Mayor's 'Hope' Announcement Sparks Controversy
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is confronting significant criticism following what critics are calling a misleading announcement regarding the first home rebuilt after the devastating Pacific Palisades fire. The 72-year-old mayor declared on Friday that the city had issued its first certificate of occupancy for a rebuild in the neighbourhood ravaged by fires last January, describing it as an 'important moment of hope' for affected families.
The Unmentioned Details Behind the Rebuild
However, building and safety records from Los Angeles reveal a crucial detail omitted from the mayor's statement. The newly constructed home on Kagawa Street, which features an attached garage and in-ground swimming pool, was not actually a fire rebuild. Thomas James Homes applied for a permit to demolish the original one-story single-family home and its garage in November 2024, before the Palisades Fire erupted in January.
Although city records indicate the property was impacted by the subsequent fire, officials declared it 'non-eligible' for the wildfire project. This revelation has prompted fierce backlash from residents and watchdog groups who accuse the mayor of misrepresenting the progress of fire recovery efforts.
Public Outcry and Leadership Questions
The resident-led Pali Builds group has published a letter directly challenging the city's claims, arguing that if municipal authorities cannot accurately verify whether a single home qualifies as a fire rebuild, it raises serious questions about their capacity to manage the complexity of reconstructing an entire coastal community.
Social media responses have been equally critical, with users describing Mayor Bass as 'incompetent' and a 'fraud', while one commentator went so far as to label her the 'worst mayor in America'. The controversy emerges against the backdrop of a fire that destroyed more than 6,800 homes and buildings across southern California, leaving 12 dead in hillside neighbourhoods.
Despite the controversy surrounding this particular property, Mayor Bass's memo noted there are currently 340 active construction sites across the Pacific Palisades, with rebuilding permits being approved nearly three times faster than typical single-family home projects before the wildfires.
