One year after the Los Angeles fires - why has almost nothing been built and who is responsible?

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What happened a year ago

Historic wildfires hit the Los Angeles area: 38,000 acres of land burned, according to video.
Reportedly 16,000 homes and buildings went up in flames.
Approximately 180,000 people were evacuated.
Many areas (Malibu, Pacific Palisades and adjacent neighborhoods) were hit hardest - some streets are still missing houses and lots are full of debris.

The City of Los Angeles issued 2,600 building permits; 3,340 more applications are pending.
Despite this, only "low dozens" of new homes have physically stood since then - in other words, there has been very little observable progress.
Insurance companies have paid out about $22 billion so far; expected claims are about $40 billion; thus, much of the money has not yet been paid out.
Almost half of those affected have not yet had their insurance policies paid out - so many owners do not have the means to rebuild.
The exact reasons for the delay are on the record:
- delays in the authorities and in politics,
- problems with insurance companies,
- shortages of labour and building materials,
- other legal hurdles (see class action, below).

A few days after filming, the author of the video discovered that a class action lawsuit was underway: 3,300 people are suing the City of Los Angeles, demanding up to $40 billion, allegedly because the city was not prepared (e.g., lack of water in the reservoirs).
Until this lawsuit is resolved, many of those affected won't be rebuilding or selling, according to the video - they're waiting for the outcome.

Many plots and houses are still empty, often for sale.
According to the video, land prices in the affected area have dropped by up to 50%; large Chinese developers are reportedly buying up land.
Seven out of ten owners reportedly still have nowhere to live - they have either moved to other parts of LA or left the city.
Some sites (parks, hiking trails, viewpoints) are still closed due to ongoing regeneration and security work.
Examples from the field:
- The Starbucks in Pacific Palisades stands as a burned building and nothing has changed since the fire.
- Some businesses that have paid private firefighters have remained physically intact, yet are closed due to a drop in foot traffic.

New homes are being built mostly as wood-frame (OSB) construction - a quick and inexpensive solution that is common in California.
- Construction can take around six months, including interior furnishings.
- However, wood and simple structures burn better and are sensitive to moisture (risk of mold during rains).
According to the record, the motivation is to "do it as cheaply and quickly as possible" - which raises questions about resilience to further fires.
Other factors inhibiting rapid recovery:
- Building permit approvals,
- the availability of money from insurance companies,
- lack of workers and materials.

In the course of the filming, the author also checked the houses of his clients, some of the plots are for sale or still undeveloped.
One client sent a report: "Our lot is listed for sale and we are looking for home on the west side." - A demonstration that some residents are leaving the hills towards the Westside (Santa Monica, Venice, Marina del Rey, Manhattan Beach).
The author also describes a specific example: he was given a vintage 1978 Datsun 280ZX for free (in exchange for a pump repair) - the story illustrates the daily realities of life for people in the area, not the direct impact of the fires, but gives context to the local community.