In an astonishingly slow recovery effort, Malibu has managed to issue only TWO rebuilding permits.
Abe Roy, a local figure who took on the mantle of ‘Fire Rebuild Ambassador,’ has resigned in a fit of exasperation over the sluggish reconstruction process.
Amidst this chaos, California Governor Gavin Newsom seems more preoccupied with Twitter skirmishes against Trump, while Mayor Karen Bass dedicates her airtime to lamenting over Trump and ICE on various liberal news networks. One can’t help but wonder: why the stagnation?
The Westside Current reports:
Malibu’s Fire Rebuild Ambassador Resigns, Urges Mayor to Step Down Over Slow Post-Fire Recovery
In a recent City Council meeting, Abe Roy, who assumed the role of “Fire Rebuild Ambassador” in late May, announced his resignation and implored Mayor Marianne Riggins to gracefully step aside. He described the rebuild pace as unacceptable following the wildfires of January.
Roy criticized the city for what he termed a prioritization of politics over essential permits, stating, “To witness merely two permits issued in nearly ten months is an abomination by any standard.”
Roy’s resignation starkly highlights the growing discontent among homeowners affected by the Palisades and Franklin fires, who continue to grapple with excessive studies, redundant reviews, and inconsistent standards before they can see any hope of reconstruction.
According to available data, approximately 720 structures were destroyed; only 69 projects have received initial approval, while the construction process is held back by a mere two permits. Roy noted that Malibu’s complex permitting system seemed deliberately designed to stifle development, a strategy that paradoxically fails when recovery from disaster is needed.
See the video of Roy’s resignation below:
Breitbart News adds this update:
According to the state government’s rebuilding dashboard, the City of Los Angeles has issued 680 rebuilding permits out of 1,691 applications, while Los Angeles County has issued 491 permits from 2,084 applications.
Malibu is still reeling from the effects of the 2018 Woolsey Fire and the December 2024 Franklin Fire, which occurred just shortly before the Palisades Fire. Alarmingly, fewer than half of the homes lost in the Woolsey Fire have been reconstructed, hampered by administrative fees, procedural delays, and contentious battles with insurance companies over coverage payouts.
In light of these persistent failures, it’s hard to argue against the notion that Governor Newsom, Mayor Bass, and the entire Los Angeles city council should consider resigning based on their abysmal response to the fires’ aftermath.
Mike LaChance has been dissecting higher education and political issues for Legal Insurrection since 2012. His writings have graced platforms like the Gateway Pundit, Daily Caller, Breitbart, and many others since 2008.
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