SB 9 Is Back in Malibu and Pasadena

Homeowners in Malibu and Pasadena whose neighborhoods burned in the Palisades and Eaton fires will soon be able to build up to four units on their properties again.

What happened

After the fires, Gov. Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed executive orders that let local governments suspend Senate Bill 9 in very high wildfire severity zones within the burn areas. SB 9 makes it easier for single-family homeowners to split their lots and build duplexes on each, which can mean as many as four small units where local rules once allowed one.

A pro-housing legal group, YIMBY Law, sued the governor, the mayor and the four jurisdictions that used the orders, arguing that none had the authority to override a law passed by the state legislature.

Malibu and Pasadena settled. Both cities agreed to repeal their local ordinances blocking SB 9 duplexes and to accept pending and future SB 9 applications. Pasadena’s city council approved its settlement unanimously on July 20, and Malibu has until September 29 to complete its repeal. The case continues for the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, the governor and the mayor.

What it means for owners

If you own a fire-damaged lot in either city, your rebuilding options just expanded. A lot that can hold more units may also be worth more to the right buyer. If you’re deciding whether to rebuild or sell, call me…

Thanks to CalMatters for this story. Read Ben Christopher’s full report at CalMatters.

Originally published in The Trusted Advisor, August 2026.