Nearly five months after the fire wasted a lot of Pacific Palisades, Mayor Karen Bass announced Friday that global infrastructure company AECOM will help develop a master plan to rebuild the region, as well as plans to rebuild utilities and other infrastructure.
According to the mayor’s office, the company will work with the city and Hagerty Consulting, which consulting firm used it as a recovery contractor as a recovery contractor in early February.
Illinois-based disaster recovery company Hagerty has signed a one-year contract with the city for up to $10 million, but there are persistent doubts about the details of its work.
When asked if Hegette’s role was shrinking Friday, the mayor’s office did not immediately answer.
In late January, the mayor, along with four council members and other city officials, listened to speeches from Hagerty, Aecom and a third company, also seeking to become a disaster recovery contractor for the city.
After Bass chose Hagerty in February, she said the city is still discussing separate contracts with Aecom.
“An unprecedented natural disaster requires an unprecedented full-out response – government at all levels, philanthropy, the private sector and educational institutions come together to support the community and rebuild safely as soon as possible,” Bass said in a written statement on Friday. “AECOM’s expertise in long-term infrastructure planning and design will only speed up our efforts to get families home.”
When asked whether the city is now in a contract with AECOM, or the specific contents of the contract, including compensation (including compensation), the mayor’s office did not respond immediately.
Steve Soboroff, a long-time local developer and former chief recovery officer at Bass, publicly criticized Bass for his decision to choose Hagerty over AECOM as the city’s initial disaster recovery contractor. In an interview when he left his position in mid-April, Soboroff raised questions about the role of Hagerty and said he thought Aecom should be hired.
In addition to developing a comprehensive reconstruction master plan and supporting the infrastructure reconstruction of Palisades, AECOM will also help coordinate a wider range of public and private reconstruction efforts.
According to the press release, the company will develop a “logistics plan for material management coordinated with local builders and suppliers”, as well as a main transportation plan as more homeowners jump to the reconstruction process.
According to LA28’s March press release, AECOM is also the “official venue infrastructure partner” for the 2028 Olympics.
