California Assembly members unite behind victims of Palisades, Eaton fires

LOS ANGELES (CN) — Los Angeles-based members of the California Assembly struck a unifying tone Thursday in the wake of devastating wildfires, laying out legislation they say will help Angelenos recover and rebuild.

The Palisades and Eaton fires have led to dozens of deaths and the destruction of thousands of structures. The fires have also stoked partisan divisions among lawmakers, leading to finger-pointing over who’s to blame and a political struggle over an upcoming special session.

On Thursday, Democratic Assembly members presented a united front, saying they would cut through red tape to help victims of the fire.

“We’re here because our entire state stands here with Los Angeles,” said Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, a Democrat from the Central Coast city of Hollister. “Our efforts will focus on housing.”

Assembly members detailed a series of bills they’ve already introduced, or will soon, that will focus on rebuilding.

Assemblymember Nick Schultz, a Los Angeles-area Democrat, highlighted a bill he said could be controversial. It would place a six-year moratorium on nonessential changes to development codes, prohibiting local governments from enacting restrictions that could hamper rebuilding efforts, which Schultz said would provide stability and certainty to people.

Schultz is also one of many co-authors of Assembly Bill 238, which would allow borrowers to request a forbearance on their mortgage, if they’re facing financial difficulties because of the wildfires. They’d only need to attest that they face a hardship to gain the forbearance, which could extend for up to a year.

Once granted, it would prohibit the foreclosure of that property, related eviction or sale.

The main authors of the bill — Democratic Assemblymembers John Harabedian of Pasadena and Jacqui Irwin of Thousand Oaks — also spoke about legislation intended to help fire victims.

Assembly Bill 239, also co-written by Irwin and Harabedian, would create a disaster housing task force. The task force would include state and local governments and lead to a state disaster housing coordinator to ramp up resource-delivery efforts.

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, a Hawthorne Democrat, said she’ll introduce a bill that would allow tenants to open their homes to people in need without violating their lease. They also could take in more pets, if the number didn’t exceed their lease.

“We’ve got your back,” McKinnor said. “LA County — we’ve got you.”

Assemblymember Jessica Caloza, a Los Angeles Democrat, intends to introduce legislation that would put money in the hands of people and businesses.

Caloza said her first bill would provide up to $1,500 per household. Saying fire victims need immediate help, Caloza said the money could go toward items like lodging, food and fuel.

Her second bill would offer grants of up to $100,000 to qualifying small businesses.

In his remarks, Rivas made a point to name President-elect Donald Trump. The speaker said Americans help each other, and that he hopes Trump will live up to that standard.

Trump, as well as some conservative media personalities, have made comments about withholding disaster funding from California.

The speaker also invited Trump to visit Los Angeles to view the devastation.

“There should be no conditions, stipulations or political games with any disaster relief funds for the LA fires — whether from California (led by Democrats) or by the federal government (led by Republicans),” state Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, a San Diego Republican, posted on X, formerly Twitter.

While Assembly members discussed their legislation, state Attorney General Rob Bonta spoke at a separate event about action his office is taking against fire-related scams.

Bonta advised people to contact his office with evidence of price gouging, along with any scams, looting and low offers from property buyers. He asked for screenshots of dollar amounts, texts and emails — any evidence that would help make a case.

“Price gouging is a crime, plain and simple,” Bonta said.

Bonta said he’s received reports of an apartment with an original rent of $5,000, climbing to $8,000. That’s illegal, he said, as cost increases are limited to no more than 10% of the price before Governor Gavin Newsom’s emergency declaration earlier this month.

The attorney general noted that he’s heard the argument that if demand jumps, people can increase their prices.

“Well, demand be damned,” Bonta added. “You must follow the law.”