Supervisor Horvath Reports Tahitian Terrace Has Been Accepted in Private Property Debris Removal Program
By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
As debris removal work continues throughout the community following the Palisades fire, the city of Los Angeles reported that “more details” on its “abatement process” for non-responsive properties was expected to be available soon.
Property owners in the Palisades fire area have two options to manage debris removal: opting in to the government-run program, which is being managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Colonel Eric Swenson, or opting out and hiring a private contractor.
The number of rights of entry accepted as of May 6 by USACE was 3,992. The total number of non-responsive single-family homes within the city of LA was 35 as of May 6, according to the office of Mayor Karen Bass.
“Within the coming weeks, the city will be contacting any individual property where they have not responded with either opting in or opting out,” Bass said during a virtual town hall the evening of April 29—her last regularly scheduled webinar, which have been taking place at least bi-weekly since the Palisades fire.
“That deadline is upon us,” she said, referring to the April 15 deadline to opt in or out of the government-run debris removal program, and “we don’t want to move to having to remove the debris.”
“We obviously have to have the debris removed at some point to protect public health and to continue our rebuilding process,” Bass continued. “I have heard from a number of neighbors who tell me that they’re ready to begin rebuilding or that their homes were not damaged, but next to them or across the street from them, their neighbors don’t seem to have moved and when is that going to be taken care of?”
Bass said the city is “moving on that” and “will be issuing information about how the city will address the non-responsive parties.” In some cases, Bass explained, the properties were in a trust, which she described as “a very difficult situation” when it comes to “contacting the heirs” and “working that process through.”
For property owners who have opted out, an Eaton and Palisades Fire Debris Removal permit can be obtained through the county’s EPIC-LA system, which allows home and business owners, as well as authorized contractors, to “manage their own debris removal efforts,” while “ensuring compliance with local, state and federal safety and environmental standards.”
When it comes to properties in Los Angeles County’s jurisdiction—which applies to unincorporated areas, including Topanga and Sunset Mesa—the deadline for property owners who opted out or did not submit an ROE to obtain a Fire Debris Removal permit and hire a licensed contractor to complete the work is June 1.
“If a permit is not obtained by this date, the property may be declared a Public Nuisance,” according to information from the county.
The deadline to complete fire debris removal at these properties is June 30: “If a property owner fails to meet the above deadlines, the county may take steps to remove fire ash and debris from the property; the cost of this debris removal will be charged to the property owner. If not paid, the cost may be recovered through a lien on the property.”
There will also be “an appeal process” in place for “properties that are subject to abatement,” with details on how to submit included in the formal notices sent to property owners, according to the county.
As of Tuesday, April 22, Constance Farrell, communications director for Supervisor Lindsey Horvath’s office, confirmed there are “zero unresponsive properties for unincorporated areas, which includes Sunset Mesa and Topanga.”
Bass’ office reported that the city of LA has an “existing abatement process that will be used in the Palisades.”
“We will have more details to share on the city’s abatement process soon,” according to her office.
Sites cleared by USACE as of May 5 in the Palisades fire area were 2,556, with 1,869 receiving final sign off.
There were 102 crews working to remove debris from the area, according to USACE, with a five-day average of 48 sites per day. The highest number of sites cleared in one day so far was 66 on April 17.
The amount of debris removed from the Palisades fire area had reached 737,403 tons—or the “equivalent weight of seven aircraft carriers,” according to USACE.
Colonel Jeffrey Palazzini reported during the April 29 town hall that the number of properties USACE was clearing per day is “great progress,” but with “over 2,000 remaining to be cleared,” he anticipated “several months of work ahead.”
“We still do have quite a few properties that we’re getting to in the opt-in category, so we will be working into the summer to continue to clear—hopefully we can maintain our pace of 50 or so [per day],” he said. “We do have some challenging locations to get to and that pace will probably slow down.”
Horvath’s office reported on May 6 that FEMA had announced that the Tahitian Terrace mobile home community had been accepted into the government-run debris removal program, giving USACE the authority to complete debris removal.
“After careful consideration, I agree with your assessment that Tahitian Terrace is a rare and exceptional case eligible for inclusion in the PPDR program,” FEMA Regional Administrator Robert J. Fenton wrote in a letter to CalOES Director Nancy Ward, according to Horvath’s office.
Horvath reported that the county would continue to “advocate for Palisades Bowl’s inclusion in the program,” to ensure “residents there receive the same level of recovery support.”
“[FEMA is] working case by case,” Farrell said on May 6 about Palisades Bowl. “They haven’t gotten there but we are pushing.”
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