Rebuilding Los Angeles after the wildfires is possible in just a few years—if the permitting process doesn’t get in the way.
That’s the message architect John Cordic shared in a recent TMZ interview, where he called out the inefficiencies slowing everything down.
Permits Take Longer Than Building
Cordic, who’s been in constant communication with fellow architects and builders, said they agree:
“We could get our communities back together in two, maybe three years—if we’re allowed to.”
What’s stopping them? A permitting process so slow it now takes longer to approve a house than to build one.
Cordic remembers when permits used to take just 6-8 weeks. Now? Up to three years. Construction of the house, on the other hand, can be completed in 1.5 to 2 years.
And if you’re building near the coast, get ready for extra delays. Builders have to go through city, county, and state Coastal Commission reviews—often looking at the exact same things.
Too Many Rules, Not Enough Help
While frustrated, Cordic made it clear he doesn’t fault the Coastal Commission or local authorities.
“I don’t want to demonize the Coastal Commission. They’ve done a great job of protecting the California coastline,” he said. “But they’re completely understaffed.”
The real issue, he explained, is that the system has become overly complicated, and municipalities simply don’t have enough people to enforce the growing number of codes.
“That’s why it takes two years to make a decision that takes 10 minutes.”
Cordic’s Solutions: Keep It Simple
Cordic has two main suggestions to speed things up:
- Assign one person to oversee each project. “If we could get a single person to take responsibility for our permit process from the beginning…to the time that we walk out, it would be huge,” he said.
- Start building with phased permits. This would let builders begin foundational work while waiting for final approvals. “We can hit the ground running right away,” Cordic said.
His takeaway? Fixing the system doesn’t require more committees or commissions. It’s about cutting through the red tape and letting builders rebuild.
