California State Sen. Ben Allen has put Senate Bill 549 on hold until at least next year after a wave of public opposition and online misinformation about the legislation. The measure, which had cleared the state Senate, would have let Los Angeles County create a “Resilient Rebuilding Authority” empowered to buy wildfire-ravaged lots, rebuild homes and dedicate a share of the new units to low-income residents. Allen said the pause is intended to give lawmakers and local communities more time to refine the proposal and ensure it is "deeply grounded in community input, empowerment and decision-making." Critics — including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and residents of hard-hit Pacific Palisades — argued the bill amounted to a government land grab and would force dense, subsidised housing into affluent neighborhoods, claims the senator and housing officials say are not contained in the text. The debate has unfolded against the backdrop of January’s Palisades and Eaton fires, which destroyed roughly 18,000 homes and other properties, intensifying pressure on California’s already strained housing market. Earlier this month, Governor Gavin Newsom earmarked $101 million in existing state funds to subsidise multifamily affordable housing near the burn zones, further stoking speculation that state leaders planned to remake the area. Allen said he will revisit SB 549 when the Legislature reconvenes, but only if consensus can be built among local governments and residents. Until then, rebuilding efforts will rely on existing state funding programmes and private reconstruction, leaving long-term plans for the fire-damaged communities in limbo.