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os Angeles' top real estate agents are urging Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass to take action to address restrictive laws and regulations hindering wildfire recovery efforts. A letter signed by over 45 industry leaders, led by Ben Belack and Jason Oppenheim, calls for regulatory agencies to ease building codes and permit processes to facilitate rebuilding.

    As the fire still rages in areas like Pacific Palisades and Altadena, agents are grappling with a surge in housing needs from clients and within their own brokerages. The letter highlights the industry's unique perspective on the challenges ahead, having helped communities find temporary housing and now facing the daunting task of rebuilding.

    The signatories, representing firms such as The Oppenheim Group, Compass, and Douglas Elliman, recommend boosting insurance coverage, cutting fees, and fast-tracking plan-check processes to expedite rebuilding. They also call for exempting affected properties from property taxes and Measure ULA transfer tax for sellers.

    "We really have to look at those things right now because it's going to take years to rebuild," said Belack. "We feel like we owe the families as well as the people who are going to rebuild zoning and laws that accommodate a rebuilding environment."

    The agents pledge not to work with landlords engaging in price gouging, which has emerged as a trend since the fires broke out. They also aim to ensure access to available properties by listing them on public sources and offering free services to those impacted.

    Christie's International Real Estate Southern California CEO Aaron Kirman called for policy changes, saying, "They need to take their bad policies and fix them now... It's just so sad the devastation that comes from this." He hopes the city will listen to the industry's calls to action and make necessary changes to facilitate rebuilding.

    The letter comes after Governor Newsom issued an executive order to cut red tape around building codes and permit processes. However, Kirman deemed it "too little too late," stating that politicians should have been mobilizing earlier in response to the crisis.