L.A. County Supervisor Lindsay Horvath who established the Blue Ribbon Commission.
LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath held a town hall on July 9 to promote the Blue Ribbon Commission and explain the need to establish a new authority to facilitate rebuilding in Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
One of the first to speak was Senator Ben Allen, who had addressed similar ideas in SB 549. A Resilient Rebuilding Authority for the Los Angeles Wildfires would be established if his bill passed.
SB 549 would include a special district and special administrator (appointed), would be set up and have the power to issue and receive funds to support recovery, manage and coordinate rebuilding, purchase lots, work with builders to reconstruct properties, be able to purchase critical construction materials in bulk, support the reconstruction workforce by partnering with trades and facilitate training and creating temporary worker housing.
State Senator Ben Allen
When residents heard about SB 549, they contacted Allen and told him they opposed the bill.
During the July 9 town hall, Allen said, “I don’t want to jam anything down anyone’s throats. If folks don’t want this, we don’t have to pursue it.” Email: Senator.Allen@senate.CA Phone: (916)651-4024.
Allen also said if anyone needed help with insurance, to contact his office.
Next, Horvath introduced Cecilia Estolano, who lost her home in the Eaton Fire, and was a member of the BRC. Estolano said this devastation was so vast that they had learned from prior disasters, such as the Northridge Earthquake, that a structure, such as the one proposed by the commission would work.
“A community won’t come back like you want without this authority,” she said. “It’s not about home, about stores, or trees, it’s about government intervention.”
She explained that once an authority is set up, property taxes would go to the authority – and as properties came back online and those taxes increased that money would also increase.
Cecilia Estolano explained soft seconds in her presentation.
“That tax money can be used to generate bonds,” Estolano said, and added with that money the authority could purchase lots from people who could not afford to rebuild. Eventually, those lots could go back to the original owners, because the authority would be able to offer a good loan rate, “soft-seconds,” and “you don’t have to pay back for a very long time,” if at all.
Estolano is the CEO and Founder of Estolano Advisors, which supports clients in advancing projects, policies, and programs in the realms of climate resilient infrastructure, equitable economic development, and mobility justice click here.
President and CEO of Heal the Bay, Tracy Quinn, was the sole Palisadian on the Commission. She is a Highlands resident, whose home is still standing and was one of the two guests on Horvath’s town hall.
Tracy Quinn
“My role was water infrastructure,” Quinn said, “and how communities can better prepare for climate change.” click here.
Horvath pointed out that the 172-page commission report was the result of “about 60 community meetings.”
CTN does not remember attending a meeting or being asked to advertise a Blue Ribbon Commission meeting online so that residents could attend. Today, July 10, this editor contacted Horvath’s office and asked the dates of the meetings and where they were held. click here.
Horvath’s spokesperson Constance Farrell said, “These were meetings the Blue Ribbon Commission on Climate Action and Fire Safe Recovery members participated in in formulating their recommendations.”
It appears the 60 meetings held were members of the committee and not community meetings.
CTN has heard from numerous residents who also contacted Horvath to tell her the Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) felt like a “group of academics seeking to use Palisades as an experiment.”
Tracy Quinn is a water expert (per her bio). She lives in the highlands. She sits on several water boards but yet, she did not notice (or hear about) the Santa Ynez Reservoir being empty for over a year? How is that possible? Even in casual conversations, don’t you think she would be talking about water? Curious about the reservoir she lives next to.
Her specialty is WATER. And as far as Cecilia Estolano goes, her company is an “anti-racist city planning company “. Who appointed her? Because whoever it was, they believe Pacific Palisades is a racist town that needs “fixing.”. I’m third generation from here , how DARE YOU think you can put together a “blue ribbon group” and LAND GRAB from burned out residents. This is disgusting.
Sue,
We followed Horvath’s zoom session yesterday and read your article. We strongly oppose
SB 549. Please keep us informed of any Palisades meetings to organize opposition to this bill or any bill that proposes government intervention in the rebuilding of our homes.
Regards
Scott & Carmen Dahlberg
With the current political atmosphere, housing workers locally is a terrible idea. These facilities would end up being one big target for ICE.
When groups name themselves “blue ribbon committees” “thought leaders” etc. I assume it comes from arrogance or ignorance (tone deaf and not in touch with reality)
I’m glad you mentioned the plan for “government intervention.” Hard pass!
The juiciest part of that “town hall” was Ben Allen stating the language of the bill was difficult to understand because he copied it from Horvath’s office…. and only had 2 days to rush it through before the year’s deadline!
No. Just no.
Of course all the supporters of this bill are the same people who think the government should control everything. Who said the worst 8 words are, ” I’m from the government and I’m here to help!”
Answer: Ronald Reagan
I attended the Zoom, having read through the “Blue Ribbon” Report which the basis for SB549. I resubmitted the following 3 questions, then repeatedly asked in the Q&A chat for Horvath to answer, which she studiously did not do:
1. Why didn’t the Committee include our elected official, Traci Park, our local leaders, members of the PPCC, local business leaders, HOA reps or other Palisades residents who are personally invested in the rebuild of our community, but instead was comprised of outsiders and unrelated representatives (except a Heal the Bay rep and Palisidean). Why were our people left out, and instead the Committee included special interest reps such as a Tribal Indian Council member, other city reps, private consultants who would probably later be hired for the rebuild process, and other outsiders?
2. Please explain the meaning and intent of Section L-1 which calls for “increased density”?
3. Section L-3 calls for funding and building low income “housing for day workers and their families” – where? Why? For how long and who do you intend to move in there after the work is done? Shouldn’t the funds go to helping our own community members rebuild and return?
These questions were repeatedly ignored while Horvath and her Committee while championing their vision to create a re-imagined Palisades with better economic diversity. While they added that our community would have “authority” and input, they gave no specifics how our Palisades leaders, residents and businesses would be able to exert any authority over their plans if this goes forward. She also avoided straight answers to others’ questions about rushing “land grabs” from our fire victims struggling to secure funding to rebuild. It sure seems to me, as a worried, returning, resident that Horvath and SB 549 do not represent our community’s best interests and our hopes to rebuild our community.
I agree with many of the comments that have already been voiced. Where is the local input from those of us that live in the Palisades or represent the Palisades. When did Ben Allen or Supervisor Lindsey Horvath ever propose or implement policies that would benefit the residents of the Palisades. They have done little if anything to address our lack of water resources or to provide the LAFD with the equipment to fight fires. We don’t need more talk about climate change and equity. We need practical solutions not more government oversight and regulations by special interest committees or dysfunctional NGOs that misuse taxpayer funds. Housing temporary workers in the Palisades at taxpayer expense presents high risks and low rewards.
Furthermore, It was very deceitful , the presentation by Ms Estalano. All she mentioned was rebuilding Northridge after the north ridge earthquake. I lived here too and no, she was not the savior for Northridge it was actually the teams that rebuilt the freeways that fell down who were the heros. SM was wreaked and 10 Fwy fell. Just not north ridge and the one apartment building out there.
She failed to mention she is ULA. Too.
Ms. Estalano was the lady talking about land banking on the Zoom this week. Here is her “consulting company” that talks about their “anti-racist” approaches (in mission statement). Her company is also tied into ULA funding! See here: ‘EA is serving as the Interim Inspector General for the United to House LA (ULA) Citizen Oversight Committee (COC) (https://www.ulacoc.org/) – a body created to oversee and monitor the ULA ballot measure which intended to create a sustainable funding stream dedicated to affordable housing production and homelessness prevention. ULA COC membership is a diverse mix of individuals with experience in affordable housing, financing, tenants’ rights, labor unions, mobility and transit-oriented development, as well as young adults and those with live
d homelessness experience.”
The truth is that most of the Blue Commission members are part of a “group” who have earned their “relationship” with the County Supervisor to become “influencers” to realize their own goals, be that dealing with homelessness or climate change. Note that most of them are FORMER “government bureaucrats” So, what can we expect, but more of the same. Also note, their proposal/recommendations COPY what had been. What works for Northridge, if it indeed did, is DATED, for today’s disasters challenges.