A letter was sent to Lee Zeldin by “community leaders” urging funds for the community.
Circling the News received a copy of the March 6 letter sent to Lee Zeldin’s office by locals that requested aid for the Palisades rebuild. It was signed by 19 people, and most identified themselves as community leaders. While that letter was being drafted and before it was sent, the press was not invited to report, nor was the community aware of the meeting, which should have been made public.
This editor had been told that the “community leaders” had been selected by LA Mayor Karen Bass. The Mayor’s representative told CTN March 9, that Bass had not selected anyone to draft a letter and that this editor should contact Lee Zeldin’s office.
Zeldin’s office was contacted with the same question. That office was also asked why more than a year after the fire, the request had to be done in less than a week. When the office responds this story will be updated.
CTN is happy to have so many community leaders: the problem is they were not elected, they are not accountable and the process was not transparent.
On March 7, the executive committee of the Pacific Palisades Community Council met to vote to support the letter that had already been sent. The PPCC is seen as representing the community and their approval would give the letter legitimacy. According to the PPCC’s constitution, the executive committee can act when there is no time for a formal board meeting and there would be no meeting before EPA’s March 11 deadline.
Most Pacific Palisades residents did not realize that the EPA had requested a letter. Most residents were not aware of the meeting to draft something that would affect the community and most had no opportunity to participate. (The letter is below.)
Federal Support Request from Pacific Palisades Community Leaders
March 6, 2026
Dear Administrator Lee Zeldin, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:
We, members of the Pacific Palisades community, respectfully request support from EPA and the Trump Administration as we continue to recover from the devastating Palisades Fire of January 7, 2025. More than a year later, many residents remain traumatized and deeply concerned about the pace and clarity of the rebuilding process.
Shortly after the fire, the EPA completed the largest wildfire hazardous material cleanup in its history—in a record 28 days. The rapid deployment of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for debris removal demonstrated how decisive federal action can accelerate recovery, giving our community hope. However, several critical challenges remain unresolved and require coordination across federal, state, and local levels.
We have identified our top recovery priorities (please see next page). While recovery will also depend on funding from LA City, LA County, the State of California, and philanthropic sources, our community currently lacks a clear, actionable plan and sufficient resources to rebuild effectively.
We urgently need federal financial assistance and leadership to cut through bureaucratic delays, align agencies, and accelerate rebuilding so residents can return home, businesses can reopen, and our community can fully recover. With the 2028 Summer Olympics bringing the world’s attention to Los Angeles, there is a narrow window to restore Pacific Palisades and demonstrate what effective disaster recovery can look like.
Sincerely,
Reza Akef, Pacific Palisades Home Builder, Pali High Graduate, and Community Leader
Alexander Bush, Resident and Community Leader
Darragh Danton, Resident and Community Leader
Michael Edlen, Resident, Local Business Owner, and Community Leader
Ben Einbinder, Resident and Community Organizer
Chris Feil, Resident and Business Owner
Ross Greenberg, Resident and Community Leader
Daphne Gronich, Resident and Community Leader
Tony Hocking, Resident and Team Palisades, Volunteer
Allison Holdorff-Polhill, Resident and Community Leader
Rachel Jonas, Resident, PALIPOWER – Founder, and Community Leader
Kambiz Kamdar, Resident, Pali Builds – Founder, and Community Leader
Sue Kohl, Resident and Community Leader
Roseanne Landay, Resident, Pali Condo Captains – Founder, and Community Leader
Caroline Nick, Friends of the Palisades Library – Board Member, and Palisades Presbyterian Church, Elder
Annine D. Madok, Resident and Community Leader
Chris Spitz, Resident and Community Leader
May Sung, Resident, Local Business Owner, and Community Leader
Maryam Zar, PRC President and Pacific Palisades Malibu Chamber of Commerce (‘PaliBu’) CEO
Federal Support Request from Pacific Palisades Community Leaders
Infrastructure Systems Recovery
We welcome the assistance of the USACE in restoring our critical infrastructure systems.
- Rebuild and Strengthen Infrastructure
Overhead power lines and above-ground transformers threaten homes and, during fires, can hinder firefighting and block evacuation routes.
– Underground all overhead utilities—including telecommunications—using joint trenching and submersible transformers along 53.1 miles, and accelerate the undergrounding timeline to three years or less.
– Require LADWP to implement joint-parallel trenching for telecom lines at cost, and require the State to mandate underground telecom lines and integrate replacement cellular antenna towers into streetlights.
- Repair and Modernize Existing Water Infrastructure
– Overhaul and repair the Santa Ynez drinking water reservoir and the Chautauqua firefighting reservoir, install emergency backup water systems including water tanks, and expand fire protection by adding hydrants and upgrading existing hydrants with pressure gauges and remote monitoring.
– Repair and upgrade the water distribution system—including water lines, storage tanks, and septic-to-sewer connections—while rehabilitating and modernizing sewer and storm-drain systems.
- Rebuild and Stabilize Natural Infrastructure
– Deploy USACE engineering expertise to stabilize hillsides and coastal bluffs.
– Conduct comprehensive soil and building remediation and implement ongoing soil and air quality testing.
– Mandate brush clearance on public lands and actively manage overgrown and invasive vegetation.
- Build Evacuation Infrastructure
– Build security, emergency communication, and evacuation infrastructure, including improved street networks, traffic signaling, and public alert systems to support safe and efficient emergency response and evacuation.
– Establish a shared multi-jurisdictional substation for First Responders (State, County, and City) to coordinate security, emergency operations, and disaster response.
– Assess and establish safe density limits.
- Reconstruct and Restore Public Infrastructure and Commercial Corridor
– Repair public right of way, resurface streets and reconstruct sidewalks, parkways, curbs, and private driveway approaches.
– Reconstruct public spaces, including local library and community recreation center.
– Rebuild commercial corridors.
Community Recovery
- Provide Gap Funding for residential and commercial rebuilding through grants, subsidies, and low-cost flexible construction loans and increase SBA loan limits to $2M for homeowners and $7M for commercial properties.
- Expand Eligibility and Duration for rent subsidies for displaced residents.
- Provide Federal Tax Relief, including exclusion of lawsuit settlement taxes per HR5863.
- Assist With Mortgage Forbearance and Insurance Issues, including protecting credit scores, expediting payouts, and ensuring future insurability.
- Support Establishment of a Locally-Led Community Authority, similar to the 9/11 Lower Manhattan Corporation, subject to community input and approval.
- Expedite Building Materials Supply and Stabilize Prices.
- Establish Workforce Provisions to meet rebuilding labor demands.