AIA|LA ADVOCACY REPORT
May 13, 2025
BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION ON CLIMATE ACTION AND FIRE-SAFE RECOVERY
INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND DRAFT ACTION PLANS FOR The Resilient and Sustainable Rebuilding of Los Angeles County
On May 1st, the Blue Ribbon Commission on Climate Action And Fire-Safe Recovery, established by Supervisor Lindsay Horvath, released its Initial Recommendations and Draft Action Plans For The Resilient and Sustainable Rebuilding of Los Angeles County.
AIA Los Angeles has an opportunity to review those draft plans and to provide helpful, proactive feedback. We encourage you to review the DRAFT REPORT and share your feedback with AIA|LA via email to Will Wright, Director of Government & Public Affairs for AIA Lo Angeles.
Please provide feedback by Monday, May 19 (5pm).
To learn more about the Blue Ribbon Commission on Climate Action and Fire-Safe Recovery, please CLICK HERE.
The DRAFT REPORT outlines initial recommendations and action plans from the Blue Ribbon Commission for Climate Action Fire-Safe Recovery aimed at resilient and sustainable rebuilding in Los Angeles County following devastating fires.
Blue Ribbon Commission Formation and Purpose
The Blue Ribbon Commission was established to address the aftermath of the January 7 fires in Los Angeles, aiming to create actionable recommendations for climate-resilient recovery. Its goal is to engage policymakers and affected communities to ensure a sustainable rebuilding process.
- Formed by LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath in February 2025.
- Aims to deliver recommendations for resilient rebuilding across Los Angeles and affected municipalities.
- Engages with experts, community leaders, and stakeholders to refine rebuilding strategies.
- Plans to release final recommendations and action plans in June 2025.
Initial Recommendations and Action Plans
The Commission has outlined initial recommendations to guide policymakers in making informed decisions for sustainable recovery efforts. These recommendations focus on enhancing resilience and reducing vulnerability to future climate events.
- Recommendations are organized by thematic working groups (energy, water, building codes, etc. ).
- Emphasizes the need for community engagement and feedback in refining plans.
- Aims to create a model for climate-resilient recovery ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games.
- Initial recommendations include establishing a Resilient Rebuilding Authority and enhancing building codes.
Key Recommendations for Rebuilding and Recovery
The Commission proposes specific actions to streamline recovery efforts and enhance the resilience of rebuilt structures. These actions include legislative measures and community engagement strategies.
- Establish a Resilient Rebuilding Authority to manage recovery logistics and funding.
- Require all reconstruction to meet Chapter 7A building codes for fire safety.
- Implement Zone 0 defensible space requirements to enhance fire resilience.
- Create fast-track processes for fire-resistant rebuilding through streamlined permitting.
Energy and Water Resilience Strategies
To improve energy efficiency and water supply reliability, the Commission recommends various strategies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing infrastructure resilience.
- Develop master permits for fire-resistant, all-electric homes to streamline rebuilding.
- Require utilities to support electrification and distributed energy resources (DERs).
- Conduct vulnerability assessments of water infrastructure to meet modern fire flow requirements.
- Prioritize local water capture and storage solutions for enhanced resilience.
Addressing Human Impacts and Community Needs
The Commission emphasizes the importance of addressing immediate human impacts from the fires, focusing on health, safety, and mental well-being of affected residents.
- Provide essential health and safety supplies for cleanup workers.
- Fund expanded mental health services for all affected residents.
- Support volunteer firefighters and recovery workers with free medical screenings.
Financial Viability and Insurance Solutions
To ensure that rebuilding efforts are financially viable for low and moderate-income families, the Commission recommends clarifying insurance coverage and providing financial incentives.
- Clarify coverage and timelines for insured survivors to aid rebuilding decisions.
- Ensure future insurability for rebuilt homes through wildfire-resistant designs.
- Provide income-based financial incentives for resilient rebuilding efforts.
- Establish a consortium to raise capital to support low- to moderate-income families in recovery.
Establishing Regional Entities for Resilient Rebuilding
The Commission recommends creating regional authorities to facilitate the rebuilding of fire-affected areas in Los Angeles, focusing on resilience and sustainability. These entities will streamline rebuilding processes, reduce costs, and enhance fire protection measures.
- Establish a Resilient Rebuilding Authority for the Eaton and Palisades burn areas through state legislation.
- Start-up funding could come from philanthropic, local, and state resources.
- Authorities will facilitate land banking, logistics management, and compliance with resilience standards.
- They will coordinate bulk purchasing of fire-resistant materials and manage rebuilding logistics.
- The goal is to aggregate funding and provide affordable financing options for residents.
Enhancing Fire Control and Mitigation Strategies
The proposal includes establishing a dedicated LA County Fire Control District to improve fire risk mitigation through sustained funding and strategic planning. This district will implement fire risk mitigation strategies and enhance community safety.
- Create a LA County Fire Control District with a reliable funding stream, potentially through a parcel tax.
- The district will coordinate with public landowners to develop fire risk mitigation strategies.
- It will establish defensible fire buffer zones and implement adaptive management practices.
- The district aims to enhance the insurability of homes and neighborhoods through effective fire mitigation.
Updating Building Codes for Fire Resilience
The Commission emphasizes the need for updated building codes and resilience standards to ensure structures in fire-prone areas are more resistant to wildfires. This includes extending existing codes and developing new standards.
- Extend California Building Code Chapter 7A to the entire Eaton Fire burn area.
- Develop a local Zone 0 defensible space standard for all burn areas.
- Enhance Chapter 7A with stricter standards from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS).
- Enact local defensible space ordinances to eliminate combustible materials near structures.
- Require landscape plan reviews to ensure compliance with defensible space requirements.
Promoting Energy System Resilience and Modernization
The focus is on creating efficient, clean, and resilient energy systems for rebuilding efforts, integrating policies for electrification and renewable energy. This includes providing clarity on energy codes and streamlining permitting processes.
- Ensure compliance with California energy codes for all new constructions.
- Create a fast-track process for high-performance, resilient rebuilding.
- Develop pre-approved designs for solar and battery systems to expedite permitting.
- Provide incentives for resilient rebuilding and clean energy systems.
- Strengthen the electrical grid with distributed energy resources and microgrids.
Improving Water System Resilience and Safety
The recommendations aim to enhance water infrastructure and management practices to withstand climate-driven wildfires. This includes assessing existing conditions and prioritizing improvements.
- Inventory wildfire-related damage to water infrastructure and assess needs for resilience.
- Limit exposure of water infrastructure by siting new systems outside high-risk areas.
- Enhance firefighting capabilities by updating water infrastructure design standards.
- Implement defensible space requirements around water infrastructure to improve resilience.
- Leverage partnerships for the rapid implementation of water system improvements.
Addressing Community Resilience, Equity, and Health
The Commission highlights the importance of addressing the health, safety, and psychological needs of affected residents and workers. This includes ensuring equitable access to resources and mental health services.
- Provide health and safety guidance for debris removal and cleanup efforts.
- Expand accessible mental health services for fire survivors and affected communities.
- Ensure culturally competent outreach to underserved populations.
- Promote social cohesion and connectedness through community programs.
- Address barriers to mental health services for uninsured residents.
Implementing Land Use and Community Restoration Strategies
The goal is to guide land use decisions and restoration efforts to enhance community resilience and incorporate nature-based solutions. This includes adopting strategies for ecological benefits.
- Adopt nature-based solutions like reforestation and soil stabilization in restoration efforts.
- Maximize runoff infiltration in rebuilding damaged parks.
- Integrate nature-based principles into broader landscape recovery efforts.
- Focus on improving ecological benefits while enhancing community resilience.
DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM AIA LOS ANGELES
Although Supervisor Horvath did not appoint any architects to serve directly on the Blue Ribbon Commission, a substantial purview of the commission’s mission and objectives rests firmly within the subject matter expertise of the architect. For the commission and its recommendations to be effective, it will benefit substantially with more direct input from the architecture community.
Some initial ideas include:
Based on the report’s focus on resilient and sustainable rebuilding, AIA Los Angeles can offer the following recommendations to ensure best practices in resilient design:
- Develop and promote educational workshops and training programs for architects and design professionals on wildfire-resistant design principles, sustainable materials, and climate-adaptive building strategies.
- Advocate for policy changes and building code updates at the city and county levels that incentivize and mandate resilient design standards in fire-prone areas.
- Establish a sustainably funded design assistance program to support fire-impacted communities in rebuilding with resilient and sustainable solutions.
- Create a resource library and best-practice guides showcasing exemplary resilient design projects and detailing effective construction techniques and materials.
- Facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing among architects, engineers, contractors, and researchers specializing in resilient building.
- Partner with local universities and community organizations to raise public awareness about the importance of resilient design and its benefits.
- Develop design charrettes and workshops involving community members to ensure rebuilding efforts meet their specific needs and reflect local context.
- Promote the use of nature-based solutions and green infrastructure in rebuilding plans to enhance resilience and sustainability.
- Establish a mentorship program pairing experienced architects in resilient design with emerging professionals.
- Recognize and celebrate excellence in resilient design through an awards program to encourage innovation and adoption of best practices.
FIRE RECOVERY RESOURCE: SIGNIFICANTLY DISCOUNTED AIA CONTRACTS TO AID REBUILDING EFFORTS
Architects are ready to help communities rebuild–and having the right tools in place is essential. Clear, reliable contract documents help everyone involved understand the scope of project delivery and ensure property owners are protected from the start.
Thank you, AIA Contract Documents for making these vital resources available at a 66% discount so that clients, communities, and neighbors who lost homes, partially or fully, can more easily access them and benefit from their protections.
This partnership between AIA Contract Documents and the AIA in California reduces relevant contracts:
- from $149.99 per document down to $51 per document
Covered contracts are for all AIA California members and will be available through December 31, 2026. They are:
- B110: Standard Form of Agreement between Owner and Architect for a Custom Residential Project
- A110: Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Contractor for a Custom Residential Project
- A105: Standard Short Form of Agreement Between Owner and Contractor (appropriate for residential or small commercial projects)
We’re grateful that AIA Contracts will include contractor agreements in this offering, to ensure that clients, facing amongst the largest emotional and financial challenge of their lives, are supported with documents that are easy to read and understand, and provide clarity and consistency to minimize ambiguity.
By clearly defining specifications, scope, and quality control requirements, AIA Contracts help to ensure that the work done meets the required standards. When a construction project starts, having a reliable contract that lays out the crucial details sets the right foundation.
Here’s how to access the documents and obtain a discount for covered projects:
- Click Here | When Checking Out, Input Usage Code: SOCALBUILD
The AIA LA & LACP Professional Volunteer Program (PVP)
Architects & designers passionate about improving the design quality of newly proposed projects throughout the City of Los Angeles are encouraged to participate in the Professional Volunteer Program (PVP), which is a collaborative design review program organized by AIA LA & Los Angeles City Planning (LACP)’s Urban Design Studio.
This year we will be coordinating thirty-one virtual design review sessions, which will serve as opportunities for architects and designers to help the Los Angeles City Planning’s Urban Design Studio critically review upcoming projects throughout our City.
May 13 (10am)
May 20 (10am)
June 3 (10am)
June 10 (10am)
June 17 (10am)
IDEAS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO ADDRESS OUR ONGOING HOUSING AFFORDABILITY CHALLENGE
1. SB 867 – Climate Bond and CA Prop 4: Integrating Design-Thinking into Project Criteria
How do you envision design thinking playing a role in the implementation of Prop 4 to ensure projects are both sustainable and aligned with community needs?
What mechanisms could be introduced to prioritize design quality and environmental resilience in projects funded by the Climate Bond?
2. Adaptive Reuse and AB 529 Working Group
The adaptive reuse of existing buildings can offer a sustainable path to increased housing. What specific regulatory changes do you see as necessary to accelerate adaptive reuse projects as we leverage the insight of the AB 529 working group?
How would you like to direct/ inspire the AB 529 Working Group plan to address current barriers to adaptive reuse, and what role can architects play in helping shape effective guidelines?
3. City of Los Angeles Alternative Building Standards (Chapter 85)
The City of Los Angeles has introduced alternative building standards under Chapter 85. How can these standards serve as a model for other cities, and what challenges do you foresee in expanding them statewide?
What types of input and innovation from the architecture community would be most valuable to ensure these standards meet affordability and sustainability goals?
4. Affordable Housing – Synthesizing Design Guidelines from Public Funding Sources
Architects face a challenge in balancing often disparate design guidelines from different public funding sources. What steps can the state take to streamline or harmonize these guidelines to ensure more efficient and cohesive affordable housing projects?
With SB 469 and Prop 5 in mind, how can policymakers and architects work together to simplify the compliance process for affordable housing projects while maintaining design integrity?
5. AB 2910 (Santiago) – Alternative Building Standards for Affordable Housing
AB 2910 seeks to implement alternative standards for affordable housing projects. What do you see as the most effective alternative standards, and how might these encourage more innovative, lower-cost design solutions?
In what ways can AB 2910 support high-quality design and livability without driving up project costs or creating additional barriers for developers?
6. Green and Resilient Building Standards
In light of California’s climate goals, how do you see green building standards evolving over the next decade? Are there specific sustainability benchmarks that will likely be prioritized in housing legislation?
What role do you think architects and urban planners can play in advocating for or shaping these green standards at the legislative level?
7. Challenges with State Funding and Design Quality in Housing
Funding for housing often comes with stringent guidelines that sometimes limit design flexibility. How might California adjust its funding criteria to better account for both affordability and architectural quality?
Are there any legislative efforts underway to ensure that public housing funds do not inadvertently discourage innovative or contextually appropriate design?
8. Impact of SB 469 on Affordable Housing and Architectural Innovation
SB 469 aims to support affordable housing, but how can we ensure it also promotes architectural innovation and sustainability? What types of oversight or incentives might help achieve these dual goals?
Could SB 469 set a precedent for other states in combining affordable housing mandates with design standards that support long-term urban resilience?
9. Architects’ Role in Policy Development and Community Engagement
Architects often have firsthand knowledge of both community needs and the feasibility of design projects. How can the state better leverage this expertise in developing housing policies?
Would you support a formal advisory role for architects in the legislative process for housing and infrastructure projects? If so, what might that look like?
10. Streamlining Housing Delivery through Regulatory Reform
Architects and developers frequently cite regulatory complexity as a significant barrier to efficient housing delivery. What steps is the legislature taking to address these challenges and reduce unnecessary red tape?
Are there opportunities for a more centralized approach to housing standards to create consistency and reduce project delays?
11. Promoting Adaptive Reuse in Housing Projects Statewide
Adaptive reuse can significantly expand housing stock in urban areas. How can the state support more cities in adopting adaptive reuse policies and ensuring they align with both local and statewide housing goals?
What can be done to incentivize adaptive reuse for affordable housing, especially in communities with limited resources?
12. Design Thinking as a Strategic Tool for Meeting California’s Housing Needs
How can California better incorporate design-thinking principles into housing policy to enhance livability, sustainability, and community identity?
Could design thinking be integrated into the early stages of policy development to ensure housing solutions are adaptable to different communities across California?
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Will Wright, Hon. AIA|LA
Director, Government & Public Affairs
t: 213.639.0764
e: will@aialosangeles.org
www.aialosangeles.org
