City and federal officials expect the Environmental Protection Agency to begin removal of toxic debris in the Palisades burn area and to allow the remainder of Pacific Palisades residents to visit their properties early this week, they said at a town hall Sunday.
As the Palisades transitions into recovery, leaders outlined the next steps in the process for residents who are antsy to begin rebuilding.
After the EPA completes “phase one” removal of toxic debris on a property, the homeowner can choose to participate in a free government program coordinated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Homeowners can also choose to contract with a licensed private company and pay for the work out of pocket or try to go through their insurance company.
Mark Pestrella, the director of L.A. County Public Works, said the sign-ups for both “phase two” options would begin Tuesday on the county’s recovery website.
Residents who choose the government option will need to give consent for the corps to enter their property, and those who choose the private route will need to submit a permit application.
Pestrella said the phase two sign-ups are not first-come first-served.
The order of phase two debris removal will depend on terrain, when phase one removal is completed for each property and whether the entire neighborhood has signed up, which allows the corps to work on clusters of homes instead of individual properties.
The director noted that residents didn’t have to wait for debris to be completely cleared to start the building permit application process with their respective city or county.
The federal government is offering affected residents multiple opportunities to receive disaster relief funds.
Through former President Biden’s Major Disaster Declaration, FEMA offers funds for short-term rentals, emergency short-term lodging, home repairs and home replacements. Residents can apply here.
The IRS pushed back the tax filing deadline until Oct. 15 for Los Angeles County taxpayers and announced the federal declaration should allow affected residents to deduct property damage and destruction from their taxes, thanks to the Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act.
Roughly 270 state-chartered banks, credit unions and mortgage lenders have already committed to mortgage relief, said State Assemblymember Jackie Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), who urged residents to check with their mortgage companies.
The Small Business Administration also offers disaster assistance loans for California wildfire victims.
Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) said federal aid is usually capped at $86,000, with another $10,000 available from the state, although he said he was working in Congress to secure more funds for disaster relief.
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