Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Barger Seeks Rapid Action for New County Rebuild Authority

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger is asking the Board of Supervisors to require county staff to report back within seven days on creating a Disaster Recovery Rebuild Authority within the Department of Public Works, according to the agenda for today’s County Supervisors’ meeting.

Barger’s motion calls for a plan to rebuild public infrastructure in Altadena and the unincorporated Santa Monica Mountains, both areas devastated by the January 2025 fires. According to the agenda item, the authority would coordinate infrastructure delivery, hazard mitigation, sewer and water systems, utility coordination and community engagement.

The motion also asks the Director of Public Works to report quarterly on an Infrastructure Master Plan. It further directs fire, public health and planning officials to report within seven days on additional staffing needs at the Calabasas One-Stop Permitting Center, which handles rebuilding permits for the Santa Monica Mountains fire zone.

For Altadena residents, the motion represents the latest in a series of county actions aimed at speeding recovery more than a year after the Eaton Fire destroyed an estimated 9,000 structures in the community. The county has already established a one-stop permitting center and a Unified Permitting Authority in Altadena, and is in the process of creating a Disaster Recovery District to fund infrastructure projects through future property tax increment.