Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on Wednesday to limit development in the Pacific Palisades area, addressing concerns about overcrowding and evacuation safety. This order modifies Senate Bill 9 (SB 9), a law enacted four years ago to address California’s housing crisis by allowing more housing units on single-home lots. However, residents expressed worries about over-density and evacuation challenges in the fire-prone region.
The executive order gives local governments the authority to restrict SB 9 developments in high fire hazard zones, as reported by ABC7. Palisades resident May Sung, who lost two homes in a fire, emphasized the difficulty of evacuating due to narrow streets and heavy traffic. “I want to go home. I don’t want to die during the next evacuation,” she said.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also opposed SB 9’s impact on the Palisades and issued an emergency order to prohibit its application in the area. She thanked Governor Newsom for his cooperation in addressing local concerns in a statement from her office…