from the Palisades can come back.”

While residents no longer have to be escorted to their homes, they still need to obtain access passes to get into the burned areas, officials said. To get an access pass, residents must check in with law enforcement between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. at Lot 3 Beach Access, located at 1150 Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica, officials said.

Bass appeared at an early afternoon news conference with civic leader Steve Soboroff, who she appointed on Jan. 17 to lead the rebuilding efforts. Bass and Soboroff were unable to provide a clear timeline for the reconstruction of the community.

The cleanup for destroyed homes and other properties will be done in two phases. During the first phase, the federal Environmental Protection Agency will remove household hazardous waste. The second phase will involve clearing solid waste, debris and ash.

Phase 1 will be done quickly across different areas, but it involves a large number of homes, which presents a logistical challenge, Soboroff said. The first phase needs to occur before Phase 2 can begin.

“What we have to make sure is they have enough crews working enough hours to do it in enough time,” Soboroff said. “So some of it is going to be done in a week, and some of it may be done up to three months. What I’d like to do is take those periods and shrink them down by getting more resources.”

Meanwhile, the city is grappling with the financial toll of the fire. Initial damage estimates were $358 million in costs related to emergency response, infrastructure/structural damages and debris removal. The costs include:

Emergency protective measures: $6.6 million

Infrastructure/structural damage to city facilities and equipment: $350 million

Debris removal: $1.2 million (primarily wind-related)

The city is already facing financial troubles, having reported in December that it was overspending its budget by nearly $300 million. These additional fire-related costs add to the strain.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency typically covers 75% of disaster-related expenses, leaving the local jurisdictions responsible for the remaining 25%. However, a presidential declaration by President Joe Biden’s administration allows FEMA to cover 100% of costs if debris removal begins within 180 days of a city’s emergency declaration.

Bass said at the news conference that she doesn’t expect the terms of this federal assistance to change under President Donald Trump’s administration.

“FEMA will cover 100% for the first 180 days,” Bass said. “That was something that President Biden had set up. President Trump has given us no indication that it will be anything different.”