Trump bypasses California bureaucracy to unlock $3.2B in wildfire aid
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FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration will allow California wildfire survivors to bypass local permit delays that have stalled rebuilding in Los Angeles for more than a year and provide immediate access to $3.2 billion in Small Business Administration disaster relief funds.
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler called California’s state and local permit backlog a “nightmare” delaying wildfire recovery.
“Today, President Trump’s leadership and the SBA, along with the EPA, are paving the way for a speedy recovery for every borrower held hostage by the bureaucracy of Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass,” Loeffler said.
A YEAR AFTER THE LA FIRES, POLITICIANS’ WORDS OF PERMIT SEEM VERY IMPORTANT
An aerial view shows homes damaged and destroyed by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images)
The new SBA guidance allows builders to self-certify compliance with state and local requirements after a 60-day permit delay, allowing rebuilding to begin without final local approval.
Governor of California Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The most expensive and devastating series of events in more than a year forest fires Survivors of the crash that devastated California are still left in limbo as red tape, rising costs and a pause help slow the recovery. California’s strict rebuilding regulations, combined with the extent of the destruction, help explain why rebuilding has not yet begun.
Eaton and Palisades fires burned as a whole 37,728 acres, It destroyed more than 16,200 buildings in its path, an area larger than Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, and Universal Studios in California combined.
CALIFORNIA FIRE VICTIMS FACE TOUGH BATTLES AS COMPANIES AND INVESTORS ATTACK
Fire personnel respond to destroyed homes as a helicopter drops water as the Palisades Fire grows in Pacific Palisades, California, on January 7, 2025. (David Swanson/AFP/Getty Images)
Construction has begun on fewer than 600 of the destroyed homes and businesses, and more than 96% are still untouched. Across Los Angeles, fewer than 3,000 rebuilding permits have been issued and fewer than 10 homes have been revitalized, Loeffler said.
Under new SBA guidance, disaster loan borrowers can bypass stalled local permitting by ensuring their builders self-certify compliance with state and local regulations and begin rebuilding immediately.
Builders must certify to the SBA that all required permit applications were filed more than 60 days ago, that delays are due to government inaction, and that all building, health, safety, inspection and occupancy requirements will be met.
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California Governor Gavin Newsom inspects a burned utility pole while surveying damage from the Dixie Fire in Greenville on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021, in Plumas County, California. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Meanwhile, California officials say the state is continuing its own housing initiatives in the wake of the wildfires.
Earlier this month, Newsom’s office announced $107.3 million in state housing funding for wildfire-affected communities, supporting nine projects that will create 673 new affordable rental homes across Los Angeles County. The projects will not replace houses destroyed by fire.
