EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT STATE OF CALIFORNIA EXECUTIVE ORDER N-29-25

WHEREAS on January 7, 2025, I proclaimed a State of Emergency to exist in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties due to fire and windstorm conditions that caused multiple fires, including the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Lidia, Sunset, Woodley, and Hughes Fires; and

WHEREAS these fires devastated communities across the Greater Los Angeles Area and collectively burned over 47,900 acres, destroying or damaging more than 16,250 structures, including homes, small businesses, and places of worship, with initial estimates placing this disaster among the most destructive in California history; and

WHEREAS since the fires began, I have issued numerous Executive Orders to provide relief to impacted communities and protect survivors and to expedite and aid recovery efforts, including orders streamlining permitting requirements to enable Los Angeles to build back quickly, and safer and more resilient than before; and

WHEREAS the Los Angeles region has some of the highest housing costs in the country, and the destruction of homes will reduce the availability of housing in the region, which is likely to further increase the cost of housing and the related crisis of homelessness if housing is not expeditiously rebuilt; and

WHEREAS on January 12, 2025, I issued Executive Order N-4-25, which directed the Department of Housing and Community Development, in consultation with the Department of General Services, Office of the State Fire Marshal and California Energy Commission to provide a report recommending any provisions of the Building Standards Code that should be suspended to facilitate fast, safe, and cost-effective rebuilding of projects damaged or destroyed as a result of the emergency; and

WHEREAS local governments and homeowners have urged the state to provide flexibility as to building codes regarding rooftop solar to reduce up-front costs and fast-track rebuilding; and

WHEREAS while many of California's building standards support critical climate and clean energy goals and federally mandated air quality standards by furthering efficient and more sustainable energy consumption on a statewide basis, providing options to lower up-front reconstruction costs for the subset of homes directly impacted by the emergency will facilitate quick recovery; and

WHEREAS a narrow exemption from requirements to install solar panels and associated battery storage systems when rebuilding substantially damaged or destroyed homes, while retaining the "Solar Ready" requirement will ensure these structures can support future installation of solar energy systems; and

WHEREAS an exemption from the upcoming building code changes applicable to residential properties, other than fire safety related standards, will provide certainty to homeowners, avoid delays in updating plans, facilitate the development and use of pre-approved plans, and prevent an unnecessary rush of applications, given that the California Building Standards Code will take effect on January 1, 2026, a time when some but not all homeowners will have finalized plans for their reconstruction, thereby streamlining rebuilding while promoting fire resiliency; and �