Leibovitch calls Palisades rebuild meeting as power delays drag on

Rodeo Realty President Syd Leibovitch has organized a Sept. 9 public meeting in Pacific Palisades to press for faster Los Angeles Department of Water and Power service during the rebuild. Residents, contractors and business owners say electrical delays are leaving finished properties empty and families stuck paying rent elsewhere.

Why it matters: - Power delays are slowing the return of homes and businesses in Pacific Palisades. - Residents say finished or nearly finished properties cannot be occupied until the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power connects service or approves temporary power. - Insurance loss-of-use coverage is running out for some families, which is forcing them to keep paying for temporary housing with no clear return date. - A coordinated community push could increase pressure on city and utility officials to clear the backlog.

What happened: - Syd Leibovitch, founder and president of Rodeo Realty, organized a community meeting for Sept. 9, 2026, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. - The meeting will be held at 839 Via de la Paz in Pacific Palisades, in the Rodeo Realty building Leibovitch owns. - The gathering is the first public meeting of Together We Have More Power, a community forum launched to give residents a stronger voice on rebuild issues. - The meeting is open to homeowners, renters, business owners, contractors and others working on the rebuild. - Residents can find details and add their voice at TogetherWeHaveMorePower.com.

The details: - Leibovitch said his own properties reflect the backlog, including a home on Radcliffe Avenue that has been completed for months and is still waiting for a connection. - Leibovitch also cited roughly four months of waiting for temporary power on Cumbre Alta Court. - Leibovitch said a temporary power permit on Chastain Parkway remains unresolved. - Residents report unanswered phone calls, emails that take weeks and waits of two to six hours at the Palisades Inspections and Permitting Support Center. - Leibovitch said the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety inspectors have been helpful. - Leibovitch and other residents say the main problem is the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the shortage of inspectors handling the backlog. - Leibovitch has raised the delays with Mayor Karen Bass’s office. - Leibovitch has also raised the delays with Councilwoman Traci Park’s office. - Traci Park’s office submitted a formal request to LADWP for improved response times. - Rodeo Realty says its role is limited to starting the effort and providing the meeting space. - Rodeo Realty’s Pacific Palisades office burned in the fire.

Between the lines: - The meeting is designed to turn scattered complaints into one collective message. - Leibovitch’s pitch is that one call to the utility is easy to ignore, but many residents raising the same issue at once is harder to dismiss. - The focus on inspectors suggests the bottleneck is operational, not structural, and could be eased without a broader policy overhaul. - By framing the forum as open and informal, Leibovitch is trying to build a resident-led pressure campaign rather than a formal advocacy group.

What's next: - Residents are expected to use the Sept. 9 meeting to compare delays and organize a shared message for DWP and city leaders. - The forum could generate more formal pressure for faster inspections, approvals and service connections. - Homeowners and business owners can continue following meeting details and updates through TogetherWeHaveMorePower.com.

The bottom line: - Pacific Palisades rebuilds are being held up by utility delays, and Leibovitch is trying to turn that frustration into a coordinated push for more DWP inspectors.