Adam Carolla appeared on the Joe Rogan podcast this weekend, where the two discussed the slow pace of rebuilding efforts in Los Angeles nearly a year after wildfires devastated the area.
During their conversation, Rogan referenced a previous statement by Carolla, who had predicted that the permitting process for reconstruction would be difficult. Carolla explained some of the challenges faced by those attempting to rebuild, such as requirements for deep foundation posts that add significant costs.
Carolla said:
“The thing that I’ve always known is, I’ve always known how burdensome regulation is in Los Angeles and it’s invisible, and that’s why we don’t have housing and that’s why houses are so expensive, and that’s why there’s no homeless shelters and housing and all that stuff, is because it’s so burdensome to build. They make it so difficult to build that people don’t build.
And I knew what was coming but other people didn’t really know it because they’ve not dealt with the city, plan check, regulations, plan approval, engineering, like this is stuff I’ve been doing my whole life, so I knew early on that this wasn’t gonna happen. And I think people who live in Los Angeles are sort of naive, like they just think the coastal commission and city council and plan check, building and safety, like they’re there just to facilitate this stuff but they’re not there to facilitate any of it, they’re there to deter it.
They want you to go away, is basically what it is, so I knew none of this was gonna happen.”
Carolla also argued that high costs and extensive regulations discourage people from rebuilding or remaining in California. He suggested these obstacles contribute to housing shortages and rising living expenses.
The discussion touched on perceptions about media coverage of the situation. The hosts suggested that political considerations may influence how news outlets report on California’s recovery efforts after natural disasters.
