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Voluntary rebuild ambassador resigns; residents decry slow rebuild permitting and call for reforms
Summary
Abe Roy announced he was resigning as the volunteer rebuild ambassador, saying he faced inaccurate allegations; residents and rebuild advocates used public comment to press the council for faster permit approvals, fewer consultant-driven delays and clearer, streamlined policies.
A volunteer rebuild ambassador appointed by the Council resigned publicly during the Sept. 29 meeting, saying misleading allegations and personal attacks made it impossible to continue. In a prepared statement he read at the podium, Abe Roy said he would remain chair of the Malibu Rebuild Task Force and continue advocating for faster permitting but would no longer serve in the city-appointed ambassador role.
The resignation punctuated a broader and sustained public outcry about the pace and cost of post-fire rebuilding. Several speakers, including fire victims and advocates, told the council the rebuild process remains stalled: "Two permits issued in nearly 10 months is an abomination," one rebuild advocate said, summarizing a recurring theme from residents across multiple fire zones. Speakers attributed delays to inconsistent consultant reviews, redundant geotechnical demands and unclear policy guidance. Several architects and applicants said rules and definitions (for example, "like-for-like" rebuilds and new bulk standards) have shifted during the review process and that changing requirements force redesigns and increased fees.
Council members acknowledged the frustration and described steps already taken, including 69 planning verifications completed and 17 building-plan-check submittals in process. Several council members signaled support for accelerating reforms: proposals included consolidating corrections into single reviews, strengthening in-house plan-check engineering to reduce reliance on external consultants, and creating a single point of contact for rebuild applicants. The council directed staff to continue work on formalizing revised policies and to bring unresolved items back to council for decision, while several members said they would press staff to be more aggressive about implementation.
Council also discussed the advisability of formalizing the rebuild-ambassador role and how zone captains and staff will coordinate work going forward. Staff and several council members said the rebuild center and staff remain available for applicants, and agreed to continue working on clarified submittal checklists and other process improvements.
