LA Can’t Afford to Wait - The Private Sector Must Lead the Rebuild

Los Angeles is my home. I raised my family here and I’ve spent my life building here, creating spaces where people come together. And now, in the wake of the Palisades and Eaton Fires, I’m watching entire communities fight to survive. This is the single biggest disaster LA has ever faced—entire neighborhoods erased, over 40,000 acres reduced to ash, and more than 11,000 homes lost. The economic toll is staggering—more than $250 billion—and it won’t stop at LA’s borders. LA is one of the largest economies in the world, and when this city takes a hit, the entire country feels it. (1/8) And let’s be honest: government moves too slowly. We’ve seen it before—bureaucratic gridlock, outdated processes, and endless delays hurting people who need help now. The reality is, our existing systems weren’t built to handle a catastrophe of this scale. Families can’t afford to wait months, let alone years, for solutions. Business owners can’t put their lives on hold. We need speed, innovation, and most importantly, transparency and accountability—to ensure that every step of this process is clear, efficient, and in the best interest of the community. (2/8)