Upzoned Why LA Is Struggling To Rebuild 6 Months After Wildfires
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Aug 6, 2025 Edward Erfurt, chief technical advisor at Strong Towns, dives into the slow recovery process in Los Angeles post-wildfires. He discusses the complexities of rebuilding in fire-prone areas, particularly the impact of suspended environmental regulations. Erfurt highlights the political and bureaucratic hurdles that homeowners face in securing permits. He also calls for a reevaluation of laws like CEQA to better balance environmental needs with urgent community demands during crises. Additionally, he draws parallels between human behavior and rat studies to shed light on recovery challenges.
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CEQA Suspension Doesn't Ensure Speed
- Suspending environmental laws like CEQA doesn't guarantee quick rebuilding after disasters.
- Local permitting processes and reviews still cause major delays regardless of state-level regulatory relief.
Environmental Laws Misapplied
- Environmental regulations often overburden urban redevelopment where existing infrastructure and impact are known.
- Conversely, they tend to be too lenient in protecting undeveloped natural areas, causing environmental harm.
Environmental Rules Enable Harm
- In Emily, Minnesota, environmental rules ironically facilitated development through protected inner forest areas.
- Despite mitigation requirements, the habitat of inner forests was destroyed, illustrating regulatory inefficiencies.
