The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today voted unanimously to implement the Los Angeles County Disaster Recovery Rebuild Authority, a landmark step in the County’s long-term recovery from the January 2025 Eaton and Palisades Fires.
The motion, co-authored by Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Lindsey P. Horvath, officially establishes the Authority as the County’s unified coordinating body for disaster recovery, operationalized within the Department of Public Works, with the mission of rebuilding fire-impacted unincorporated communities with speed, accountability, and resilience.
“Today’s action sends a clear message: we are fully committed to bringing dedicated resources to rebuild this community,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “The Rebuild Authority will consist of a lean, mission-driven team with a singular focus: cutting through red tape, accelerating the rebuilding of public infrastructure, and making sure every dollar of local, State, and federal funding available is put to work for the families and communities still struggling to return home. Our residents have shown incredible resilience. They deserve a fully funded, seamless County system working night and day to get them back.”
“Sixteen months after the Palisades and Eaton Fires, families are still waiting to rebuild and communities are still working to recover,” said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. “The creation of a Disaster Recovery Rebuild Authority will give Los Angeles County the dedicated leadership and coordination needed to rebuild at the scale this moment demands—accelerating infrastructure recovery, streamlining coordination across agencies, and helping bring people home faster. Guided by the work of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Climate Action and Fire Safe Recovery, this effort is focused not just on restoring what was lost, but on building stronger, safer, and more climate-resilient communities for the future.”
Background
In January 2025, the Eaton and Palisades Fires resulted in the loss of 31 lives, the destruction or damage of more than 16,000 structures, and the long-term displacement of thousands of County residents. Since then, Los Angeles County has made meaningful strides through the establishment of One-Stop Permitting Centers and a Unified Permitting Authority. To date, the County has received more than 3,300 permit applications, issued more than 2,300 residential permits. More than 1,400 homes are under construction in Altadena, with 49 homes already completed. The County has also provided more than $17 million in fee deferrals and refunds to ease financial burdens on rebuilding residents.
Today’s action builds on the Board’s approval of a February 10, 2026 motion directing the creation of the Authority. With the legal and governance framework now in place—including a County Counsel-drafted ordinance formally embedding the Authority within the Department of Public Works—the County is moving from planning to implementation.
What Today’s Motion Does
The motion officially establishes the Disaster Recovery Rebuild Authority as the County’s unified coordinating body for recovery efforts, with responsibility for integrating and aligning the full spectrum of recovery functions across County departments without superseding their individual operational authorities.
Effective immediately, the County is launching “Phase 0,” staffing the Disaster Recovery Rebuild Authority with a specialized team of 13 full-time positions dedicated to finalizing a comprehensive operational plan, aligning with One-Stop Permitting Centers, and advancing the Infrastructure Master Plan in coordination with affected communities.
The County will also establish a Chief Executive Office Disaster Recovery Oversight Team to maintain executive-level coordination across departments and provide overarching strategic guidance for long-term recovery.
The Board of Supervisors will also receive ongoing written reports on the Disaster Recovery Rebuild Authority’s on operational progress, rebuilding metrics, resource utilization, funding, and any barriers requiring Board action.
The Scale of Challenges Ahead
In Altadena alone, the County faces more than $2 billion in public infrastructure restoration costs. This includes identifying solutions to help more than 600 homes transition from septic-to-municipal sewer systems, addressing the challenges facing private and mutual water districts and their infrastructure, and working to underground utility infrastructure.
The County cannot do this alone and needs partnerships with, and funding from, State and Federal governments to rebuild our communities. To that end, Supervisor Barger recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with Congressional and Senate members and met directly with President Trump alongside Mayor Bass to advocate for nearly $8 billion for County recovery needs. The Rebuild Authority is being built to scale rapidly as those critical funds begin to flow.
Click here to access a copy of the motion and its accompanying ordinance.