Rebuilding homes and communities lost to the recent Los Angeles County wildfires is a monumental challenge, one that requires collaboration, expertise and innovative solutions.

Last week, over 800 architects, engineers, designers, contractors and developers joined Rebuilding Together, a sold-out two-day summit hosted on Feb. 13-14 by Los Angeles County Public Works to help identify ways to fast-track rebuilding of communities devastated by the Eaton and Palisades Fires.

Originally planned as a single-day event, Rebuilding Together expanded due to overwhelming interest, highlighting the building industry’s commitment to helping communities rebuild stronger and faster.

I’m thrilled this convening took place because there is a lot of rebuilding work ahead of us and we need to work smart. We need every voice at the table so our county can facilitate an efficient and timely recovery. This isn’t just about rebuilding structures, it’s about restoring whole communities so that families have a place to call home and businesses can re-open and thrive. I encourage professionals from the rebuilding community to connect with the Los Angeles County Public Works Department. We value and need the expertise, agility and scalability of private industry.

The Rebuilding Together sessions provided a collaborative platform for industry leaders to offer input in four main areas: permit streamlining, which consists of reducing delays and simplifying the approval process; innovative housing construction, which explores new approaches for rapid, cost-efficient rebuilding; resilient design and materials, which includes enhancing fire-resistant building standards; and contracting opportunities, which focuses on expanding access to rebuilding contracts for local industry professionals.

Los Angeles County remains committed to working alongside industry professionals and local communities to refine and improve rebuilding efforts. I encourage industry professionals to view the Virtual Workshop where feedback can be provided on key topics, including permit streamlining, innovative housing and resilient design. Your input is important and matters.

To view the Virtual Workshop visit https://dpwlacounty.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_00wwAdSku1WDc6a?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger represents the Fifth Supervisorial District of Los Angeles County which is home to nearly two million people. The district covers 2,785.21 square miles and touches the Ventura, Kern and San Bernardino County lines. The Fifth Supervisorial District includes portions of 20 cities, including Santa Clarita, 63 unincorporated communities and 15 neighborhoods in the city of Los Angeles. Barger is currently serving as the chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for 2025.