""American families and small businesses affected by the wildfires have been forced to continue living in a nightmare of delay, uncertainty, and bureaucratic malaise as they remain displaced from their homes, often without a source of income, while state and local governments delay or prevent reconstruction by approving only a fraction of the permits needed to rebuild," The order called on the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to "preempt" state and local permitting authorities."
"Instead of going through the usual approval process, residents using federal emergency funds to rebuild would need to self-certify to federal authorities that they have complied with local health and safety standards. The order comes as the city and county approach 3,000 permits issued for rebuilding. A December review by The Times found that the permitting process in Altadena and Pacific Palisades was moving at a moderate rate compared to other major fires in California."
President Donald Trump signed an executive order allowing Los Angeles wildfire victims to rebuild using federal emergency funds without undergoing local permitting if they self-certify compliance with local health and safety standards. The order directs the Secretary of Homeland Security and FEMA to preempt state and local permitting authorities. The White House contends local governments have delayed permit approvals, slowing reconstruction. City and county officials have issued roughly 3,000 rebuilding permits; as of Dec. 14 rebuild permits covered about 16% of Eaton fire homes and just under 14% in the Palisades. Governor Gavin Newsom strongly criticized the order.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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