On the Ground in LA: Rebuilding After the Fires

Can California Build Again? A Conversation With Political Scientist Francis Fukuyama

A year after Southern California’s devastating wildfires, we are grappling with what went wrong and how the rebuilding process will take place. But the debate over when and how all of California moves forward extends far beyond the communities of Altadena and Pacific Palisades. Rebuild SoCal Partnership sat down with scholar and political thinker Francis Fukuyama, whose recent work has focused on the challenges of infrastructure in California. Rebuild Socal Executive Director Jon Switalski spoke with Fukuyama about the regulatory barriers that limit much-needed infrastructure, the importance of jobs and skilled workers, and the political vision that will be required to rebuild California.

Building the Reforms We Need

Professor Marc Dunkelman is one of many academics who have recently written about our country's difficulty in building the critical infrastructure that we need to compete economically. The United States, Dunkelman notes in his new book, Why Nothing Works – Who Killed Progress and How to Bring It Back, used to pride itself on our world-scale infrastructure projects. "Think about the Golden Gate Bridge, Hoover Dam, the Tennessee Valley Authority," Dunkelman says. "They were all critical projects that resulted in public benefit, and they were completed in a very efficient way." Not so today. Dunkelman, who is a Fellow at the Watson School of International and Public Affairs at Brown University, recently sat down with Jon Switalski of Rebuild SoCal Partnership to talk about the reforms that are needed to enable California and the country to build the roads, bridges, water, and transportation systems that are crucial for a thriving economy.

Leading and Healing Los Angeles with Supervisor Lindsey Horvath

This video follows Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and Rebuild SoCal Partnership Executive Director, Jon Switalski as they met in the Palisades to discuss how Horvath responded to the devastating wildfires in her district. Supervisor Horvath has taken a hands-on approach to recovery, removing barriers to reconstruction and ensuring no community is left behind. In this On the Ground in LA episode, Horvath reflects on the months-long rebuilding process and why, as she says, “coming together at scale is critical.” From streamlining permits to fostering partnerships with labor, contractors, and residents, she shares how community action turns loss into momentum and restores hope for the future.

Rebuilding What Was Lost

This video follows the work and takes a close-up look at Anvil Builders, a Union Contractor whose workers are cleaning the sites of former homes in Altadena after the devastating wildfires in January. This episode of On the Ground in LA follows the Anvil team as they help families begin the long road to recovery, from removing hazardous materials to carefully sifting through the remnants of homes in search of keepsakes. We talk to Alan Guy, CEO of Anvil Builders, about how he prepares his crews for the work in Altadena, with special attention paid to the safety of his workers. We also talk to workers about the emotional impact of finding a cherished wedding ring or family pictures and returning them to their owners.

On The Ground in LA: Rebuilding After the Fires

On the Ground in LA: Rebuilding After the Fires is a branded podcast from LA Times Studios paid for and produced by Rebuild SoCal Partnership. How do you rebuild after historic wildfires charge through your community and uproot your life? This raw and powerful mini-series follows the people on the ground who stepped into the smoke to rebuild what was lost. From hazmat cleanup crews tackling toxic debris, union workers and contractors laying the foundation for safer communities, and local legislators coordinating the comeback, each episode offers an unfiltered look at the challenges, grit, and solidarity driving LA County's rebirth. Told through real footage and first-hand perspectives, On the Ground in LA: Rebuilding After the Fires, is not about the destruction — it’s about the people rebuilding hope, one job site at a time. Each short episode delivers a ground-level view of the people, projects, and partnerships driving LA’s recovery.