Upon hearing that I was rebuilding my house, which was lost in the Woolsey Fire, a new acquaintance responded by saying, “I bet the city has been horrible to work with.” I recently read a letter to the editor implying that the reason so few of us are back into our new homes is that the city has procrastinated in its inspections.
It is time to set the record straight. The city has been a bright spot throughout this ordeal. Thanks to former City Manager Reva Feldman and the past and current city councils, permit fees have been waived. This is no small matter. We are talking about big bucks.
I have spoken to many people who are rebuilding and, like me, we appreciate how quickly the city inspectors have come. They are not the cause of delays. There are other factors at play. The pandemic has delayed the completion of home rebuilds and the slow legal process means that many fire victims do not know how much money they are going to recover and, consequently, cannot move full speed ahead with their rebuilding.
I have found that many of the people who are quick to point fingers at the city are people who did not lose their homes. We as a society are all too quick to blame people who work for our city and all too slow to give them credit where credit is due.
I credit former City Manager Reva Feldman with hiring Yolanda Bundy, who is in charge of overseeing the permit process, and the various inspectors who have done their jobs promptly and courteously. Well done and thank you!
Burt Ross