What does it actually take to rebuild after a disaster—and who gets to build back?

Longtime Altadena resident and development professional Joel Bryant (Bronzeville, Inc.) joins Richard K. Green (USC Lusk Center for Real Estate) to cover the real-world mechanics of post-wildfire rebuilding. Drawing on his decades of experience in multifamily projects, Bryant explains how homeowners are navigating surveys, insurance constraints, permitting, and construction costs while detailing the small but meaningful milestones that signal progress.

The conversation transitions from the practical to the systemic: how the permitting process has evolved since the fires, what it takes to secure approvals quickly, and why architects play a critical role in keeping projects on track. As rebuilding efforts gather momentum, a central question remains: rebuilding for whom?

Highlights include:

• The step-by-step process of rebuilding a home after wildfire loss
• How projected timelines are playing out in Altadena
• Why permitting speed depends as much on people as on portals
• How insurance limits shape design and feasibility
• ADUs, density, and the future of Altadena’s commercial corridors
• Preserving community identity while rebuilding at scale

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What’s driving the uneven recovery at the core of California cities, and how is that impacting housing and investment?

Sean Burton (Cityview) joins Richard K. Green (USC Lusk Center for Real Estate) discussing the forces and fundamentals reshaping urban markets. The conversation moves from post-pandemic population shifts and the surge in AI-driven demand to the regulatory dynamics influencing Southern California development.

Highlights include:

• Why San Francisco may be turning a corner, and whether an AI boom can sustain it.
• How concerns about regulatory risk have chilled investor sentiment in the City of Los Angeles.
• Where supply–demand imbalances are creating long-term opportunities.
• What San Diego got right to accelerate permitting and development.
• The latest progress in rebuilding after the LA County wildfires.

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California’s recent wave of pro-housing legislation has opened the door for more development on single-family lots and urban infill sites, but how much progress have we really made?

Shane Phillips (UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies) joins Richard K. Green (USC Lusk Center for Real Estate) to trace California’s evolving policy landscape, from accessory dwelling units to long-overdue CEQA reform.

The conversation moves from the success of recent ADU regulations to the barriers slowing smaller-scale infill and condo development. Cost structures, ownership models, and building standards all shape housing supply. Phillips and Green discuss how policy could better balance affordability, density, and quality of life across Southern California.

Highlights include:

• Why recent ADU laws succeeded where earlier reforms fell short.
• Potential condo liability reforms to encourage smaller-scale housing ownership.
• How construction costs constrain “missing middle” infill.
• The trade-offs of eliminating single-room occupancy housing in US cities.
• How ownership models shape neighborhood attitudes and investment.

UCLA Housing Voice Podcast

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