What took a few days and, in some cases, minutes to destroy in the LA wildfires could take a decade or more to rebuild – that’s according to Larry Fink, the CEO of investment firm BlackRock Inc.
Fink, an LA native, told CNBC, as Fortune reported, that insurance coverage is one of the first issues to address. “Homeowners’ insurance is becoming a larger and larger component of home ownership.”
Rebuilding Entire Neighborhoods
Fink explained that the sheer extent of the destruction means entire neighborhoods must be rebuilt. “This is going to be one of the bigger issues we’re going to have to be tackling over the next four years,” he said. “When you have whole neighborhoods destroyed and you have infrastructure and schools and supermarkets destroyed – this is not a one-year fix. This is going to be five, six, seven, maybe 10 years of fixing.”
Don't Miss:
- Unlock the hidden potential of commercial real estate — This platform allows individuals to invest in commercial real estate offering a 12% target yield with a bonus 1% return boost today!
- Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — you can become an investor for $0.80 per share today.
BlackRock oversees $11.6 trillion on behalf of retail and institutional clients. Insurance companies are increasingly important for the investment titan as it managed $700 billion of insurance companies’ general account assets as of the end of the third quarter. BlackRock’s acquisition of infrastructure investor Global Infrastructure Partners in a $12.5 billion deal that closed in October puts the company front and center of worldwide redevelopment projects.
Skipping The Red Tape
Other real estate investors would like to see LA’s rebuilding process fast-tracked to circumnavigate California’s notoriously complex zoning restrictions and lengthy permit approval processes. Before the LA fires, the City was experiencing a housing crisis, which the fires have only exacerbated.
“The planning and building departments are just going to be overrun,” Los Angeles-based real estate adviser Carl Muhlstein told Costar News, as displaced residents try to lease off apartment units near their destroyed homes.
“Landlords expect multiple applicants per unit if it is close to the destruction [areas],” Muhlstein said. “Single-family homes are already flying off the shelves in Manhattan Beach in pending sales at record prices. A friend of mine that has a condo project that he bought as a rental leased three units the very first night. They didn’t even ask the price; they said we’ll take it.”
Trending: Arrived Home's Private Credit Fund’s has historically paid an annualized dividend yield of 8.1%*, which provides access to a pool of short-term loans backed by residential real estate with just a $100 minimum.
Prioritizing Multifamily Developments
In a statement to Newsweek, Muhlstein said: “[The] LA fires coincide with the densification of single-family lots. ADUs, duplexes and fourplexes add housing and are easier to defend with fire life safety upgrades and proper spacing."
“The City should suspend ULA Mansion taxes for rebuilding, selling teardowns and a 15-year moratorium for new multifamily projects,” Muhlstein said. “The City and County lost political capital. They’re going to have to earn their votes next year.”
Although California Gov. Gavin Newsom has suspended two landmark environmental laws – the California Environmental Quality Act and the California Coastal Act – to allow rebuilding in areas affected by the wildfires, it’s still likely to take some time before rebuilding can start beyond the 1,400 units of housing currently in the pipeline across the City.
See Also: Commercial real estate has historically outperformed the stock market, and this platform allows individuals to invest in commercial real estate with as little as $5,000 offering a 12% target yield with a bonus 1% return boost today!
Passive Could Be Massive
Beyond the spate of new pipeline projects, the houses replacing the fire-ravaged homes in Pacific Palisades could differ markedly from those of their predecessors. Tougher building codes could make passive homes more prevalent as they are naturally more fireproof, adopting clean lines instead of fancier, more elaborate designs. Many people have pointed to the homes that survived damage as the way forward, such as Architect Greg Chasen’s much-discussed home featuring a solid concrete perimeter wall, a metal roof with a fire-resistant underlayment, class A wood and a front-gabled design without multiple roof lines, as discussed in The Guardian.
Expect the newer homes to be made of stone, cement board siding and metal instead of chemically treated synthetic materials, which have become common in homebuilding. These materials are especially vulnerable since the home itself fuels a fire. Expect 3D concrete-printed homes to become far more familiar in wildfire-prone areas. They are fast to build, efficient and have an almost impenetrable barrier to fire.
Wondering if your investments can get you to a $5,000,000 nest egg? Speak to a financial advisor today. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you up with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you.
Looking For Higher-Yield Opportunities In A Shifting Market?
The changing interest rate environment has created an incredible opportunity for income-seeking investors to earn massive yields, but not through dividend stocks… Certain private market real estate investments are giving retail investors the opportunity to capitalize on these high-yield opportunities and Benzinga has identified some of the most attractive options for you to consider.
For instance, the Ascent Income Fund from EquityMultiple targets stable income from senior commercial real estate debt positions and has a historical distribution yield of 12.1% backed by real assets. With payment priority and flexible liquidity options, the Ascent Income Fund is a cornerstone investment vehicle for income-focused investors. First-time investors with EquityMultiple can now invest in the Ascent Income Fund with a reduced minimum of just $5,000. Benzinga Readers: Earn a 1% return boost on your first EquityMultiple investment when you sign up here (accredited investors only).
Don't miss out on this opportunity to take advantage of high-yield investments while rates are high. Check out Benzinga's favorite high-yield offerings.
© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.