Rebuilding & Permits
Source review: October 26, 2026 (occupancy figures; individual resource dates retained)
The official steps and offices for rebuilding a home lost in the Palisades Fire — from permits and plan approvals to the programs meant to speed the process. Always confirm current requirements with the agency directly. Progress check: The City reports 62 rebuild certificates of occupancy covering 60 unique addresses. Checked October 26, 2026; City records imported October 26, 2026. The latest certificate is dated October 20, 2026. There were 3 in September and 13 in October so far; these monthly figures are included in the total. A note from returning neighbors: trash pickup and other services are tied to permanent power, which can lag the certificate by weeks — ask LADWP about the meter release as soon as your final inspection is scheduled (Circling the News looked at the trash-pickup problem: Trouble Getting Garbage Pickup? →). Ask LADWP for its current service-planning guidance in writing before your electrician opens the trench; requirements can change during the rebuild.
What the different numbers count
62 City certificates of occupancy counts certificates issued on individual rebuild permits, including qualifying alteration/rebuild permits and accessory dwelling units (ADUs). A house, garage or patio cover can each have a certificate.
60 unique addresses counts the distinct addresses on those certificates. Several certificates can share one address, and several addresses can share one assessed parcel.
Completed parcels on our map counts assessed parcels with completed main-building rebuild work supported by a finaled permit or certificate. An ADU or garage certificate alone does not establish main-building completion. The map also checks permit and inspection records beyond the City’s rebuild-tagged certificate list. This is why its total differs.
None of these figures counts families who have moved back.
City recovery dashboard · City certificate records. City figures checked October 26, 2026.
Map totals: assessed parcels in ZIP code 90272
Loading the latest published map totals. Open the map.
| Parcels | What is counted |
|---|---|
| — | Destroyed or major damage All property types, including separately assessed condos and commercial sites. This is not a count of houses or structures; documented field corrections are retained. |
| — | Single-family parcels with destroyed or major damage A subset already included in the damage total above. |
| — | Main-building rebuild in plan check Parcels whose recorded rebuild stage is application review. |
| — | Main-building plans / permits approved Parcels with an issued rebuild permit or qualifying school approval, without recorded construction evidence. |
| — | Main-building work under construction Parcels with recorded construction evidence; dated community school reports are identified separately in the map. |
| — | Completed main-building parcels Parcels meeting the completion definition above, counted once per parcel. |
| — | Parcels with repair / remodel permits Parcels classified as repair or remodeling, rather than a main-building rebuild stage. This does not mean the repairs are finished. |
Do not add all the tiles together. Damage totals and the single-family subset overlap the work-status counts. Work-status counts describe parcels, while the City dashboard’s application and permit totals count records; several records may belong to one parcel.
The map date describes the records used, not the date every site was inspected. Its timeline shows recorded rebuild progress at the selected date. The table above shows the latest published totals. Explore the map and individual records.
NEW — The Palisadian Rebuild Map
See the whole rebuild at a glance: every parcel colored by progress — permits issued, homes under construction, completed rebuilds — with a drag-able timeline and the full permit history for any lot. Built from LA County and LADBS public records, with full refreshes scheduled Mondays at 8 p.m. Pacific.
New: Backup Water — Add a Buried Cistern While the Trench Is Open
The one system that's cheapest to add mid-rebuild: an automatic 500-gallon buried potable reserve, the same break-tank arrangement commercial buildings use. How it works, what it costs, the rules that keep it legal, and the questions to ask your plumber — with a colored buried-tank cutaway and the working schematic.
Read the guide →New: Underground Utilities — See the Rebuilt Block in Cutaway
A clear, colored view of the buried power and communications network, the service lines to each house, and the green cabinet in the parkway. It also answers the “every ninth house” question: 8–10 homes was an early estimate, not a fixed placement rule.
View the cutaway →New: Backup Power — Solar, Two Powerwalls and a 25 kW Natural-Gas Generator
A clear artist’s rendition of layered home backup: an 8 kW rooftop array, two Tesla Powerwall 3 batteries, and a 25 kW Generac standby generator behind a 200-amp automatic transfer switch — including the connection detail installers must get right.
View the backup-power concept →Historic House Relocation Project — a saved house on your lot
An alternative to building from scratch: the preservation-minded architecture firm Omgivning, working with the Los Angeles Conservancy and a team of house movers, structural engineers and builders, finds historic houses elsewhere in the county that are slated for demolition and moves them onto fire-affected lots, then rehabilitates them to current code. Two houses have been moved to Altadena and a third is under way, and the program is offering the same to Palisades owners — Circling the News reports a relocated house can put a home on a burned-out lot for about $500,000, with an interest list already in the hundreds. Ask early about foundation, hillside/coastal-zone and LADBS requirements for your parcel.
L.A. Conservancy: how the project works → The CTN story →Habitat LA — assistance and volunteering
The scheduled September 23–26 Palisades and Malibu Community Build dates have passed. Contact Habitat LA about current assistance and volunteer opportunities before visiting a work site; an ongoing drop-in office at the temporary event base has not been confirmed.
Habitat LA contact and details → Organizer's event dates checked September 28, 2026; current assistance availability must be confirmed with HabitatLA Dept. of Building & Safety (LADBS)
The city department that issues building permits and inspects construction. Start here for permit applications, plan checks, and rebuild-specific guidance — the wildfire page collects every rebuild program in one place, and the One-Stop Rebuilding Center (1828 Sawtelle Blvd, Mon–Fri 9–5) handles it in person.
LADBS wildfire rebuilding page → dbs.lacity.gov →City of LA — "LA Strong: Return & Rebuild" recovery portal
The city's central recovery hub for fire-affected residents — permits, debris, utilities, and the Palisades data dashboard (including the certificate-of-occupancy count above).
recovery.lacity.gov →Expedited & Self-Certification Permitting
LADBS currently lists these rebuilding programs: the Self-Certification Pilot (licensed architects and civil engineers certify plans, expanded February 2026), AI-assisted pre-plan check, the Standard Plan Program (pre-approved designs), and the plan-check / permit fee suspension under Emergency Executive Order No. 7. LADBS also provides a bulletin allowing reuse of existing septic systems for wildfire rebuilds (IB-P-BC-2026-160). Confirm eligibility and required documents before you file.
Current LADBS programs → Fee-suspension eligibility & application → LADBS program list and One-Stop hours checked October 26, 2026; individual eligibility and historical program dates retain earlier evidenceCalifornia Coastal Commission
Some Palisades parcels fall in the coastal zone. The Governor's emergency suspensions of Coastal Act and CEQA review for like-for-like fire rebuilds remain in force with no end date set — but check whether your parcel and design qualify before assuming no coastal review is needed.
coastal.ca.gov → applies to some parcelsFollowing the rebuild news? For ongoing coverage of permits and recovery in the Palisades:
Latest news →