In response to the Eaton Fire's devastating impact on Altadena in January 2025, which destroyed thousands of homes and resulted in a critical permitting bottleneck with zero rebuilding permits issued in three months, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously established the Unified Permitting Authority (UPA) in April 2025 to streamline recovery by creating a single point of accountability with final decision-making power, requiring senior-level departmental liaisons, mandating real-time conflict resolution, and implementing transparent performance tracking through public dashboards—all accessible through the Altadena One-Stop Center where homeowners can submit applications in person or via the EPIC-LA portal, with expedited processing for "like-for-like" rebuilds, though the UPA's ultimate effectiveness in helping thousands of displaced residents will depend on genuine authority delegation, adequate resources, strong leadership, and sustained political commitment to overcome bureaucratic resistance.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Research Link