As the Los Angeles region marks the one-year anniversary of last year’s fires Wednesday, Los Angeles city and county officials are reviewing building applications and issuing permits while insurers have paid more than $22.4 billion to reconstruct fire-impacted areas in Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Altadena and Pasadena.
On Jan. 7, 2025, fires erupted in the Los Angeles region fueled by dry conditions and extreme Santa Ana winds. The two largest fires displaced thousands of people in Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
The Palisades Fire killed 12 people in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Topanga areas, while the Eaton Fire, in Altadena, killed 19. Firefighters fully contained the dual blazes on Jan. 31, 2025.
The Palisades Fire razed a majority of the coastal neighborhood of Pacific Palisades. Similarly, homes, schools, places of worship, restaurants and community focal points were lost in Altadena as a result of the Eaton Fire.
The fires caused total property and capital losses ranging between $11 billion and $76 billion, with insured loses at about $45 billion, according to the UCLA Anderson Forecast, which was last updated in March .Despite efforts at the local, county and state levels to expedite the issuance of permits, rebuilding efforts are being delayed due to rising costs, as well as other challenges fire survivors face with their insurers, among other issues.
Fire survivors in Pacific Palisades and in Altadena have criticized the city and county for failing to do more to streamline permit processes and expedite construction.
As the region marks one year since then, data as of Tuesday shows the following:
— Pasadena officials received 66 complete applications, currently reviewing 41 applications, approved one plan review, issued 23 permits and finalized one rebuild of a residential building;
— Malibu officials issued 490 building permits for damages, repairs, debris removal and structures such as garages or outbuildings, and approved 184 planning approvals for all application types. There’s also a total of 142 applications approved by planning officials with another 64 under review, as well as 42 building plans submitted for review. A total of 22 building permits have been issued. Zero certificates of occupancy have been issued by the city, according to Malibu’s online rebuild dashboard;
— Los Angeles officials have received 3,072 applications for rebuilding with 1,399 unique addresses in and around Pacific Palisades. Currently, 1,288 plans are in review and another 1,784 building plans have been approved. City officials have issued 1,446 permits for rebuilding, of which 688 are unique addresses, according to the city’s online dashboard. The city has issued two certificates of occupancy; and
— Los Angeles County received 2,899 rebuild applications and cleared 2,473 zoning reviews as of Tuesday, encompassing efforts to rebuild in Altadena and the unincorporated areas near Pacific Palisades. County officials also reported 1,871 parcels with full building plans. A total of 1,460 building plans have been finalized and approved, with 1,191 building permits issued. There are 545 construction projects for new residential projects. The county has reported seven completed construction projects. The county issued one certificate of occupancy in December to 67-year-old Ted Koerner, who rebuilt his home in Altadena.
Meanwhile, the California Department of Insurance released data Dec. 31 showing that insurance companies paid more than $22.4 billion to Southern California fire survivors. Insurance payments account for nearly 80% of recovery funds committed to the overall recovery efforts.
“Our experience over many past disasters shows recovery is multifaceted and requires a coordinated effort. Insurance is the first to pay, but more money from federal, state, and local governments, plus private charities, is needed for a speedy and successful recovery. Our dedicated department experts are enforcing laws to ensure that claims are processed fairly, quickly, and responsively, allowing homeowners to recover on their own terms,” Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said in a statement.
Approximately, 42,121 insurance claims have been filed for home, business, living expenses and other disaster-related needs, according to the Department of Insurance.
About 39,677 claims were partially paid under laws requiring advance payments to speed recovery. A total of $22.4 billion in claims have been paid out as of Dec. 31 to policyholders.