The Los Angeles City Council adopted an array of measures Tuesday aimed at jump-starting recovery efforts for residents whose lives have been upended by devastating wildfires.
In a rapid-fire series of votes, the council adopted measures to speed the arrival of federal emergency funds, assess the potential for post-fire mudslides and establish new safeguards against price gouging and evictions, particularly for pet owners and those who evacuated.
One of the measures seeks to commission an independent “after-action” report on the city’s and county’s emergency responses to the fires. The council also took steps to help the city, its residents, workers and businesses access federal disaster relief funding and other forms of assistance.
“As a city, our singular goal must be to ensure that residents have the resources they need to rebuild their lives and come home,” said Councilmember Traci Park, who wrote many of the motions approved Tuesday.
Park, who represents Pacific Palisades, said the flurry of votes, taken together, provide a road map to recovery for residents who have lost everything.
“I want my constituents to know that my singular focus from now on is making this right for them,” said Park, fighting back tears. “And I want our firefighters to know I’m going to do everything I can, and I will move every mountain, to make sure they have what they need.”
Park and Councilmember Monica Rodriguez also unveiled a proposal to begin work on a bond measure for the June 2026 ballot that would raise money for the repair of fire stations and construction of new ones. The Fire Department has not had sufficient funding to maintain its 106 stations, more than half of which are more than 50 years old, according to the proposal.
That proposal, which calls for the department to come up with recommendations for a 2026 bond measure within 60 days, now heads to the council’s Public Safety Committee for additional discussion.
Freddy Escobar, president of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Local 112, argued in favor of a 2026 ballot measure to raise money for the department, which he said has been “neglected for decades.”
Mayor Karen Bass has already spoken with the union about such a proposal and said she would support it, Escobar said.
“I know we have Mayor Bass’ commitment,” he said in an interview.
Zach Seidl, a Bass spokesperson, said that “three years ago the mayor met with UFLAC leadership and said she’d be interested and supportive of working on a bond.”
The council’s actions came one week after the Palisades fire broke out in the Santa Monica Mountains. The fire has killed at least eight people and destroyed more than 5,300 structures, including numerous homes and historic buildings. That fire and other wind-driven blazes that have devastated Pacific Palisades, Altadena and other communities over the last week are almost certain to rank among the costliest disasters in U.S. history.
Councilmembers on Tuesday described the fires as a once-in-a-generation catastrophe, comparing them to what L.A. experienced during the 1992 riots or the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The council also signed off on Bass’ declaration of a local emergency for the fires last week.
One proposal by Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez and Hugo Soto-Martinez would pause rent increases and prohibit evictions for tenants who have experienced economic or medical hardship related to the fires for one year; it was referred to committee.
Another motion by Hernandez would have established a 60-day grace period for parking tickets and vehicle impounds while the fire emergency remains. It failed to pass, with 10 of the council’s 15 members voting against it.
The motions covered matters big and small, including procedural steps to situate the city for funding the recovery that lies ahead, as well as short-term actions, such as measures to help reunite people in the fire zone with their pets. One measure that passed takes a first step in creating a long-term recovery plan, informed by recommendations from Santa Rosa, Paradise, Maui and other communities that have suffered similar tragedies in recent years.
Some of the measures approved Tuesday focused on accountability, including one instructing the Los Angeles Fire Department to report to the council “immediately” about the fires, “the current status of the Department and its ability to manage wildfires of this magnitude; and any issues which may have inhibited its efforts to protect life and property.” Another seeks transparency from the city’s Department of Water and Power about its infrastructure, including water pressure problems, dry fire hydrants and the Santa Ynez Reservoir that sat empty during the firefighting effort.
Park said officials from Santa Rosa and Paradise, Northern California communities that suffered their own devastating losses from the 2017 Tubbs fire and the 2018 Camp fire, respectively, worked with her team on the fire response motions that were introduced.
“It is really hard to describe the scope and scale of this loss,” Park said as she spoke about the destruction in Pacific Palisades. “A beautiful, thriving, vibrant, engaged community now just completely wiped off our map.”
Some council members said city government must seize the moment to rethink its priorities and the way it deploys resources for public safety and infrastructure.
“Business as usual cannot exist,” said Councilmember Bob Blumenfield. “We have to fundamentally change the way we do things in this city so that we can grow back and we build back in a strong way.”
Rodriguez also warned people across Southern California that “we’re not out of the woods yet.”
With more high winds still expected, the council member said, “no part of this city, no part of this region, is out of threat.”