SACRAMENTO, California — Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday issued an executive order allowing Los Angeles and surrounding jurisdictions to restrict housing development in areas rebuilding after the January firestorm categorized at very high fire hazard.
What happened: SB 9, which Newsom (D) signed in 2021, allows property owners to build up to four units on parcels previously zoned for single-family homes, a key strategy to address California’s housing shortage. Newsom’s order gives local officials in the areas of the Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Altadena’s eastern foothills the authority to limit such development.
The move follows pressure from Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park (D), who urged Newsom to suspend SB 9 in the Palisades, citing increased evacuation risks. Mayor Karen Bass supported the call, warning that new development could “fundamentally alter the safety of the area.”
More context: The executive order marks a shift from earlier post-fire actions when Newsom and Bass waived permitting requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act and Coastal Act to accelerate rebuilding.
