Subject: Expanding Pathways for Expedited Residential Rebuilding
INTRODUCTION
On March 18, 2025, I issued a revised Emergency Executive Order 1 (EO1) to aid in the community rebuilding and recovery efforts in the aftermath of the Wildfires of January 2025. EO1 provided a streamlined path for rebuilding of “like-for-like” Eligible Projects. In addition, EO1 provided general rebuilding and reconstruction rules for the rebuilding of all structures damaged or destroyed by the Wildfires.
On July 7th, 2025, the Governor signed Executive Order N-29-25 to expand the scope of projects eligible for the State’s emergency suspension of CEQA and the California Coastal Act (Coastal Act), previously detailed in Executive Orders N-20-25 and N-4-25. The scope of projects was expanded to include the rebuilding of single-family residential structures damaged or destroyed by the Wildfires that are not “like-for-like” but nonetheless comply with local zoning.
Consistent with the Governor’s latest order, this Emergency Executive Order No. 8 (EO8) is intended to provide expanded local streamlining for zoning-compliant non “like-for-like” single-family residential projects that are seeking to rebuild structures damaged or destroyed by the Wildfires within the Coastal Zone. This Order should be read in a manner consistent with, and intended to implement to the fullest extent possible, the Governor’s Executive Order No. N-29-25.
This order also revises parts of EO1 by updating the “General Rebuilding and Reconstruction Rules”.
