Newsom Sides with LA Leaders on SB 9 Freeze, Mayor Bass Issues Executive Order
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday signed an executive order giving local governments in Los Angeles County new authority to limit housing development under Senate Bill 9 in neighborhoods at high risk of wildfire and within recent burn scars.
The directive temporarily halts SB 9 development in designated fire hazard severity zones — including Pacific Palisades, eastern Altadena foothills, Sunset Mesa, and parts of Malibu — and allows municipalities to develop customized building standards that account for local safety needs.
The order aims to address mounting concerns from local officials and residents about overdevelopment and evacuation risks in areas still recovering from wildfires. It permits local governments to pause development for seven days while drafting area-specific standards, which may include enhanced fire mitigation requirements or zoning restrictions that designate where new housing can and cannot be built under SB 9.
SB 9, signed into law in 2021, was designed to increase housing supply by allowing lot splits and duplexes in single-family residential zones. However, critics argue the law may exacerbate safety concerns in high-risk fire areas. Newsom’s executive order keeps the core of SB 9 intact but creates an exception for very high fire severity zones within the defined burn scars, granting cities and counties discretion to ensure rebuilding efforts align with fire safety standards.
The governor’s move builds on a series of earlier executive actions aimed at streamlining recovery across Los Angeles County following recent wildfire disasters. These include waiving permitting requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the California Coastal Act, expediting approvals for damaged homes and schools, and suspending bureaucratic barriers to reconstruction.
One recent order also instructs the California Coastal Commission not to obstruct local rebuilding efforts, ensuring alignment with the state’s emergency declarations
On Tuesday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Traci Park of Council District 11 publicly called on the governor to exempt the Palisades from SB 9, citing concerns about over-density and emergency access. In response, also on July 30, Mayor Bass issued Emergency Executive Order 9, blocking new SB 9 applications within the Palisades Fire zone’s Very High Fire Hazard Severity areas — a local measure now supported by the governor’s broader directive.“
SB 9 was not originally intended to be used in the rebuilding of a community that was decimated by the worst natural disaster L.A. has ever seen,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “I thank Governor Newsom for working with my office to provide some sense of solace for a community working to rebuild.”
