Natalie Kittroff

You're saying the more your house can look like an isolated concrete box surrounded by rocks, the better. And even then, it wouldn't totally solve it.

You're saying the more your house can look like an isolated concrete box surrounded by rocks, the better. And even then, it wouldn't totally solve it.

Right. I mean, for affordability to tackle, you know, the crisis of people living on the streets, California and L.A. in particular needs more homes, not fewer.

Right. I mean, for affordability to tackle, you know, the crisis of people living on the streets, California and L.A. in particular needs more homes, not fewer.

What you're describing is a situation in which you are really weighing these two crises against one another. And to solve one of them, you need a pretty radical shift in this city. What are the odds, do you think, of that actually happening?

What you're describing is a situation in which you are really weighing these two crises against one another. And to solve one of them, you need a pretty radical shift in this city. What are the odds, do you think, of that actually happening?

And I ask this because even though the fires are still raging, we're seeing the beginning of discussions about what recovery and rebuilding will actually look like.

And I ask this because even though the fires are still raging, we're seeing the beginning of discussions about what recovery and rebuilding will actually look like.

Chris, part of what you're talking about, building fewer houses in the most vulnerable areas in L.A., that would mean a lot of people would need to move. And I have to say, these kinds of conversations where we're talking about people relocating things to climate change because of sea level rise and storm surge, it's something we've talked about with you on the show.

Chris, part of what you're talking about, building fewer houses in the most vulnerable areas in L.A., that would mean a lot of people would need to move. And I have to say, these kinds of conversations where we're talking about people relocating things to climate change because of sea level rise and storm surge, it's something we've talked about with you on the show.

This is really the first time that I've seen it come up in this way in the context of wildfire.

This is really the first time that I've seen it come up in this way in the context of wildfire.

And it seems important to just say, Chris, that in this case, we're not talking about moving a relatively small coastal community from a barrier island. Here we're talking about L.A., the second largest city in America, 10 million people in a state that is just an economic engine for the whole country, has the biggest port in America. I mean, what we're envisioning is reshaping a major metropolis.

And it seems important to just say, Chris, that in this case, we're not talking about moving a relatively small coastal community from a barrier island. Here we're talking about L.A., the second largest city in America, 10 million people in a state that is just an economic engine for the whole country, has the biggest port in America. I mean, what we're envisioning is reshaping a major metropolis.

And That's not just a huge investment of money, right? It's also a massive emotional investment in just a new identity.

And That's not just a huge investment of money, right? It's also a massive emotional investment in just a new identity.

That may be a question we need to grapple with, but it's also a really difficult thing to ask when people are in a lot of pain and just reeling from all this loss.

That may be a question we need to grapple with, but it's also a really difficult thing to ask when people are in a lot of pain and just reeling from all this loss.

Chris, thank you so much.

Chris, thank you so much.