This story was originally Appearing on Vox is part of the climate desk collaboration.
The most expensive and destructive fire in history after a record wildfire in Los Angeles in January, one of the first things California Gov. Gavin Newsom did was to sign an executive order to suspend environmental rules surrounding reconstruction.
The idea is that by abandoning regulations and reviews under the California Coastal Act and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (CEQA), homeowners and builders can start cleaning up, building walls and getting people back into their homes faster.
But that raises the key question for housing advocates: Can California do something similar for the entire state?
Earlier this month, Newsom took a step in this direction, signing two bills that could exempt most urban housing from environmental scrutiny and make it easier for cities to increase housing by changing zoning laws. Newsom also signed another executive order that suspended some local permitted laws and building regulations for fire-hazardous communities with the aim of further accelerating reconstruction.
For Angel City, housing reform cannot be carried out soon. The unusually dry grassy landscape was blown by the hurricane-struggled Santa Ana, which torped the wildfires in Los Angeles, burned nearly 48,000 acres, damaged or destroyed more than 16,000 buildings, including more than 9,500 single-family homes, including more than 1,200, more than 1,200, 1,200 two-family homes, and 600 apartments in the most restaurants.
Los Angeles is a key case study of housing across the state, and there is a desperate need for more housing on whether democratically controlled governments can coordinate their contradictory political foundations (occupiers, environmental groups, housing advocates). Some observers believe that revising the state’s environmental laws is a sign that Golden State has finally seen a light.
But despite the easy rules, Los Angeles has been slow to progress. According to the Los Angeles Times, as of July 7, more than 800 homeowners in areas affected by wildfires have applied for reconstruction permits. However, less than 200 people received the green light. The city of Los Angeles takes about 55 days on average to approve wildfire reconstruction, while the wider Los Angeles County takes longer. (Los Angeles County has a dashboard that tracks approvals in non-individual areas.)
“It’s no surprise that the process is super slow in Los Angeles,” said Elisa Paster, managing partner at Rand Paster Nelson, a Los Angeles company specializing in land use law. “It’s interesting that we’ve heard a lot of people decide they don’t want to do the reconstruction process in Los Angeles because it’s a heavy lifting.”
Now, half a year after the ashes disappeared, it is clear that changing the rules is not enough. CEQA advocates say the 55-year-old law is indeed a scapegoat for bigger, more difficult housing problems. Other factors, such as more expensive building materials and labor shortages, are still increasing housing construction costs regardless of the allowable rate. Some environmental groups are concerned that rush to rebuild everything that could potentially rebuild all conditions that cause fire, a dangerous prospect in areas where wildfire risks will only increase.
How CEQA reforms and can’t help communities hurt by wildfires
CEQA is one of California’s tent environmental laws, signed in 1970 by Gov. Ronald Reagan. It requires state and local governments to preempt any potential environmental hazards in construction projects, such as water pollution, threats to endangered species, and later greenhouse gases. Developers need to disclose these issues and take steps to avoid them. The law also allows the public to weigh new developments.
In the years since, CEQA has been accused of being a barrier to new construction. Many critics see it as a cynical tool designed to prevent new housing construction in wealthy communities and are even cited to challenge highway closures and new parks in terms of the environment. It is one of the villains of the “rich” movement, which advocates cutting the traditional tape festival to build more homes and clean energy.
