US EditionHow AI and tech are streamlining recovery in the footprint of LA County’s wildfires
- Following the January Palisades and Eaton wildfires that destroyed over 16,000 structures in Los Angeles County, AI technology began streamlining the building permit process in May 2025.
- The slow recovery stemmed from limited permit approvals—only 31 issued—and criticism that city efforts ignored displaced residents' challenges and shunned private sector assistance.
- To expedite rebuilding, philanthropic group Steadfast LA partnered with AI firm Archistar to provide at no cost a platform that automates plan checks against local codes, reducing a process of weeks to minutes.
- Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass emphasized that ensuring families return home promptly and safely is her highest concern, while developer Rick Caruso criticized the slow permitting process as unacceptable and is considering an app to facilitate quicker access to the burn-affected areas.
- This AI integration aims to keep recovery on track as California's fastest, suggesting that leveraging technology and private involvement could overcome existing reconstruction delays.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Avril Lavigne comes to the rescue of skate shop destroyed by wildfire
If you lived in Pacific Palisades before the firestorm, chances are your kids hung out at Paliskates—the skate shop that was a teen gathering hot spot. All of that changed on January 7—four months ago—when flames leveled much of the Palisades and changed the landscape forever. Paliskates didn’t stand a chance. At the time, owner Erica Simpson spoke with KTLA about what Paliskates meant to the community, saying, “I love the culture, the community…
Pasadena Star News
How AI and tech are streamlining recovery in the footprint of LA County’s wildfires
Residents have criticized the number of building permits issued in the Pacific Palisades – 23, according to Mayor Karen Bass’ office — since the deadly Palisades fire in January. Some believe that artificial Intelligence might be the answer to accelerate that pace, compressing approval timelines to get residents building and into their homes faster. City, state and philanthropic leaders are looking to AI as a way forward in a process where all h…
Los Angeles wildfire victims begin long road to reconstruction
At a glance: Over 17,000 structures were destroyed in the Jan. 7 wildfires. Homeowners face delays in permits and toxic land cleanup. Communities like Altadena and Malibu have begun reconstruction. Grassroots efforts, like Altadena Collective, support victims. LOS ANGELES — Around four months after wildfires reduced thousands of Los Angeles-area homes to rubble and ash, crews are starting to rebuild. In the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, …
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