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A fed-up Pacific Palisades community advocate said she was overjoyed that residents will finally be heard at a closed-door meeting with federal officials — as she blasted state and local officials who “let us burn” during last year’s deadly wildfires.
Jessica Rogers, a Pacific Palisades resident who lost everything when the horrific blaze engulfed swaths of the City of Angels, will join three other civic leaders in a private sit-down with EPA administrator Lee Zeldin on Wednesday to discuss rebuilding efforts and the lack of support and hurdles they’ve faced from state and local leaders.
“We feel tremendous gratitude that they’re taking the time to come out, so the community can have a voice,” the vocal community leader and mom-of-two told The Post.
“So much of the pain that we’ve had since the beginning of the fires is that residents don’t feel heard. Residents feel abandoned. And when the federal government says we’re sending help, and then we get to meet with Lee Zeldin and tell him what the needs of the community are, it’s huge for us.”
Last week, President Trump bypassed thumb-twiddling California Democrats and signed an executive order to fast-track rebuilding in Los Angeles, a year after the devastating fires leveled 16,000 homes and businesses, caused $150 billion in damages and left 12 people dead.
With the city and county having only issued 2,600 permits to rebuild, the president appointed Zeldin to hear the needs of the community and cut through the municipal red tape.
“People want their communities back,” stressed Rogers, who was moved to tears when Trump signed his executive order.
“Most people are still displaced and are going to be displaced for years. What people really want is to come back to what they know. Local and state leaders didn’t do enough to protect us … they let us burn.”
In all, less than 15% of all homes destroyed by the fires have received necessary approvals to move forward, according to the Trump administration.
During his visit, Zeldin will also meet with Mayor Karen Bass, LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger and other city officials responsible for the permitting process.
Zeldin will be accompanied on his trip by Kelly Loeffler, the administrator of the US Small Business Administration. The two will host a roundtable with homeowners and small-business owners impacted by the fires.
“It’s essential that we hear directly from them and the public about what they believe is working, what isn’t, and how we can accelerate the rebuilding process,” Zeldin told The Post Monday.
“Our goal is not only to listen and fully understand their challenges, but to help them move forward as rapidly as possible.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom and Bass criticized the Trump administration shortly after news broke of the executive order, demanding federal funds be unlocked.
But Zeldin doesn’t believe federal cash is the answer, noting the EPA’s past experience rapidly cleaning up fire-ravaged communities will be invaluable in the next phase of helping residents rebuild.
“Newsom is demanding an astronomically large, aspirational sum of federal taxpayer dollars that clearly extends far beyond any common-sense smell test. President Trump has made it clear that his administration will not stand by while non-federal red tape continues to hold back recovery,” Zeldin said.
“Los Angeles residents must be allowed to finally rebuild their homes and their lives.”
English (US)