How the Builders Alliance Is Reshaping Fire Recovery

As Los Angeles continues to heal from the wildfires that leveled parts of Pacific Palisades and Altadena, the most ambitious step forward will soon be accessible from a browser window.

This fall, a group of 14 homebuilders, collectively known as the Builders Alliance, will launch a centralized digital portal to bring clarity and efficiency to a process historically marked by delays and fragmentation.

A Central Tool for Homeowners

The digital portal will allow displaced homeowners to view their site conditions, explore floor plans compatible with their lot, and compare pricing across builders with different capabilities and design profiles.

The goal is to compress decision timelines, reduce rebuild costs, and avoid the permitting gridlock that has historically plagued post-disaster construction.

Vetted Builders, One Shared Platform

Builders involved in the Alliance include ARCA Builders, Brookfield Residential, Stonefield Development, Thomas James, and others. Together, they span a range of project types - from high-volume builders with standardized plans to low-volume builders focused on complex, custom homes.

Despite their differences in scale and scope, all members have committed to a unified intake process, shared data standards, and centralized coordination through a single platform.

The portal, launching in September, will serve as the main point of entry for rebuild activity in both Altadena and Pacific Palisades. It’s designed to match homeowners with builders based on site conditions, design preferences, and project budgets.

In Altadena, where lot configurations are relatively consistent, several builders have already submitted floor plans for pre-approval through the L.A. County Regional Planning Department. These plans are expected to move quickly through permitting.

In Pacific Palisades, where lots are larger and more complex, the portal will help homeowners assess feasibility and connect with builders experienced in custom designs and difficult terrain.

Technology Behind the Portal

The platform is being developed by CanIBuild, whose software integrates parcel data, local codes, and builder inputs into a user-facing interface. For homeowners, this means a clearer picture of what’s possible (and at what price) before engaging in costly one-off architectural work.

This portal is intended not only as a response to the 2025 Los Angeles fires, but also as a scalable model for future disaster recovery efforts. By consolidating offerings and embedding real-time site intelligence, it aims to reduce complexity and build trust at a time when many homeowners feel adrift.

Removing Bottlenecks Through Coordination

The Builders Alliance meets regularly to align on procurement, logistics, permitting strategy, and shared labor staging. The group is also in direct talks with local agencies to push for self-certification of permits and private inspections, which could reduce delays by months.

These discussions are part of a broader effort to reduce bottlenecks in the rebuilding process. Project Recovery, a task force advising city and county leaders, has endorsed the Alliance’s approach and is calling for reforms to make the process more flexible, especially in post-disaster settings.

Moving Toward Execution

The window to rebuild is narrow. Insurance payouts are finite. Construction costs are rising. And once families are displaced for more than a year or two, many never return. The Builders Alliance and its portal are a bet that technology, coordination, and scale can change that outcome.

ARCA Builders and other Builders Alliance members will begin accepting inquiries when the initial landing page launches in August.