Exclusive | Our rebuild hell: LA fire victims reveal nightmare scenario of red tape and financial ruin one year on

Crashing home prices, stalled rebuilds and nightmare insurance red tape have been laid bare by homeowners whose houses were destroyed in the Los Angeles wildfires — with some now staring down the barrel of multimillion-dollar losses.The homeowners have detailed they how the lost millions of dollars in fires that left large swathes of the Palisades and Altadena looking like “post-war Hiroshima”.Single mother of three Jacqueline Chernov lost both her home in Huntington Palisades and an investment property in nearby Alphabet Streets says she’s facing a financial loss of at least $2.4 million.The real estate broker claims progress on rebuilding her homes has completely stalled on the back of permit delays, soaring construction construction costs, and insurance company red tape that’s frozen the $1 million payout she needs to pay builders.Now, she said, she may have to sell one or both properties — at a huge price reduction — and is worried there’s no way she’ll finish rebuilding before her insurance payments covering her rent run out.“Before the fire my house [in Alphabet Streets] was worth $4.2 million,” she told The California Post.

“But if I have to sell up a half built house, I might get $1.8 million.”Chernov’s rebuild nightmare follows The Post revealing Donald Trump plans to sidestep reconstruction delays by signing an executive order aimed at fast-tracking the rebuilding of Los Angeles.Trump’s order is designed to “preempt” the building permit process — and empower the federal government to maneuver around the needless obstacles imposed by Democratic leaders.Trump’s order comes as an exclusive report by Realtor.com for The California Post details how delays in rebuilding have caused widespread economic chaos with:Jerry, a media publisher whose house was badly damaged, blasted officials for a lack of progress that has meant “Pacific Palisades resembles a devastated post-war Hiroshima.” “The fabric of the culture has b...