LA residents fume at mayor for saying they can start rebuilding immediately when they are barred from returning to their homes

By avagrace // 2025-01-29

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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faced strong criticism from residents during a roundtable with President Donald Trump over her claim that homeowners could rebuild immediately despite being barred from accessing their fire-ravaged neighborhoods.
Residents expressed anger and disbelief, with one stating they were blocked from even seeing their homes, while Bass’s vague assurances of expedited rebuilding failed to ease concerns.
Bass' approval ratings have dropped significantly amid backlash over her handling of the crisis, including her absence during the fires due to a trip to Africa.
Trump urged Bass to use emergency powers to cut bureaucratic delays, criticizing local leadership as the bottleneck and pledging federal support for recovery efforts.
The lack of clear directives from city officials has left displaced residents in limbo, unable to make critical decisions about their futures, deepening the crisis of confidence in Bass’s leadership.

Frustrated Los Angeles residents strongly criticized Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass during a roundtable discussion with President Donald Trump and the victims of the Pacific Palisades wildfire after she suggested that residents will be allowed to start rebuilding their homes immediately even when they are not even allowed to return to their devastated neighborhoods. The mayor's assertion that residents could begin rebuilding their homes "right away" was met with disbelief and anger from homeowners who have yet to even see the ruins of their properties. Bass, who returned from a trip to Africa as the fires raged, has faced mounting criticism for her handling of the crisis. Her approval ratings have plummeted, with more than half of Angelenos disapproving of her leadership, according to a recent Madison McQueen poll. (Related: Delayed evacuation order in Pacific Palisades wildfire left homes burning and roads gridlocked, AP finds.) The tension was palpable at the Pacific Palisades fire station, where residents pressed Bass for clarity on when they could return to their neighborhoods and begin rebuilding. One resident, visibly exasperated, confronted the mayor, stating that they had been told by the Army Corps of Engineers that the rebuilding process could take up to 18 months. Bass' response – that the city and county were "slashing regulations" and "expediting everything" – did little to assuage their concerns. "We can't even see our homes right now," one woman shouted, her voice trembling with frustration. "We are blocked from entering our street. The first time we saw our house was yesterday." Bass, seemingly caught off guard by the intensity of the backlash, offered a hesitant response, suggesting residents might be allowed back into their neighborhoods within a week. But her vague assurances only fueled the crowd's anger. Trump, who had flown to Los Angeles to survey the damage and meet with local leaders, did not hold back in his criticism of Bass. "You have emergency powers, just like I do," he told the mayor, urging her to cut through bureaucratic red tape. Trump argued that the federal government was ready to assist, but local leadership appeared to be the bottleneck. The president's frustration was evident as he questioned the delays, particularly the mention of "hazardous waste" as a barrier to rebuilding. "What's hazardous waste?" Trump asked, pressing Bass to define the term and insisting that residents should be allowed to access their properties immediately.

Pacific Palisades homeowners frustrated with lack of clear directives from city

For the homeowners in attendance, the roundtable was less about political posturing and more about finding answers to urgent, life-altering questions. Many are living in temporary housing, unsure of how long they'll need to rent or whether they'll ever be able to return to their neighborhoods. The lack of a clear timeline from local officials has left them in limbo, unable to make critical decisions about their futures. Bass' insistence that the city is doing "everything we can" rang hollow for many in the room. Her claim that residents could begin clearing their properties if they wished was met with derision, as one woman pointed out that they are still barred from entering their neighborhoods. The mayor's struggles to provide clear, actionable information have only deepened the crisis of confidence in her leadership. Her recent trip to Africa, which coincided with the outbreak of the fires, has further fueled criticism that she was absent during a critical moment for her city. Meanwhile, Trump's visit highlighted the stark contrast between federal urgency and local bureaucracy. The president pledged to declare the wildfire recovery effort a national emergency, which would allow for immediate federal permits to expedite rebuilding. He also criticized the Federal Emergency Management Agency, calling it "incompetently run" and suggesting that disaster relief should be handled at the state level with federal funding. Despite his contentious relationship with California’s leadership, Trump promised the full support of the federal government, vowing to return to celebrate the community’s recovery. "We're going to turn it around, and we're going to open the coffers," he said. Watch this video discussing the ongoing investigation into the cause of the Pacific Palisades fire. This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.

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Pacific Palisades homeowners frustrated with lack of clear directives from city

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