Trump Order Seeks To Bypass Local Permits For L.A. Fire Rebuilds

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 23 directing the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration to consider regulations preempting state and local permitting and allowing federally funded builders to self-certify compliance for rebuilding in Pacific Palisades and Eaton Canyon, the White House said.

The order aims to accelerate reconstruction after the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires that killed 31 people, destroyed about 13,000 residential properties and burned nearly 40,000 acres, with the White House saying fewer than 10 homes had been rebuilt in Los Angeles County as of Jan. 7.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized the order on social media and in a statement, calling for the administration to release the state's $33.9 billion disaster aid request and saying more than 1,600 permits have been issued in Los Angeles, according to his office.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass urged FEMA to speed reimbursements and said city permitting reviews have accelerated, while Joy Chen, executive director of the Eaton Fire Survivor’s Network, said money and insurance payouts, rather than permitting, remain the primary barriers, the AP reported.

The order instructs FEMA to audit nearly $3 billion in unspent Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds awarded to California within 60 days and sets agency deadlines to publish proposed rules within 30 days and final rules within 90 days, the White House said.