Palisades News: Feb 2026

Palisades Recovery Reports Show Evacuation

Data Shows Rebuilding Progress in PostFire Palisades

Deficiencies, Urge $650M Power Line Burial and Major Infrastructure Hardening

The numbers indicate a surge in permitting activity, particularly in recent months

to Pali Builds’ September 1 analysis.

New data from Pali Builds, a community platform tracking recovery from the January wildfires, shows significant rebuilding momentum in Pacific Palisades, with 179 new home permits approved since the fires and 160 lots sold generating nearly $478 million in sales, highlighting a robust but uneven housing market.

The numbers indicate a surge in permitting activity, particularly in recent months.

From January to August 2025, Los Angeles approved 179 new homes in the 90272 zip code, with approvals accelerating over time: only two in March but jumping to 76 in August, according

AECOM’s longawaited analyses find narrow streets violate fire code in key areas like Alphabet Streets and Rustic Canyon, note evacuation warning fatigue and potential bottlenecks, and urge brush clearance.

reaffirmed commitment to supporting the community while noting ongoing advocacy for insurance accountability, mortgage relief extensions, and state funding to bridge rebuilding gaps.

Processing times for new building permits averaged around 63-77 days in summer months, up from 31 days in March, suggesting growing administrative demands as applications increase. Pali Builds, founded by locals to fill gaps in official data, continues tracking until the LA Mayor’s Office provides comprehensive figures.

The three February 2026 documents — covering public infrastructure restoration, wildfire resilience, and logistics/traffic management — outline nearly $1 billion in proposed infrastructure projects through 2033. These include more than $664 million across six projects to underground electrical lines, following the destruction of nearly 57% of electric service points (from distribution poles to transmission lines) in the fire. The public infrastructure report allocates $150 million for “wet” infrastructure repairs, focusing on replacing aging and leaky water main pipelines.

Home sales data through August 1 reveals 160 lots sold since the January 7 fires, totaling $477.7 million.

The market shows stark disparities by area: Area 8 led with 11 sales at an average $10.6 million and median $10.2 million, contributing $116.4 million in volume, while Area 2 had 16 sales averaging $1.7 million. Area 5 saw the most activity with 48 sales averaging $2.1 million. Buyer composition from January to July included 85 individuals (53%), 64 entities (40%), and 11 unknown (7%), pointing to substantial institutional investment in the recovery.

Lawmakers

residents experienced “evacuation warning fatigue” from frequent false alarms, leading to hesitation during actual threats. Traffic pattern modeling showed many intersections could become severe bottlenecks, causing significant delays in mass evacuations. Vegetation management under current rules — including upcoming Zone Zero regulations — is insufficient for the area’s steep topography and dense fuels; recommendations include collaborating with state and county land managers to create vegetation gaps for firefighter access, maintain defensible space around community infrastructure, and restore native plants.

awaiting repairs when the fire started.

Engineering reports commissioned by the City of Los Angeles from AECOM for $5 million reveal that much of Pacific Palisades remains out of compliance with modern disaster evacuation standards more than a year after the 2025 wildfires.

Some decried the bill, now

Mayor Karen Bass, in a newsletter linking to the reports, called recovery “a long-term, multi-year effort that requires sustained coordination — and it must continue to be community-led.” She

Over Local Control

on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, for ignoring traffic, infrastructure, environmental, and public safety concerns

The wildfire resilience report identifies critical gaps: “almost all” local streets in areas like the Alphabet Streets, Rustic Canyon, and Castellammare are narrower than permitted by city fire code. A “majority” of long dead-end streets fail to meet code requirements for fire engine turnaround space. These deficiencies “directly impact the ability to fight fires and for civilians to safely evacuate,” the report states, echoing concerns in a December lawsuit alleging city noncompliance with state regulations in very high fire hazard zones.

Loss

The public infrastructure report organizes recovery into tiers: Tier 1 emergency threat stabilization largely complete; Tier 2 essential services restoration ongoing; and Tier 3 long-term hardening with coordinated LADWP and city projects to avoid conflicts with private rebuilding.

Pass SB 79, Sparking Outcry

along with city leaders and officials, rallied against the bill. “SB 79 is 100 times worse than existing laws,” Pacific Palisades Residents Association President Jessica Rogers said, warning of risks in wildfire-prone areas like the Palisades, citing inadequate evacuation routes and infrastructure strain.

The resilience analysis also found

Water system vulnerabilities during the fire — when hillside tanks emptied and many higher-elevation hydrants lost pressure or ran dry — prompted calls for upgrades: larger pipelines and additional tanks for greater storage and movement of water; improved interconnections between local systems; and exploration of alternative sources like stormwater, treated wastewater, or seawater. Additional measures include pressure monitoring systems to stream live data to fire crews and prevent dry hydrants, plus remote-controlled valves to maintain pressure during emergencies. The city’s Department of Water and Power is already evaluating options for the Santa Ynez Reservoir, which was empty

State Officials Push Array

The logistics and traffic management plan anticipates major disruptions from concurrent construction, including heavy truck traffic, material deliveries, parking constraints, and congestion on routes like Sunset Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway — particularly during school hours — and proposes builder scheduling coordination, materials handling strategies, and improved communication to reduce community impacts over the multi-year timeline.

Mortgage Relief Proposals for Wildfire Victims

By Zach Armstrong

Bass said some wildfire survivors have been denied additional forbearance, directed toward lump-sum repayments or reported to credit bureaus while

California lawmakers approved Senate Bill 79, a controversial housing mandate some have decried for ignoring infrastructure and public safety concerns, in mid-September, prompting fierce opposition from Los Angeles leaders. The legislation, authored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D–San Francisco), allows for more multi-family housing development near transit stops, permitting taller and denser buildings closer to major transit hubs and allowing transit agencies to build on their own land. The bill also requires a share of affordable housing units in new projects.

In late August, a crowd of Palisadians,

In August, the Los Angeles City Council voted 8–5 in opposition to SB 79, led by Councilwoman Traci Park and Councilmember John Lee. Park, whose district includes the Palisades, called it a “Sacramento attempt to hijack local planning,” silencing residents. The Pacific Palisades Community Council also urged Newsom to veto the bill, referencing his emergency order limiting dense housing in fire zones.

of

attempting to recover from losses.

California officials are advancing proposals to expand mortgage relief for homeowners affected by last year’s Los Angeles-area wildfires, as some residents report difficulties obtaining forbearance from lenders.

“This bill opens the floodgates for developers, displacement, and gentrification, with no regard for our neighborhoods,” Park said in a Sept. 13 statement, noting that Los Angeles has thousands of housing units under construction. SB 79, she argued, would undermine years of planning to place housing along transit corridors.

lump-sum repayments or reported to credit bureaus while attempting to recover from losses.

State law currently provides up to one year of mortgage forbearance for certain disaster-impacted homeowners.

In November, Bass called on banks and mortgage servicers to extend relief by three additional years for those affected by the January 2025 wildfires.

Days after its passage, Park introduced a motion directing city departments to conduct a comprehensive 90-day

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said this week that she led a delegation of Pacific Palisades residents and Councilmember Traci Park to Sacramento to press for extended mortgage forbearance and insurance reforms. Bass said some wildfire survivors have been denied additional forbearance, directed toward

On Wednesday, Assemblymember John Harabedian, D-Pasadena, announced legislation that would provide wildfire victims with an additional two years of mortgage forbearance beyond existing state protections. Harabedian also introduced Assembly Bill 1842, Continue on page 7

assessment of SB 79. The motion instructs the Departments of City Planning, Transportation, and Housing, along with the City Attorney, to analyze the bill’s effects. The report will include

Thousands of Illegal Post-Wildfire Rent Hikes Went Unpunished, Report Finds

The analysis, based on Zillow listings scraped between Jan. 7, 2025, and Jan. 7, 2026, estimated that advertised rents exceeded legal limits by as much as $49 million total

A report released by tenant advocacy group Rent Brigade found 18,360 potential cases of illegal rent increases in Los Angeles County in the year following the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires, but only 12 lawsuits have been filed, suggesting limited enforcement of pricegouging laws.

The analysis, based on Zillow listings scraped between Jan. 7, 2025, and Jan. 7, 2026, estimated that advertised rents exceeded legal limits by as much as $49 million total, though the actual amount

collected is likely lower since not all listings resulted in leases. Forty-two percent of the alleged violations were concentrated in areas where many firedisplaced residents relocated, including Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice and Calabasas.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Jan. 7, 2025, triggering Penal Code 396, which caps rent increases at 10% above pre-emergency levels for existing or recently advertised units and limits new listings to 160% of fair market rent in certain cases. The protections remain in effect through Feb. 27, 2026.

The report found violations began immediately after the fires and continued throughout the year. In the first month, more than 4,100 listings appeared to violate the law, with some increases exceeding 100% or even 300%. Enforcement actions remained sparse: the Los Angeles City Attorney filed seven cases (three civil, four criminal), the California Attorney General filed five criminal cases, and no administrative fines were issued despite expanded county authority.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has not filed any rentgouging cases, though his office has prosecuted 25 individuals on looting

charges related to the fires. City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto’s office investigated about 1,100 referrals and sent more than 500 cease-and-desist letters, recovering roughly $100,000 for tenants according to a December 2025 report, but critics say the effort covered less than 10% of alleged city violations.

The Rent Brigade sent postcards to tenants tied to suspect listings to inform them of their rights and encourage complaints.

The report criticized the lack of accountability, noting that landlords appeared to act with impunity. It highlighted the concentration of violations

in Supervisor Lindsey Horvath’s Third District, where many displaced residents sought housing.

City and county officials have defended their efforts, pointing to task forces, warning letters and pending cases. State Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office said it sent more than 750 warning letters and filed charges in several cases. City Attorney spokesperson Ivor Pine disputed some report figures, saying the office investigated thousands more cases and that Zillow data can overstate violations by showing advertised rather than actual rents.

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County Board Advances Plan for Wildfire Rebuilding Authority

The proposed authority would coordinate rebuilding of public infrastructure such as roads, utilities, and sewers, while also supporting private rebuilding efforts through streamlined permitting, hazard mitigation planning, and construction coordination.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a motion to begin establishing a centralized Disaster Recovery Rebuild Authority to oversee long-term recovery and infrastructure rebuilding in fire-damaged areas of Altadena and the unincorporated Santa Monica Mountains.

The vote directs county staff to return within seven days with a detailed framework for creating the authority within the Department of Public Works, including staffing, financing, and legal requirements. The proposal follows widespread damage caused by the Palisades and Eaton

wildfires, which killed 31 people and destroyed or damaged more than 16,000 structures, according to county estimates.

County officials estimate total property and capital losses from the fires at between $76 billion and $131 billion, with insured losses reaching as high as $45 billion. More than a year later, county data cited in the motion indicates that roughly 70% of survivors have not returned to their homes, and about half have exhausted their personal savings.

Under the plan, the proposed authority would coordinate rebuilding of public infrastructure such as roads, water systems, utilities, and sewers, while also supporting private rebuilding efforts through streamlined permitting, hazard mitigation planning, and construction coordination. The authority would initially focus on Altadena and unincorporated mountain communities, including Sunset Mesa.

The board’s action does not formally create the authority but initiates the process of drafting ordinances, identifying funding sources, and determining how the entity would operate. County Counsel was instructed to prepare draft ordinances concurrently with the administrative report.

The motion cites rising construction costs, labor shortages, fragmented oversight, and delays in federal funding as obstacles to recovery. Los Angeles County has not yet received confirmation of whether it will receive Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery funding, a key federal resource used after previous disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the Northridge earthquake.

The board also directed the acting chief executive officer to recommend a small, separate disaster recovery team within

the CEO’s office focused on financing, philanthropic partnerships, and safety-net assistance, as well as quarterly reporting on development of an infrastructure master plan for the affected areas.

In addition, county departments were ordered to report back within a week on staffing and funding needs to expand permitting capacity at the Calabasas OneStop Permitting Center, which handles rebuilding applications for fire-impacted mountain communities.

The action builds on steps taken in

2025, including the creation of Disaster Recovery Financing Districts in Altadena and the Santa Monica Mountains, intended to reinvest local tax revenue into rebuilding infrastructure.

The Battle for Santa Monica's Coast: Two Governments, Two Visions, One Shoreline

SM a.r.t.

Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow

Part II: The Stakes Along the Shore

Pull up the City of Santa Monica's official Coastal Zone map, and the stakes become clear. The red-shaded area stretches from the northern city limit to the Venice border— the zone where Commission oversight currently applies. The blue hatched area displayed represents the 300-foot buffer from the beach where AB1740 would still require Commission review.

Everything else in red? Under the bill, a new locally-controlled process would apply—one that critics say could open the door to the 'Miamification' of Santa Monica's coast. However, 'Miamification', as our city has been called, may understate the loss to be incurred. That is, what AB 1740 threatens is not merely architectural character but environmental memory itself—the sense of place that accumulates over generations, anchored in specific views, specific light, the particular way afternoon shadows fall across streets, and parks that still remember when the ocean was the organizing principle of civic life.

The multifamily-zoned parcels within the Coastal Zone but outside that narrow buffer include areas along Wilshire Boulevard, Arizona Avenue, Santa Monica Boulevard, Colorado Avenue, Broadway, and into Ocean Park. These are precisely the locations where new housing exempt from Coastal Commission review could rise.

Under California's density bonus laws and recent state legislation, affordable housing projects already qualify for significant height bonuses. Combined with AB1740's elimination of Commission oversight, buildings far taller than current norms could be approved without the independent review that has shaped coastal development for five decades.

Residents in adjacent areas—including much of the Wilmont neighborhood and Ocean Park— would experience direct impacts when taller buildings appear; similarly losing views, natural light, and the coastal breezes that define life near the ocean.

The Federal Alternative

While Sacramento debates reducing oversight, Washington is studying whether to increase it. The National Park Service study must determine whether the coastline meets four criteria: nationally significant resources, suitability for the park system, feasibility of management, and whether NPS management would be superior to other approaches.

'We invite you to participate in this process,' said Sarah Bodo, project manager for the NPS Denver Service Center, during a

February 11 public meeting. 'Your thoughts and ideas are important to us.'

If designated, management could take several forms. Under a 'partnership park' model, the Park Service would directly own only a small portion of land, deferring to existing agencies for land use regulations. California's Coastal Commission, state government, and local municipalities could all retain some element of control depending on final agreements. However, new, higher buildings across from our unique Palisades Park would impact viewing from the shoreline to the world-famous bluff.

Critically, NPS official Carrie Miller noted that lands directly owned by the Park Service are 'protected in perpetuity under the agency's Organic Act.' A designation could also unlock federal funding not currently available.

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That phrase—in perpetuity—carries weight that no local zoning variance can match. It speaks to a different relationship with time, one that measures value not in development cycles but in generations. The NPS study asks whether this coastline holds significance that transcends the politics of any single decade.

Who Benefits from AB1740?

The bill's co-sponsors reveal the interests at play.

Streets for All, a transportation advocacy organization, has pushed for road reconfigurations and parking elimination, and its CEO argues the bill 'modernizes that approach and returns local control to cities that have spent the time and resources to build out multimodal infrastructure.'

Abundant Housing LA advocates for increased housing development with reduced

regulatory barriers. Assemblymember Zbur frames the legislation as modernization:

'Instead of enhancing public access, current standards often put needless barriers in front of housing, bike lanes, and other projects that achieve climate goals and pose no risk to sensitive coastal resources.'

The timing may be deliberate. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics approaching, AB 1740 is positioned as a tool to accelerate housing and infrastructure in preparation for the massive crowds expected in coastal areas.

The Democratic Deficit

The 1990 election established a clear precedent: when Santa Monica voters are asked directly about coastal development, they choose protection. Proposition S passed, and voters used the initiative process to override City Council decisions they believed betrayed the public interest.

Thirty-five years later, it appears City staff may have found a way around that democratic check. Based on former Councilmember accounts, vague 'council priorities' from 2023 were apparently sufficient to commit Santa Monica to a position on coastal development—without a public vote or even full City Council deliberation. The democratic check that Sharon Gilpin and her neighbors fought to establish—the principle that residents would have their say on their shore— appears to have been quietly bypassed, not overturned but simply... forgotten.

Questions That Demand Answers

The circumstances surrounding Santa Monica's sponsorship of AB 1740 raise

fundamental questions about governance and transparency:

What specific 'council priorities' were cited to justify this commitment?

Who authorized communication with the Sacramento lobbyist regarding AB 1740, and under what authority?

Did the City Manager's office direct this action?

Why weren't residents informed before the City's name was attached to legislation with such far-reaching implications for residents’ own welfare?

Does the Council intend to review and vote on whether to continue supporting this bill now that its contents are public?

What Residents Can Do

AB 1740 has not yet been heard in policy committee. Residents can make their voices heard in Sacramento and at City Hall.

The broader question extends beyond any single bill or study: who should control what happens to the coast? Voters who established the Coastal Commission believed the answer was an independent state body, insulated from local development pressures. AB 1740's proponents believe transit-rich cities have earned the right to decide for themselves.

Meanwhile, the federal government is quietly asking whether this same coastline deserves protection in perpetuity. What hangs in the balance is not just regulation but remembrance— whether Santa Monica's shore will remain a site of environmental memory, or become another coastline that forgot itself.

Santa Monica residents deserve to know

how their city championed an obscure single vision for the coast. As noted, Santa Monica's voters, when their leaders thought to ask them, answered clearly: they wanted their beach and its views protected. They wanted it remembered—not reimagined beyond recognition.

Sources:

City of Santa Monica Coastal Zone map (Information Systems Division); AB 1740 bill text (California Legislative Information); National Park Service study (parkplanning. nps.gov/LosAngelesCoastal); Los Angeles Times, November 8, 1990; Social media sharing between former Councilmember Oscar de la Torre, current Councilmember Lana Fernandez Negrete, and participants during their Facebook exchanges.

Jack Hillbrand, Architect, for SMa.r.t. Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow Web: www.santamonicaarch. wordpress.com/writing

Mario Fonda-Bonardi AIA, Former Planning Commissioner, Robert H. Taylor AIA, Dan Jansenson, Former Building & Fire-Life Safety Commissioner, Sam Tolkin, Former Planning Commissioner, Michael Jolly ARE-CRE, Jack Hillbrand AIA, Landmarks Commission Architect, Phil Brock (Mayor, ret.), Matt Hoefler, NCARB, Architect, Heather Thomason, Community Organizer, Charles Andrews, Journalist, Columnist

Continue from page 1

which would establish a framework allowing homeowners to pause mortgage payments whenever the governor or federal government declares a state of emergency for disasters including wildfires, floods and earthquakes.

Separately, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced an expansion of the state’s mortgage relief program for survivors of qualifying disasters, including the 2025 Los Angeles firestorms.

Under the expanded program, eligible homeowners may receive up to 12 months of mortgage payments — paid directly to their mortgage servicers — with assistance capped at $100,000 and not requiring repayment. The previous version of the program provided up to three months of relief and a $20,000 cap. The program is administered by the California Housing Finance Agency through its CalAssist Mortgage Fund. State officials said the expansion also increases income eligibility thresholds. In Los Angeles County, households with annual incomes up to $281,400 now qualify, an increase of about $70,000 from the previous limit. Income caps vary by county.

According to the governor’s office, the state has paid $6.5 million to 793 recipients affected by recent natural disasters, most of them survivors of the Palisades and Eaton fires. Officials said funding remains available for additional applicants, including those whose forbearance periods are ending.

After 100+ Restaurant Closures in LA, Here’s What’s Still Bringing People Out

Last year, Los Angeles lost more than 100 restaurants, most of which were independent businesses that had been staples of the community for years. Between rising rents, labor costs, tariffs, and a strong shift in consumer habits, the reasons for the closures are welldocumented in the media. In losing all of these businesses, there is a change in the LA atmosphere leaving people feeling like their nights out are less communal and more obligatory.

To have a successful small business in a major city like Los Angeles, the company’s priorities have to be intentionally defined in order to survive. There are only a handful of places that keep consistent crowds and while there are many puzzle pieces that need to fit together to have a successful establishment, it takes a special kind of dedication to delivering a high quality experience to become part of people’s routines. Shifting consumer habits have opened the door for businesses built around cultivating physical environments centered on social experiences.

One establishment that has positioned itself perfectly to thrive in the growing demand for genuine connection is Kavahana.

What is Kavahana?

Kavahana is a place in Santa Monica where people come to sit down, enjoy drinks, eat, and socialize, located at 306 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405. On the surface, Kavahana might seem like any other establishment, like a bar, or a coffee shop, but it is neither. It functions as a social anchor for the community, giving people a real opportunity to connect with each other while enjoying kava nectar drinks. Kavahana centers its menu around kava nectar, a zero proof drink made from the root of the kava plant, which has been enjoyed in the South Pacific and Hawaii for centuries.

Kavahana’s kava nectar is made by cold pressing fresh kava root into juice and gently drying it into a fine powder. Because the kava plant is grown from the ground

and the root is what’s used in the drinks, kava nectar is known to have a really earthy taste. When the powder is prepared as a drink, it delivers a subtle tingle on the tongue followed by a relaxed feeling which often leads to confident and relaxed socialization at every table.

Kavahana has a seat for everyone as people come in the morning to work, meet friends in the afternoon, and often stay throughout the evening. In a place that values slowing down, you’ll never be rushed out the door.

Kavahana opened at a time when many establishments were cutting hours and tightening operations. Instead of shrinking, it leaned into demand and became a place where people could linger. Kavahana, like many cafes, opens early, but it stands out by staying open late too, often until 1 AM on the weekend. Seating is offered in a way that encourages people to settle in for a while, instead of urging quick reservation rotation. The Kavahana experience starts the moment you walk in the door as familiar faces are welcomed by name and first-time guests are guided through the menu by staff.

Kavahana has made a strong positive impact on the community already and was even voted most loved new business in Santa Monica in 2025, reflecting its growing presence in the neighborhood. Customers consistently flow in and out throughout the day, typically staying longer than they would at a traditional cafe or bar.

Kavahana’s presence also extends beyond Santa Monica. The same kava nectar served behind the bar is shipped to all 50 states and Canada through their site. What makes the company especially unique is that it operates as both a hospitality space and a growing consumer brand. Guests can discover kava nectar in person and then continue the experience at home, something few establishments successfully bridge.

What does Kava Nectar Feel Like?

Many guests describe feeling more present in their surroundings after drinking

kava nectar without feeling overstimulated by their environment. For some people, it serves as an alcohol replacement, but for others it is part of their morning routine to start their day feeling relaxed. Kava nectar drinks are served both traditionally in coconut shells and as thoughtfully crafted zero proof cocktails made with ingredients like mango, coconut milk, ginger, pineapple, and spirulina.

Every menu item at Kavahana is procured right from the source. Beyond kava nectar, Kavahana also serves 100% Hawaiian Kona coffee supplied from Hawaii’s Big Island, along with ceremonial matcha and roasted hojicha. Kavahana meets people where they are at, offering multiple options for people to choose how they want to feel. People can come for coffee, stay for a kava nectar drink, and leave a few hours later having tasted a little of everything.

Kavahana is also very dedicated to building real connections within their community. Each week there are free open mic nights and comedy nights focused solely on creating space for people to support and form bonds with each other.

These events have no fees or minimums as they are designed simply to bring people together.

Kavahana has set the standard for prioritizing comfort and genuine connection in LA. In a world that is becoming more online by the moment, people want to leave their home and go somewhere they can feel human. Creating a space for this is exactly how Kavahana retains a strong customer base so effectively.

Los Angeles may be losing establishments, but people are not losing the desire for connecting with others through experience. If establishments are looking to survive this period of change, they need to prioritize the experience as a whole and realize people are looking for a sense of belonging, not just a place to eat and drink.

Kavahana

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Sen. Allen Introduces Bills Targeting Protections for Palisades Mobile home Residents

The wildfire damage raised concerns among residents about uncertainty over rebuilding plans, potential park closures and longterm affordability.

State Sen. Ben Allen has introduced legislation aimed at preventing displacement of mobilehome residents in Pacific Palisades and strengthening protections for communities affected by wildfires, following the 2025 Palisades Fire.

The fire damaged and disrupted several residential areas in the Palisades, including mobilehome communities, raising concerns among residents about uncertainty over rebuilding plans, potential park closures and long-term affordability.

Allen’s proposal, Senate Bills 1092 and

1093, would change state law governing mobilehome parks to give residents more leverage both when a park is put up for sale and in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

One measure would require park owners who intend to accept an offer to sell, lease or transfer a mobilehome park to provide at least 360 days’ notice to residents and local officials before finalizing the deal. During that period, a resident organization representing more than half of the park’s homeowners could submit a purchase offer. If the residents’ proposal matches the price and substantially similar terms of the pending deal, they would have the right to buy the park.

Supporters say the change is particularly significant in fire-impacted areas such as Pacific Palisades, where land values and redevelopment pressures can increase after a disaster. Without added safeguards, residents of mobilehome parks — many of whom own their homes but rent the land beneath them — could face steep rent hikes or closure if a park is sold.

The second proposal focuses on what happens after a disaster destroys or severely damages a mobilehome park.

Current law requires park management to offer renewed tenancy if a park is rebuilt

and to return advance rent payments if tenancies are terminated due to destruction. It also suspends rent obligations during mandatory evacuations.

Allen’s bill signals an intent to expand those protections by establishing clearer communication timelines between park owners and residents after a disaster, clarifying residents’ right of entry and requiring additional environmental testing and feasibility studies before a park can be closed rather than rebuilt.

In Pacific Palisades, some residents have

said that uncertainty following the wildfire left families in limbo, unsure whether they would be able to return or whether their communities would be redeveloped for other uses.

Under the proposed changes, resident organizations could also assign their purchasing rights to a city, housing authority, state agency or certified nonprofit to help preserve a park as affordable housing, a provision advocates say could be critical in high-cost coastal communities recovering from wildfire damage.

Amid Nearly 1,900 Wildfire-Related Investigations, County Extends Price Gouging Protections

to 200% of HUD fair market rent to reflect current market conditions.

The Department of Consumer and Business Affairs is investigating 1,885 price gouging cases, has issued more than 2,000 cease-anddesist orders and secured $335,000 in tenant restitution. Over 260 cases have been referred for possible civil or criminal prosecution. Investigations also targeted unlawful markups on essential goods such as air purifiers during the emergency.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to extend local price gouging protections for housing through March 29, 2026, one day after state-level safeguards were set to expire, as nearly 1,900 investigations into alleged violations tied to the 2025 wildfires remain active.

Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath led the motion, citing ongoing displacement and financial strain for survivors of the Palisades and Eaton fires. “Wildfire survivors remain displaced and in temporary housing one year after last year’s devastating wildfires,” Horvath said in a statement. “The need to protect our communities from price gouging remains, and so does LA County’s commitment to continuing these essential protections.”

The extension applies to California Penal Code Section 396 provisions that cap rent increases at 10% above pre-emergency levels for existing or recently advertised units, prohibit excessive hotel and motel rates, and bar evictions followed by higher reletting. The board also authorized raising the allowable rent for units not rented or offered in the year before the emergency from 160%

A recent DCBA report highlighted sustained rental pressures and rising complaints, while the Department of Angels’ latest survey of more than 2,400 fire survivors found 74% of Pacific Palisades residents and 65% of Altadena residents still in temporary housing — rates largely unchanged from prior quarters. Many reported depleting insurance displacement coverage and growing concerns over long-term affordability.

A separate analysis by tenant advocacy group Rent Brigade, based on Zillow listings from January 2025 to January 2026, identified 18,360 potential illegal rent increases countywide, with violations concentrated in fire-impacted and relocation areas including Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice and Calabasas. The group estimated advertised rents exceeded legal limits by up to $49 million total, though actual collected amounts are likely lower.

Enforcement has been limited: Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto’s office investigated about 1,100 referrals, issued more than 500 cease-and-desist letters and recovered roughly $100,000 for tenants, while the state Attorney General filed five criminal cases.