🚨 LADBS Waives Inspection & Permit Fees for Fire Rebuilds: Executive Order No. 7
1. What the Order Does
On April 25, 2025, Mayor Karen Bass issued Emergency Executive Order No. 7 to support residents affected by the destructive January wildfires in Los Angeles. The order mandates that LADBS and other city departments immediately suspend fee collection for:
Plan-check reviews
Building and permit application fees
Specifically for single-family homes and duplexes damaged or destroyed in the Palisades, Hurst, Kenneth, Archer, and Sunset fires, including retroactive relief for projects already in progress.
2. Why This Matters
Heads off upfront financial strain at a time when rebuilding expenses are already overwhelming homeowners.
Speeds up the permit process: LADBS goals include cutting plan-check reviews to around 6 days—twice as fast as normal prepandemic times .
Allows swift recovery: As of late April, 27 permits tied to 19 addresses in the Palisades were approved—double the pace seen during past wildfire recoveries.
3. How the Process Works
Fee suspension is temporary, valid while the City Council works on a formal and permanent waiver ordinance .
Within 7 days, the CAO, City Attorney, and relevant departments must prepare a report detailing:
Scope of fees to be waived (including retroactive ones)
Financial impacts to the General Fund .
The City Attorney must draft an urgency ordinance to codify these waivers for Council adoption.
4. Voices on the Ground
Mayor Bass: “City leadership must work together to remove these barriers… today’s action provides immediate relief for residents while expediting the process for City Council to waive these fees.”
Councilmember Traci Park: “They’ve been through enough… Waiving these fees is reflective of our commitment to helping them start over.”
5. Building Back Faster
This order complements other Mayor Bass initiatives, including Executive Orders No. 1 and No. 6, which introduced expedited reviews and a Self-Certification pilot for certain rebuilds—coupled with plans for AI-assisted plan reviews.
6. What Homeowners Should Know
Eligible properties are those in covered fire zones (Palisades, etc.) that are damaged or destroyed.
Fee collection is paused now, but final waiver depends on Council approval.
Interested homeowners should begin plan-check and permit applications without delay—fees will be waived once the ordinance passes.
âś… Final Takeaway
Executive Order No. 7 removes a major cost and timing barrier—upfront fee payments—allowing wildfire-impacted families to start rebuilding immediately. With accelerated reviews and fee waivers in motion, Los Angeles is sending a clear signal: rebuilding isn’t just allowed—it’s supported.