He’s been named L.A.’s “Recovery Czar” and Steve Soboroff feels up to the challenge.
The L.A.-based businessman and developer was Chairman and CEO of Playa Vista, served on the Harbor Commission, Police Commission and more, He has both a public sector and private sector perspective on what it will take to put Los Angeles back together after the devastating wildfires.
Valley News Group asked Soboroff how much autonomy he had to make decisions about the clean up. He said he will work within the system of Los Angeles, saying “I can make calls. Can’t authorize contracts. Don’t need to.” He said he was not taking any work away from any City employee.
His job is to oversee recovery efforts in the Palisades Fire, which now have moved into Phase II debris clean up.
“We’ve got to get that all out,” he said. “We’re removing six inches of dirt, putting mulch in and making lots ready for reconstruction.” He recommended that property owners also remove their remaining slabs. “Foundations need to go because rebar has melted. The utility lines could also not withstand the 1,800-2,000 degrees, at which appliances, cast iron and even glass melted.”
When asked about the controversial decisions about where to dispose of the toxic substances, Soboroff said that landfill arrangements are all made by others – the EPA and Army Corps, and that sites are chosen for what they normally accept.
He urged homeowners not to do “self help.” If you accept city help you’re good. If you reject it you can’t come back later and say you want the Army Corps of Engineers to step in.
Valley News Group asked Soboroff about why the Mayor and city and county officials kept claiming that clean up was “free” when in fact, the county bills your insurance company? He was adamant that the cost is free – unless you have insurance. A portion of that insurance goes to the lot clearance, and goes from the insurance company to the funding county, that then pays the Army Corps of Engineers.
Mayor Karen Bass is telling people to sign leases for 12 months. We asked Soboroff if that was realistic, given the clean up and the fact that DWP has to now replace all infrastructure underground.
“I don’t know the answer,” he replied. “I would like to see it done in a year and three months. That doesn’t mean there won’t be power – we’re stringing up power poles now.”
When asked about the expedited permit process to rebuild, Soboroff said that he is bringing in a team of architects and outside inspectors to expedite the plan and permit process. Most developers agree that right now in Los Angeles you can’t get a permit quickly. It takes months. Inspections are also on a backlog. Plans go into a “black hole” of soils reports because there is no one manning the desk, it’s all a drop off system.
“As long as you don’t build over 110% of the previous structure you’ll go quickly. ADU’s can also now be built,” he explained. “The goal is that by the time Phase II is done homeowners would have plans and permits.”
His recommendation to homeowners was to bring plans to an architect who is qualified and certified to approve them on behalf of the city. “A bigger kitchen, fewer bedrooms is fine. If you want to go bigger you have to take it back to the city for plans and permits.”
The job of coordinating the rebuilding of almost 6,000 homes in one location is enormous – given demolition, infrastructure, and individual contractors and suppliers.
“We were able to build Playa Vista with 3,000 people a day,” Soboroff claimed. “We’re trying to provide a ‘yellow brick road’ for homeowners now with an ‘a to z’ to get to the end of the road in an efficient, cost-saving manner.”
When asked if this was now the time to make changes other than putting utilities underground, such as widening the narrow roads of the Palisades or finally getting all of Malibu on a sewer system, Soboroff deferred that decision to the City of Malibu and said that this would be a long-term job, with an “all solutions in” system for watersheds, residential and commercial rebuilding and public infrastructure resilience.
Valley News Group asked Soboroff if he is also talking to Rick Caruso, who has created his own “Steadfast LA” team to drive the city’s rebuild.
“I’ve called him a couple of times,” he replied. “Asked him some questions.”
When asked where the money was coming from for all of this, Soboroff said he was taking $1.00 a year from the City, and was depending on philanthropy, taking donations from people who were not planning to give money to the City.
He said FEMA and banks would cover the gap from what insurance pays and what rebuilding costs. DWP improvements will be passed on to residents.
Valley News Group asked Soboroff one last question. This is not L.A.’s last disaster. Will this expedited permit process and more inspectors continue on in the city or is this a one-shot deal?
He said that once rebuilding was done the City’s Program Managers would continue with their regular oversight.
