In the aftermath of the devastating Palisades and Eaton Fires, which resulted in the destruction of over 16,000 structures, homeowners are slowly beginning to rebuild their lives and properties.
As the rebuilding efforts gain momentum, elected officials are raising alarms about potential changes to neighborhood density as a result of state housing laws.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has voiced her opposition to a recent state law that could allow for the construction of duplexes and additional housing units in areas affected by the fires, specifically targeting the Pacific Palisades.
The mayor’s concerns center around fire safety, as she urges California officials to prevent the implementation of Senate Bill 9 in high-severity burn areas including the Pacific Palisades, along with parts of Malibu and Altadena.
Senate Bill 9 allows for duplexes to be built on what were previously single-family home lots throughout California. The law, which was passed in 2022, also permits lot splits, potentially resulting in up to four housing units where only one stood before.
In a written statement, Mayor Bass acknowledged the pressing need for more housing in California but emphasized that lawmakers may not have considered the specific impacts of the bill on communities like the Pacific Palisades, which are still recovering from one of the most severe natural disasters in the state’s history.
She warned that increased density could hamper evacuation routes and obstruct access for firefighters during emergencies. Mayor Bass articulated her stance against the bill’s application in the Palisades, expressing her commitment to working alongside Governor Newsom and other state leaders to advocate for the community’s needs during its recovery.
Residents of the Pacific Palisades have expressed significant concerns regarding the potential for increased congestion in the area should the bill be applied.
Some residents have applauded Mayor Bass for her stance. The Pacific Palisades Community Council has actively communicated with state and local officials, urging a suspension of SB 9 projects in their neighborhood.
Community Council President Sue Kohl stated that the council fears that such projects could worsen fire safety and alter the unique character of the historically low-density, single-family home community.
Kohl recalled the chaos during evacuations prompted by the Palisades Fire, where many residents found themselves stuck in traffic, forced to abandon their vehicles in order to escape on foot.
“Our roads are very, very narrow,” Kohl remarked. “So the thought of having single-family lots divided into multiple-family developments is frightening to most of us.”
Data shows that usage of SB 9 in Los Angeles has been limited so far, raising questions about its influence in the Pacific Palisades.
Research from UC Berkeley’s Terner Center for Housing Innovation highlighted that in the first year following SB 9’s implementation, 211 applications for new SB 9 units were submitted in the city, with only 28 applications for lot splits.
Experts attribute the underutilization of the law to factors such as high construction costs, complex approval processes, and homeowners’ limited development experience.
An additional hurdle is the law’s requirement for applicants to reside on the property for at least three years post-lot split, which affects the willingness of homeowners to pursue such projects.
Azeen Khanmalek, executive director of Abundant Housing L.A., supports SB 9’s intention to increase housing availability in areas where 72% of residential land is designated for single-family homes. He pointed out that some fire victims were renters who could benefit from the housing options that stem from SB 9 projects.
Khanmalek highlighted that these owner-occupancy requirements protect neighborhoods from outside developers looking to transform the Palisades into multi-family complexes.
“Homeowners will have to proactively decide to say yes, as I rebuild, I would like to split my lot and have a smaller lot,” he explained.
Despite this perspective, the push for an exemption from SB 9 within the Palisades is gaining traction among local officials.
L.A. City Councilmember Traci Park, who represents the area, has recently reached out to Governor Newsom, advocating for the suspension of SB 9 as well as other laws that allow for density increases in the neighborhood.
Though she did not provide specific numbers of SB 9 applications submitted since the fires, her concerns about developers purchasing single-family properties and redeveloping them into multi-family units through SB 9 resonate within the community.
As reconstruction efforts continue, the discourse surrounding housing density, fire safety, and the preservation of neighborhood character remains paramount in the Pacific Palisades.
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