Why almost none of the homes burned in LA have been rebuilt since last year’s fires

Rebuilding after wildfire: Los Angeles' slow recovery

A year after devastating wildfires ravaged Los Angeles, only about 900 homes have been constructed, with fewer than a dozen rebuilt. The fires, which directly killed at least 31 people and sickened many more, torched over 16,000 structures in total, with an estimated economic toll of $275 billion.

The slow recovery has left Angelenos struggling to rebuild their lives. Many residents have had to sell what's left of their land due to the rising costs of reconstruction and tight budgets. The process of rebuilding is being hindered by strict regulations, permitting delays, and shortages of labor and construction materials.

One major hurdle is the bureaucratic red tape that comes with rebuilding in wildfire-prone areas. Homeowners are facing a lengthy and costly process to rebuild their homes, with some estimates suggesting it can take 10 to 18 months to complete even in ideal conditions.

Furthermore, the lack of comprehensive fire mitigation strategies and plans has left many communities vulnerable to future disasters. Experts had hoped that the wake of the disaster would encourage communities to work together on proactive measures to reduce fire risks, conserve water, reduce natural fuels, and mitigate climate change.

Instead, the focus remains on getting homes built as fast as possible, with broader efforts to adapt to a hotter, more fiery world taking a back seat. According to Minjee Kim, an assistant professor of urban planning at UCLA, "The system structurally is not built for rebuilding and recovery... You just need a whole different animal to enable comprehensive reconstruction."

As the city of Los Angeles reports receiving over 3,000 permit applications for more than 1,400 addresses, only about half have been issued. The Trump administration's tariffs on vital building supplies like lumber are further driving up costs.

The disaster has created immense pressure to rebuild as fast as possible, but even with strong political backing, the pace of recovery is glacial. For those looking to stay in their homes, it will take a while to move back in due to shortages of labor and construction materials, and the lengthy permitting process.

As the Los Angeles fires become an opportunity for communities to rethink and rebuild, experts are warning that the disaster has derailed efforts to develop comprehensive fire mitigation strategies. With the focus on individual decisions made by homeowners, it seems unlikely that broader neighborhood-scale rethinking of fire resiliency will happen anytime soon.

The slow recovery is a grim warning of what's to come in a state facing growing wildfire risks as more people encroach on regions primed to burn and as the planet continues to warm.

man this rebuilding process is soooo slow , i remember when my family had to deal with flood damage back in 2010, we got everything fixed up within a year and were living like normal again... fast forward to today, it's still taking years for people to rebuild their homes in LA. and what really gets me is that the focus is on getting the permits done asap rather than implementing some real fire mitigation strategies , i mean come on, we should be working together to prevent these disasters from happening in the first place... it's not just about rebuilding houses, it's about creating a safer community for everyone

IT'S LIKE, CAN WE PLEASE JUST SPEED UP THE PROCESS HERE???? 1 YEAR AFTER THOSE DEVASTATING WILDFIRES, ONLY 900 HOMES HAVE BEEN BUILT?! IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE NOT TRYING, BUT THE REGULATIONS AND PERMITTING DELAYS ARE JUST SO SLOWING THEM DOWN. AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE COSTS!!! $275 BILLION IS CRAZY TALK! IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT BUILDING HOMES FASTER, IT'S ABOUT GETTING THE COMMUNITIES TOGETHER TO REDUCE FIRE RISKS AND CONSERVE WATER. WE NEED COMPREHENSIVE FIRE MITIGATION STRATEGIES, NOT JUST FOCUS ON GETTING THE NEXT HOUSE BUILT ASAP!!!

Ugh, I'm so frustrated with how LA is recovering from those wildfires . As someone who's been through some rough home renovations at school, I get it that permits can be a pain, but 10-18 months is just crazy . And I feel for the people who lost their homes - they deserve way more support than just getting new homes built ASAP.

It's not like LA is a big city or anything, you'd think they could have figured out some better system to rebuild faster . I mean, my school had this one time when we had a flood and the whole place was shut down for months - but at least we got some help from our administration to fix it all.

It's just so sad that people are struggling because of bureaucratic red tape . We should be focusing on how to prevent these disasters in the future, not just rebuilding homes .

omg, this is so frustrating ... i mean, i get that rebuilding after a disaster takes time, but 900 homes? like, what's going on over there? it's crazy how bureaucratic red tape can slow things down so much. and don't even get me started on the whole tariffs thing - that just adds insult to injury .

i think what's really sad is that this disaster could've been a chance for LA to rethink its approach to fire safety, but instead it seems like they're just trying to rush through recovery without thinking about the bigger picture. like, we know climate change is real and wildfire risks are only gonna get worse - shouldn't we be using disasters as a chance to learn and adapt?

it's not just about getting homes rebuilt fast, it's about building a whole community that can withstand the odds. and honestly, it sounds like LA is falling short on that front .

I'm literally so done with how LA is rebuilding after those wildfires . Like, I get it, it's super traumatic for everyone involved but 900 homes? That's like, a drop in the bucket compared to the total damage. And don't even get me started on the permits and regulations - it's like they're trying to drive homeowners crazy . I mean, I've got a buddy who lives in one of those areas and he's been waiting for months just to get his permit approved . It's just so frustrating because I know people are struggling to rebuild their lives and it feels like the system is just letting them down .

And yeah, I totally agree with that prof from UCLA - our reconstruction process is all wrong . We need to be thinking about fire mitigation strategies way more than we are right now . Like, I've been reading this one article and it's saying that LA has like, no comprehensive plan in place for wildfires... it's crazy . It just feels like we're kicking the can down the road instead of facing the issue head-on .

I guess what I'm trying to say is that rebuilding after a disaster is super important but let's not forget about the bigger picture here . We need to think about the future and how we can make our communities more resilient in the face of climate change and wildfires .

I'm all for getting Angelenos back into their homes ASAP, but can we please hurry up with the permitting process? 10-18 months is just too long . I get that safety first, but come on! The lack of comprehensive fire mitigation strategies is really concerning - how are we gonna rebuild if we don't learn from this disaster? It's like they're saying 'lets just build more houses and hope for the best'. Not a good approach when you're dealing with wildfires . We need to adapt, conserve water, reduce natural fuels... the list goes on. Can't we prioritize prevention over profit?

man this LA wildfires situation is so sad , i mean can u even imagine having to rebuild ur home after somethin like that? 900 homes rebuilt in a year is crazy low for such a big disaster... it's all about the red tape and permitting delays, stuff gets lost in translation. and what about all those ppl who sold their land due to costs? it's all so frustrating

i feel like we're not even thinkin bout long-term solutions here, just tryin to get homes built ASAP without considerin climate change or fire mitigation strategies u need a whole different system, minjee kim is totally right. and now the city's still strugglin' with permits and supplies bein expensive due to tariffs... it's like they're tryin to make ppl wait even longer for their homes back

i just hope ppl start thinkin bout rebuildin communities that are more resilient, not just focus on individual decisions. we need neighborhoods to rethink fire resiliency too!

omg u guys idk how they expect ppl to rebuild their lives after dis , its been a year already & still like 900 homes rebuilt i mean what r we even doing?? the gov is all about gettin homes built ASAP but havent they thought thru the long game? rebuilding is not just about throwin up walls again, its about becomin fire resiliant & takin care of our planet like how can we expect ppl 2 just sell their land cuz it's too expensive?! that's straight up cruel

this is so messed up, like i get that rebuilding homes takes time but 900 homes already? thats crazy slow! we need to rethink our whole approach to wildfires, its not just about building more houses it's about taking care of our communities and the environment too

omg i feel so bad for all those ppl who lost their homes the timeline for rebuilding is literally crazy slow like wut r they even doing out there?? and can we pls talk about the lack of fire mitigation strategies?!?! it's not just about building more homes, we need to think about how we can prevent these disasters in the first place

Ugh, this LA rebuilding situation is just so frustrating . I mean, $275 billion lost? That's crazy talk! And now they're just rushing to rebuild without thinking about the long-term consequences? Like, what about fire mitigation strategies? It's not like it's gonna solve itself. They need to get their priorities straight and focus on building sustainable communities that can withstand these disasters, not just slap up some cheap houses with a bunch of permits . And don't even get me started on the tariffs - that's just great, more money for the rich corporations . What really gets me is that they're ignoring the bigger picture and focusing on individual homeowner decisions instead of taking a community-wide approach to prevention .

I'm so worried about LA, you know? It's like they're trying to rebuild their lives instead of rebuilding their community. I mean, 900 homes is nothing compared to the thousands that got destroyed. And don't even get me started on the permits and bureaucracy... it's like they're stuck in a Groundhog Day situation.

I feel for the people who lost everything, including their land. It's not just about rebuilding their houses, but also their sense of belonging and community. The lack of comprehensive fire mitigation strategies is alarming. It's like we're still living in a world from "The Hunger Games" where our leaders are more concerned with individual survival than collective well-being.

And have you seen the cost of lumber due to those tariffs? It's outrageous! I guess that's what happens when politics and profit collide. The Trump administration might not be around, but their legacy is still having a devastating impact on people like us.

The thing is, rebuilding LA should be about creating a safer, more sustainable future for everyone, not just the wealthy few who can afford it. We need to rethink our priorities and invest in community-led initiatives that address the root causes of wildfires, like climate change and deforestation.

I'm so fed up with the slow recovery, but I won't give up hope. Maybe one day we'll see a real transformation in LA, where people's lives are valued over profits.

omg, have you guys tried those new airbnb pods they're popping up everywhere? like i just stayed in one over the weekend in napa and it was SO COOL . they're these tiny pods that are literally just a bedroom with a bed and some amenities, but honestly it's like glamping. and the best part is you don't have to worry about cooking or anything, just show up and enjoy! anyway, back to la... i guess rebuilding after wildfires can be super tough, especially when there's all this red tape and bureaucracy getting in the way .