{"id":2463515,"date":"2025-07-18T13:13:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T17:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/backlash-puts-bill-creating-la-fire-rebuilding-agency-on-hold-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-07-18T13:14:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T17:14:27","slug":"backlash-puts-bill-creating-la-fire-rebuilding-agency-on-hold-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/backlash-puts-bill-creating-la-fire-rebuilding-agency-on-hold-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Backlash puts bill creating LA fire rebuilding agency on hold &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbacklash-puts-bill-creating-la-fire-rebuilding-agency-on-hold-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2463515&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A controversial California bill proposing the creation of a &#8220;Resilient Rebuilding Authority&#8221; (RRA) to aid rebuilding after Los Angeles wildfires has been temporarily put on hold. State Senator Ben Allen paused the bill, SB 549, following community concerns about the lack of clear community input in the authority&#8217;s decision-making process. The RRA would have had powers to buy land, manage construction materials, provide subsidized financing, and replace affordable housing lost in recent fires. However, there are concerns about whether displaced homeowners could afford to buy rebuilt homes, even at discounted rates, given the high local housing costs. The bill also included updates to a municipal financing mechanism, NIFTI-2, to support affordable housing near transit stops. Without this bill, funding for affordable housing reconstruction may depend on Governor Gavin Newsom&#8217;s allocation of $101 million for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-pumps-101-million-into-low-income-housing-for-californias-fire-ravaged-areas\/\" title=\"... Pumps 1 Million into &#039;Low Income ...&#039; for ...&#039;s Fire-Ravaged Areas\">multifamily low-income housing<\/a> in the area. Private philanthropic funds may also supplement recovery efforts. The bill is expected to be revisited in 2026 with adjustments addressing community involvement.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Backlash puts bill creating LA fire rebuilding agency on hold<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2176771\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square) &mdash;&nbsp;A controversial <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/california\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">California<\/a>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/california\/article_861930c9-93ea-4e5c-b098-30d35fe3fa26.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bill<\/a>&nbsp;that would have created a powerful &ldquo;Resilient Rebuilding Authority&rdquo; for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/los-angeles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Los Angeles<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/wildfires\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">fires<\/a> was put on temporary hold by state Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, in response to widespread community concerns.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I appreciate the input of the folks who have weighed in about the bill, and along with legislative colleagues have decided that it would be best for us to pause the bill until next year to give us more time to see if we can get it right,&rdquo; said Allen in a statement on SB 549.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3475557\/north-korea-beach-resort-bans-foreigners\/\">North Korea bans foreigners from beach resort after first round of Russian tourists<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3475503\/ex-brazilian-president-jair-bolsonaro-ankle-monitor-coup-trial\/\">Ex-Brazilian president Bolsonaro ordered to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ex-brazilian-president-bolsonaro-ordered-to-wear-ankle-monitor-ahead-of-coup-trial\/\" title=\"Ex-Brazilian president Bolsonaro ordered to wear ankle monitor ahead of coup trial\">wear ankle monitor ahead<\/a> of coup trial<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3475445\/fighting-resumes-southern-syria-bedouin\/\">Fighting resumes in southern Syria after massive mobilization by pro-government Bedouin tribes<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>At the Assembly Local Government Committee hearing on Wednesday night, Allen conceded the bill&rsquo;s lack of clear path for community input into the RRA&rsquo;s decision making, while hinting at future changes to the legislation in 2026.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not looking to jam this down people&rsquo;s throats,&rdquo; said Allen. &ldquo;On the community input question, it doesn&rsquo;t cut out community input. It just doesn&rsquo;t specify one path or another, so we&rsquo;re going to have to build significant community input into the governance structure in order for this to pass the smell test with the locals.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>One of the bill&rsquo;s two sections would create a Resilient Rebuilding Authority, which would be authorized to &ldquo;purchase lots&rdquo; for &ldquo;land banking&rdquo; and &ldquo;open space,&rdquo; buy and sell construction materials and equipment &ldquo;in bulk,&rdquo; deploy &ldquo;subsidized financing,&rdquo; and replace &ldquo;affordable housing&rdquo; lost in the Palisades, Eaton and Hughes fires.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Under the city of Los Angeles&rsquo;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/clkrep.lacity.org\/onlinedocs\/2021\/21-1230-S8_ord_188481_2-11-25.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Ordinance 188481<\/a>, in so-called &ldquo;higher opportunity&rdquo; areas such as the Pacific Palisades, all destroyed &ldquo;protected&rdquo; housing &mdash; which includes all apartments built before October 1978 &mdash; must be replaced by &ldquo;low income units.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>This ordinance &mdash; modeled on state law &mdash; means that even if these rent-controlled, but not income-restricted units were legally occupied by households of moderate income or higher, these households may not be able to return to the rebuilt &ldquo;affordable&rdquo; units due if their perhaps modest incomes exceed the required low-income limit.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Gov. Gavin Newsom&rsquo;s press office&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GovPressOffice\/status\/1945874101605937506\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">repeated<\/a>&nbsp;the Los Angeles Times&rsquo; description of the RRA as &ldquo;a new local authority&rdquo; that would &ldquo;buy burned lots, rebuild homes and offer them back at discounted rates to the original owners.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>It&rsquo;s unclear how many homeowners who cannot afford to rebuild and would have sold to the RRA would have been able to afford to purchase the finished homes, even at discounted rates, given the high cost of construction in coastal Southern California. Before the fire, the median home&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/california\/article_51db75fe-d39e-11ef-ad40-b3654533f2b5.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">listed<\/a>&nbsp;in the Pacific Palisades for $4.6 million.<\/p>\n<p>The bill&rsquo;s second, and original, section would have updated NIFTI-2, a municipal financing mechanism for transit and &ldquo;affordable housing.&rdquo; Forty percent of the property-tax-based NIFTI-2 funds would have been required to be used for housing affordable to households making less than 60% of the median income, half of which must be spent on housing for the homeless or those making less than 30% of median income.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>These required low-income housing projects would have been required to be within half a mile of a &ldquo;major&rdquo; public transit stop, a definition expanded on Jan. 1 to include bus stops at which at least two bus lines intersect, and buses stop at least every 20 minutes during rush hour.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>With NIFTI-2 requiring another 10% of the funds be spent on beautification or &ldquo;active transportation&rdquo; such as bike or walking paths, the remaining half of NIFTI-2 funds can be spent on more &ldquo;affordable housing,&rdquo; transit and emissions reduction programs that reduce vehicle miles traveled.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This means NIFTI-2 funding could be used to increase bus service and thus more qualifying &ldquo;major&rdquo; transit stops where required NITFI-2 low-income housing can be built.<\/p>\n<p>Notably, NIFTI-2 does not override local zoning, limiting the applicable scope of NITFI-2 housing projects to where <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >local authorities authorize multifamily housing<\/a>, or where pending state laws such as SB 79 might override local zoning.<\/p>\n<p>Without the RRA and NIFTI-2, government funding for building low-income housing in the Los Angeles may for now have to rely more heavily on Newsom&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/california\/article_2ee4ae76-6ee1-438a-bf4a-b1e25b7f0cc9.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">allocation<\/a>&nbsp;of $101 million in taxpayer funds for &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-unveils-101m-to-build-palisades-low-income-housing-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"... unveils 1M to build ... low-income ... - Washington Examiner\">multifamily low-income housing development&#038;rdquo<\/a>; that will &ldquo;contribute to a more equitable and resilient Los Angeles.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Thousands of families &ndash; from Pacific Palisades to Altadena to Malibu &ndash; are still displaced, and we owe it to them to help,&rdquo; said Newsom in a statement at the time. &ldquo;The funding we&rsquo;re announcing today will accelerate the development of affordable multifamily rental housing so that those rebuilding their lives after this tragedy have access to a safe, affordable place to come home to.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/editorials\/3472780\/gavin-newsom-unions-california-government-employees-work-week\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">GOVERNMENT UNIONS SHOW NEWSOM WHO&rsquo;S REALLY IN CHARGE OF CALIFORNIA<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>With the $101 million likely to be quickly depleted, private donors were revealed as another potential funding source at the Assembly Local Government Committee hearing.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There&rsquo;s almost half a billion of philanthropic funds waiting to be invested in this area,&rdquo; said Laurie Johnson, a member of the Los Angeles County Blue Ribbon Commission on Climate Action and Fire Safe Recovery at the hearing while advocating for the RRA. &ldquo;This gives a centralizing place for that to go.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2176771\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2176771\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Backlash delays bill to create LA fire rebuilding agency<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2463516,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/la-fires-rebuild-housing.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[3895,59420,4762,36585],"class_list":["post-2463515","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-bill","tag-fire-rebuilding-agency","tag-legislation","tag-los-angeles"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/la-fires-rebuild-housing.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463515","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2463515"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463515\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2463519,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463515\/revisions\/2463519"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2463516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2463515"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2463515"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2463515"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}