4 hours ago, jas007 said:

You're probably right about that, if the actual value of the land remains high.  Location, location, location, as they say.  But all that means is that it's desirable real estate.  People want to live there and they'll pay a premium.  But will they be allowed to rebuild without years of red tape? California, with all is regulation, is probably one of the most difficult places on earth to get anything done. Imagine buying into a construction zone.  The entire place was burned to the ground.  How many years before it returns to "normal"? 

I suspect not many will want to remain in California. Florida may be the next destination, just in time for the next superstorm.

While sections of LA County have been completely destroyed by fire, there are major sections relatively if not totally unscathed.

39 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

While sections of LA County have been completely destroyed by fire, there are major sections relatively if not totally unscathed.

If insurance is not available, will they be willing to risk it?

On 1/10/2025 at 7:09 AM, Patong2021 said:

California has more than enough dams. 

Not enough, apparently.

6 hours ago, jas007 said:

You're probably right about that, if the actual value of the land remains high.  Location, location, location, as they say.  But all that means is that it's desirable real estate.  People want to live there and they'll pay a premium.  But will they be allowed to rebuild without years of red tape? California, with all is regulation, is probably one of the most difficult places on earth to get anything done. Imagine buying into a construction zone.  The entire place was burned to the ground.  How many years before it returns to "normal"? 

When it comes to red tape, Hawaii is no different.  Rebuilding in Lahaina is being hindered by political manipulations of all sorts.  Many frustrated victims have given up, taken their insurance money and moved away.  To make matters worse, Native Hawaiian activists are making ridiculous demands.  Then you have the environmental activists.  The mayor of Maui County is a joke.  Then you have the governor try to undo years of an acceptable practice by insurance companies' ability to file subrogation claims.  Disgusting!

‘Hot embers were raining down’: US swimmer Gary Hall Jr. says he lost 10 Olympic medals in Palisades wildfire

 

“By the time I was going back in from that run, hot embers were raining down from the sky. I knew at that point that I just didn’t have much time. I could see the embers hitting the roofs of the houses around me and made that decision: it’s time to go.

 

“The medals were in a closet in my bedroom, 70 feet away, and I didn’t have time to go get them. From the time that I saw the first plume of smoke at the top of the hill … I had about three minutes between then and when it came charging towards me.

 

“It wasn’t easy to leave that behind. I worked a lifetime to achieve that and the memories remain but the souvenir is gone.”

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/us-swimmer-gary-hall-jr-says-he-lost-everything-in-palisades-wildfire-including-10-olympic-medals/ar-BB1raIhw?cvid=990837D9DF9A44C988921CCA4C3786C3&ocid=ems.msn.dl.valleyoffirenightnevada

 

Out for a year, for repairs. Also down in 2022. Bad incompetent history of maintenance. And, yes, it made a difference. Newsom himself says, 

Quote

“While water supplies from local fire hydrants are not designed to extinguish wildfires over large areas, losing supplies from fire hydrants likely impaired the effort to protect some homes and evacuation corridors.” 

The Los Angeles Times reports the reservoir has been empty since February 2024 to facilitate repairs to its plastic cover, which also required repairs in 2022. https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/state/hilltop-reservoir-that-couldve-fed-palisades-hydrants-was-empty-newsom-orders-probe/article_e8853a51-8510-5422-b9ab-d36ae9fc38f6.html

 

Fires will make it possible to enact zoning reform, replacing single family homes with duplexes, apartment high rises, and increasing housing density. 

 

7 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Fires will make it possible to enact zoning reform, replacing single family homes with duplexes, apartment high rises, and increasing housing density. 

 

No Doubt Newsom is meeting with his big donors on how they can divide it up. 

Just now, mogandave said:

No Doubt Newsom is meeting with his big donors on how they can divide it up. 

 

The newsman states this is for "working class" areas. So I guess not for Pacific Palisades. People in Altadena don't have the money to rebuild and, I guess, had their insurance cancelled like so many others. Palisades OTOH has people wealthy enough to rebuild and even relocate until their rebuilding is done. A crackdown on single family homes for middle class people, while the Hollywooders maintain their zoning laws.

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

 

The newsman states this is for "working class" areas. So I guess not for Pacific Palisades. People in Altadena don't have the money to rebuild and, I guess, had their insurance cancelled like so many others. Palisades OTOH has people wealthy enough to rebuild and even relocate until their rebuilding is done. A crackdown on single family homes for middle class people, while the Hollywooders maintain their zoning laws.

The central planners want the middle class to live in Soviet-style block housing. 

16 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If insurance is not available, will they be willing to risk it?

Bloomington, IN -p- January15,2025
State Farm® is here to help California customers impacted by wildfires

 

Non-renewal update: 

 State Farm’s decision to pause non-renewals for homeowners, rental dwelling, and residential community association policies in force as of January 7, 2025, extends to all of Los Angeles County. This decision reflects our commitment to supporting our customers and goes beyond the Department of Insurance's request. Our focus is on continuing to meet our customers’ needs and working closely with the State of California to create a sustainable insurance market.

 

 This is an evolving situation, and our focus remains on our customers.

LA County customers will have an option to renew with State Farm for another policy term. Policyholders in the fire zones with total losses would have the option to renew with State Farm for two policy term renewals, as required by law.

 

State Farm in California: Myth vs Fact

 

https://newsroom.statefarm.com/state-farm-is-here-to-help-california-customers-impacted-by-wildfires/

 

 

We are doomed !

1 hour ago, Jim Blue said:

We are doomed !

 

Texas is.  That's where so many of the California diaspora move.  Then they start voting for the same policies that pushed them to move out of California.

 

20 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

While sections of LA County have been completely destroyed by fire, there are major sections relatively if not totally unscathed.

Sure. The LA area is huge.  Most of it was not involved in a fire.  But if you've ever been to the LA area, you must surely know that much of it is not at all quality of real estate.  Cheap stuff constructed after WW II.  Little shoeboxes. 

 

Have you ever seen the LA traffic?  People living in places like Pacific Palisades live there for a reason.  It's close to the water, it's an area the everybody likes, and the weather is better than it is inland.  It' a desirable area. For example, the temperature at the beach or in the beach areas might be 75 degrees F.  And yet travel inland and you're moving into a desert  with higher temperatures.  It can be 20 degrees warmer.  

 

Anyway, it's Southern California and people want to be there for whatever reason, so many endure the long commutes.  

43 minutes ago, jas007 said:

Anyway, it's Southern California and people want to be there for whatever reason, so many endure the long commutes.  

My long-time LA friend's late father graduated from Los Angeles High School and started in the movie business production-side in the1930's.

 

She was evacuated but returned to her house all-clear.
 

13 hours ago, John Drake said:

 

The newsman states this is for "working class" areas. So I guess not for Pacific Palisades. People in Altadena don't have the money to rebuild and, I guess, had their insurance cancelled like so many others. Palisades OTOH has people wealthy enough to rebuild and even relocate until their rebuilding is done. A crackdown on single family homes for middle class people, while the Hollywooders maintain their zoning laws.

That's what greedy people do- exploit other people's misfortune to get rich.

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

That's what greedy people do- exploit other people's misfortune to get rich.

 

I think Newsom issues an order to stop people from offering to buy the properties, under the guise of helping them. 

 

No doubt the state will have to "approve" (wink wink nudge nudge) the donors people making the offers. 

1 hour ago, jerrymahoney said:

My long-time LA friend's late father graduated from Los Angeles High School and started in the movie business production-side in the1930's.

 

She was evacuated but returned to her house all-clear.
 

To be sure, some people are there for work and have to live there somewhere.   On my dad's side of the family, his nephew moved to LA from New York in the 60s to work for one of the Hollywood studios.  He brought his parents with him. Another of my father's relatives moved there years ago to play n the LA philharmonic.  If that's where the work is, that's where you live.  But I think a lot of people moved to Southern California just to because they were sick of their lives and wanted a new start. They moved and then found jobs when they got there. Many people are there, but could just as easily be anywhere. 

5 hours ago, jas007 said:

It' a desirable area. For example, the temperature at the beach or in the beach areas might be 75 degrees F.  And yet travel inland and you're moving into a desert  with higher temperatures.  It can be 20 degrees warmer.  

 

My best day in Huntington Beach was morning coffee on the 75F beach, hop in the car and drive through the 100F+ desert to snow ski in the mountains at Big Bear.  Wore myself out and was back at the 75F beach for an evening stroll and dinner at the Ruby's (burgers) on the pier.

 

I loved it there.  But no way I could afford to move back.  Normal working people can't afford it unless they bought their house before it went crazy.  

 

13 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

My best day in Huntington Beach was morning coffee on the 75F beach, hop in the car and drive through the 100F+ desert to snow ski in the mountains at Big Bear.  Wore myself out and was back at the 75F beach for an evening stroll and dinner at the Ruby's (burgers) on the pier.

 

I loved it there.  But no way I could afford to move back.  Normal working people can't afford it unless they bought their house before it went crazy.  

 

Many  people there bought their houses years ago. And because of Proposition 13, they stayed in place over the years to keep the lower tax rates.  Anyway, you're right.  Current prices are insane.  I'm more familiar with the San Diego area, but I'm sure it's pretty much the same story all over Southern California.  Houses that you could buy for $175,000 back in the 70s now cost millions.   Rents have also gone crazy.   

1 minute ago, jas007 said:

Many  people there bought their houses years ago. And because of Proposition 13, they stayed in place over the years to keep the lower tax rates.  Anyway, you're right.  Current prices are insane.  I'm more familiar with the San Diego area, but I'm sure it's pretty much the same story all over Southern California.  Houses that you could buy for $175,000 back in the 70s now cost millions.   Rents have also gone crazy.   

 

I moved to Huntington Beach in the mid '90s and some of my coworkers had bought their homes for under $100K.  And these weren't old geezers who had been there from the '40s or '50s.  They were in their 30's so they had bought in the late 80's, and their homes were already worth $350K.  Had I been transferred to SoCal a few years early and bought in, I'd probably still be living there.  But I was on a TDA so I looked at the prices and rented.

 

7 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Texas is.  That's where so many of the California diaspora move.  Then they start voting for the same policies that pushed them to move out of California.

 

The Babylon Bee did a great series on this 2 years ago. Californians move to Texas...

 

 

On 1/15/2025 at 8:19 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

I suspect not many will want to remain in California. Florida may be the next destination, just in time for the next superstorm.

Here's one in-the-know person that agrees with you.

https://www.foxnews.com/entertaiment/million-dollar-listing-star-says-palisades-residents-will-not-return-after-devastating-la-fires

16 hours ago, jas007 said:

Many  people there bought their houses years ago. And because of Proposition 13, they stayed in place over the years to keep the lower tax rates.  Anyway, you're right.  Current prices are insane.  I'm more familiar with the San Diego area, but I'm sure it's pretty much the same story all over Southern California.  Houses that you could buy for $175,000 back in the 70s now cost millions.   Rents have also gone crazy.   

I was stationed on a destroyer home ported in San Diego during the early 1960's.  It was a friendly place which welcomed the Navy, a major contributor to the city's economy.  My buddy and I rented a duplex apartment in Ocean Beach not far from the beach.  Today, I rather doubt it if the building still exists.  It has most likely been replaced by something that is valued in the millions.

7 minutes ago, Hawaiian said:

I was stationed on a destroyer home ported in San Diego during the early 1960's.  It was a friendly place which welcomed the Navy, a major contributor to the city's economy.  My buddy and I rented a duplex apartment in Ocean Beach not far from the beach.  Today, I rather doubt it if the building still exists.  It has most likely been replaced by something that is valued in the millions.

You never know. Ocean Beach has a lot of older real estate.  They rent it out and, year after year, the landlords make more and more money.  Your old apartment might still be there.   One time I lived there for a few months, back in the 70s.  I don't think much has changed, other than the Beach area has lots of vendors in tents on certain days.  Those must a fairly recent addition.  

 

Anyway, the Navy people probably still own a lot of the real estate.  Navy retirees, especially.  Their idea of dying and going to heaven was a house on Coronado. 

35 minutes ago, jas007 said:

You never know. Ocean Beach has a lot of older real estate.  They rent it out and, year after year, the landlords make more and more money.  Your old apartment might still be there.   One time I lived there for a few months, back in the 70s.  I don't think much has changed, other than the Beach area has lots of vendors in tents on certain days.  Those must a fairly recent addition.  

 

Anyway, the Navy people probably still own a lot of the real estate.  Navy retirees, especially.  Their idea of dying and going to heaven was a house on Coronado. 

With the admirals heading to Point Loma.  I always admired the homes there with their immaculate landscaping. 

As for the nice people I encountered this is one of my more unforgetful experiences in Ocean Beach.  Went to buy some beer in a local market and used my buddies Arizona driver's license ID.  No picture; description read, blue eyes, red hair, which definitely did not describe me.  She smiled and sold me the beer anyway.  I know she recognized me from prior visits.

 

2 hours ago, Hawaiian said:

With the admirals heading to Point Loma.  I always admired the homes there with their immaculate landscaping. 

As for the nice people I encountered this is one of my more unforgetful experiences in Ocean Beach.  Went to buy some beer in a local market and used my buddies Arizona driver's license ID.  No picture; description read, blue eyes, red hair, which definitely did not describe me.  She smiled and sold me the beer anyway.  I know she recognized me from prior visits.

 

If I was not married, I would move to Point Loma. 

Find some odd and rare insect preferably a dung beetle. Issue an executive order to protect it and make everybody in California move with no further explanation. Make them move on foot because of climate change. 

1 hour ago, Cryingdick said:

Find some odd and rare insect preferably a dung beetle. Issue an executive order to protect it and make everybody in California move with no further explanation. Make them move on foot because of climate change. 

Although similar environmental protectionism exists elsewhere, California's is ridiculously extreme.