The county Board of Supervisors Tuesday created a Disaster Recovery Rebuild Authority, which was billed as a “landmark step” in the region’s long-term recovery from the January 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires.
At the direction of Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Lindsey Horvath, the board approved a motion to officially establish the authority as the county’s unified coordinating body for recovery efforts.
The action builds on an earlier motion that commissioned a report on the legal and governance framework needed to establish the new entity. County officials noted the rebuild authority will work within the Department of Public Works.
The entity will have responsibility for integrating and aligning all recovery functions across county departments without superseding their individual operational authorities, officials said.
Effective immediately, county officials said they are launching “Phase 0,” which means they will staff the authority with a specialized team of 13 full-time positions. The team will finalize an operational plan, align with One-Stop Permitting Centers and advance an Infrastructure Master Plan with impacted fire-recovering communities.
County officials will also create a disaster recovery oversight team in the executive office. The Board of Supervisors is expected to receive ongoing written reports on the rebuild authority’s operational progress, rebuilding metrics, resources utilization, funding and any barriers requiring board action.
“Today’s actions sends a clear message: we are fully committed to bringing dedicated resources to rebuild this community,” Barger said in a statement, who represents the areas of Altadena and Pasadena.
She said the rebuild authority team will focus on cutting through red tape and accelerating the rebuilding of street lights, water pipes, roads, and other public infrastructure.
“Our residents have shown incredible resilience. They deserve a fully funded, seamless county system working night and day to get them back,” Barger added.
Horvath, who represents the areas of Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, and Malibu, emphasized that 16 months after the dual fires, families and communities are still waiting to rebuild. She said the new entity is about dedicated leadership and coordination needed to rebuild at a grand scale.
“Guided by the work of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Climate Action and Fire Safe Recovery, this effort is focused not just on restoring what was lost, but on rebuilding stronger, safer and more climate-resilient communities for the future,” Horvath said in a statement.
In January 2025, the Eaton and Palisades fires killed 31 people, destroyed or damaged more than 16,000 structures, and displaced thousands of county residents.
To date, the county has received more than 3,300 permit applications, and issued more than 2,300 residential permits. More than 1,400 homes are under construction in Altadena, of which 49 homes are already complete. The county has also provided more than $17 million in fee deferrals and refunds to ease financial burdens on residents who are rebuilding.