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VIEWPOINT - In a city devastated by fires considered among the deadliest and most destructive in California history, crucial recovery is taking on an absurd face: politics set against rebuilding. While the fires were fueled by severe drought conditions and strong Santa Ana winds, the recovery is driven by a surging windstorm between movers and shakers, each one with fuzzy plans and uncertain outcomes. First, Mayor Karen Bass appointed Steve Soboroff, a longtime outspoken civic leader, who was shut out of high-level planning from the start, he claimed last April. Initially he was directed to create a comprehensive strategy for rebuilding, but his role was soon dramatically scaled back.
Among the first to seek a leadership position was Rick Caruso, a billionaire developer, who promptly announced his own committee of civic leaders for the rebuilding. His committee, according to the Los Angeles Times, is filled with prominent Los Angeles builders and bankers, resembling a government-in-waiting.
The scramble for power did not stop there. "The Department of Angels" was also formed to become a key rebuilding initiative by Miguel Santana and Evan Spiegel. To similarly bolster recovery efforts, Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong has said he will convene his own leadership council.
At the start, Governor Gavin Newsom likewise announced formation of a philanthropic effort called "L.A. Rises" to coordinate with the city, to be guided by Mark Walter, the chairman of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Casey Wasserman, the organizer of the 2028 Olympic Games (as if his plate is not already full), and Magic Johnson, the entrepreneur and retired Los Angeles Lakers point guard.
So, who’s in charge? When asked about the muddle for the rebuilding lead, Bass made it clear: “Me, that’s the person that’s in charge.” And the search has begun, once again, for a recovery czar. But that alone would not be sufficient. A czar cannot realistically do the job in isolation. Of course, a czar with prestige would best lead. And it would ideally be a clear-eyed person with gravitas and intensity, with keen insight and sharp judgement, a strong communicator who gets big things done, with strategic thinking born out of a proven background and experience. And someone who is politically astute with deserved respect from both the political and community sectors for success in private/public service. Above all, the czar should be willing to make tough decisions regardless of where the chips may fall.
But the czar is unlikely to succeed if left to act alone. Immediately under his/her direction, a troika would best be instituted—a triumvirate of experts with the time and commitment to manage the involved and complicated recovery. The troika ensemble would be responsible for the following:
· Cleaning up hazardous waste is the first immense task. This would require someone who is knowledgeable in the assessment of hazards, proper removal, and proper disposal—an individual with a science and engineering background and experience in soils remediation. Critical is the tracking of the chain of custody to guarantee the site is fully cleaned, removed materials are accounted for, and the area is largely if not entirely certified to begin the next phase of the project.
· Next comes a multi-faceted professional in planning who possesses expertise in land use, zoning and traffic. Given the intersection of numerous stakeholders in the affected areas, this person also needs to be an excellent communicator and coalition builder, with a keen understanding of politics, given that planning decisions are often laden and encumbered by political considerations. After a long, inclusive, public and transparent process, this person should recommend the mix of housing types that reflect market demands, keep density levels safe and defensible considering local topography, and retain the character and community appeal that has made the Palisades such a vibrant and desirable place to live, work and play.
· The third chief assistant to the czar should be a person with an engineering background steeped in building and public works-related infrastructure. He/she would evaluate and identify deficiencies in all current infrastructure, including water supply (water lines were first placed at the beginning of the last century), water storage, water distribution, sewer, power, cell service, internet service, gas lines, streets, sidewalks, etc. Improvements to current plans that will modernize all new infrastructure to meet the demands of today as well as those of an unknown future should be recommended, in full consideration of the unique challenges of L.A.’s varied topography and weather patterns. Input would ideally be sought from outside experts on current best practices as well as from local tech companies and academia on the use of emerging new technologies such as smart lighting and security systems, advanced construction materials and techniques, the Internet of Things, AI-based technologies, and more.
However, the choice of czar and the method used to appoint that crucial individual is equally vital. Many people do not know that when Peter Ueberroth was named president of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee in 1984, it was not just by Mayor Tom Bradley, but by a body of civic and political leaders. The mayor today would benefit from the consent, or at least the acquiescence, of a broad body of people to make that critical appointment of the person designated to make the Los Angeles vision come alive.
The czar should be recommended by: the mayor, the city council president, the councilmember representing Pacific Palisades, and the deans of the schools of urban planning at UCLA, USC, CSUN, and CSULA. Then the czar would ideally be confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the full council.
Preferably, the new czar should report to a Deputy Mayor and, together, they should deliver monthly reports to the Public Works Department and quarterly public updates to the city council.
Some readers may raise concerns about invoking terms like "czar" and "troika," given their associations with autocratic rule. But in this context, these terms are not endorsements of authoritarianism—they are metaphors drawn from history that emphasize the unique structure required to manage a recovery of this magnitude. The "czar" symbolizes the need for singular, accountable leadership with authority and vision, while the "troika" represents a core team of expert collaborators who together bring technical depth and shared responsibility. This structure would not replace democratic governance; it would enhance it by organizing leadership in a way that accelerates results while preserving transparency and public accountability.
It has been my experience that time can move with a turtle’s pace in a government setting. But for those awaiting solutions to a life severely broken by the devastating fires, time passes swiftly, and the worries multiply. There is little time left to determine “who’s in charge” of the recovery. A czar and a troika would be the most prudent choice.
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(Nick Patsaouras has served on key public boards, including the LA Department of Water and Power, Metro and the board of Zoning Appeals. He is the author of the book "The Making of Modern Los Angeles" and a featured writer for CityWatchLA.)
