On January 13, 2025, Mayor Karen Bass issued Emergency Executive Order No. 1, to expedite recovery and rebuilding in the aftermath of the destructive Palisades Fire. Among the directives in the order, the Mayor instructed Los Angeles City Planning to publish a list detailing the status of properties with designated historic resources, following inspections by the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS). The Department is also charged with providing guidance on the application of the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
Based on inspections conducted by LADBS, City Planning’s Office of Historic Resources (OHR) compiled this summary of fire impacts to designated historic resources within the Pacific Palisades area. This information, along with images and fire assessment data from CAL FIRE on both designated and surveyed historic resources impacted by the fire, is now available in a new featured search in HistoricPlacesLA called Palisades Fire: Damage Assessments. LADBS confirmed that other fires within the City of Los Angeles in January 2025 did not destroy or damage historic resources.
The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards (Standards), referenced in the Mayor’s order, serve as the benchmark for federal and local governments nationwide in managing proposed changes to historic properties. Compliance with the Standards is required for projects affecting designated City Historic-Cultural Monuments (local landmarks) under the City of Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Ordinance.
To provide greater clarity and facilitate expedited processing of requests related to designated historic resources in the affected area, City Planning has prepared guidance for property owners and community members on the application of the Standards in the aftermath of the fire.
