligence Pilot Program: This Executive Directive takes a step forward to using Artificial Intelligence technology to support City staff review of project plans against building and zoning codes, saving time and expediting the rebuilding process for residents.