Elex Michaelson

Rising Strong: Los Angeles' Path to Recovery | Global Conference 2025

Michelle Stevenson, Elex Michaelson, Karen Bass, Lindsey Horvath, Cinny Kennard, Evan Spiegel

Hosted by the Milken Institute on January 12, a panel of Los Angeles officials and philanthropists assessed recovery efforts following the January 7, 2024 wildfires that destroyed over 16,000 structures. While Mayor Karen Bass and County Supervisor Lindsay Horvath highlighted rapid debris removal and AI-driven permit processing as key successes, the discussion also addressed systemic hurdles including insurance underwriting bottlenecks and infrastructure fragmentation across the region's 88 cities. With Governor Newsom requesting $39 billion in federal aid and philanthropists like Evan Spiegel pledging long-term support, the event emphasized balancing accelerated rebuilding timelines with rigorous safety standards and regional consolidation strategies.