Months after the LA fires, rebuilding is stalled as aid falls short and recovery proves more complex than expected. A panel with Farid Yaghoubtil (DTLA Law Group), Gary Mkrtichyan (Opus Builders), and Ken Calligar (RSG 3D) explores the challenges and what may shape community return.

Six months after the Eaton Fire, Altadena’s rebuild is stalled—not from lack of effort, but by a broken permitting system. Fewer than 50 permits have been approved, while hundreds face delays from conflicting codes, redundant reviews, and outdated workflows. Despite publicized solutions, bureaucracy prevails. Without urgent reform, displaced families risk long-term homelessness—caused not by fire, but by government inaction.