The Brief

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - Ted Koerner thought losing his beloved Altadena home to the Eaton fire was bad enough until he started to go through the rebuilding process.

With about 600 applications in process, 15 permits have been issued so far. Keep in mind, 9,800 homes were destroyed by flames in January.

His was one of the first homes cleared of debris, a process that is moving relatively quickly, with 56 Army Corps of Engineers cleanup crews in Altadena already clearing more than 5,000 properties.

But after weeks of delays in the permitting process and repeatedly being told, "Your plans look good, but so and so still has to approve this or that," he decided to call every politician representing his area—city, county, state—demanding answers. In the process, he met the D

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