Overview
- The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety issued a certificate of occupancy on Nov. 21 for 915 N. Kagawa, a Thomas James Homes project the city touted as the first completed rebuild after the January fire.
- Official permit records show the first plan-check submission on Nov. 8, 2024 with activity later that month; the Mayor’s Office says the plan was approved on April 1, 2025 and the permit was pulled that day.
- Resident group Pali Builds and several survivors argue the pre-fire filings mean the Kagawa project is not a fire-loss rebuild and accuse officials and some media of misstating recovery progress.
- Mayor Karen Bass defended the designation, cited more than 340 properties under construction and over 1,100 permits for roughly 600 addresses, and criticized what she called misinformation on social media.
- The Kagawa property was purchased by the developer in November 2024 as a showcase build and was not tied to a displaced family, according to property records and reporting by multiple outlets.