SUP. HORVATH JOINS GROUNDBREAKING OF FIRST SEAVIEW HOMES REBUILD IN UNINCORPORATED SUNSET MESA

MALIBU, CA — Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath joined community members, builders, and architects to celebrate the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Seaview Homes rebuild effort, marking a major milestone in the recovery from the devastating 2025 Palisades Fire.

Located in the Sunset Mesa neighborhood of unincorporated LA County, this ceremonial groundbreaking is the first of 21 homes being rebuilt through the innovative Seaview Homes initiative—a coordinated, community-driven approach designed to make rebuilding more affordable and accessible for wildfire survivors.

By organizing homeowners to rebuild together using standardized designs and shared construction resources, the initiative reduces costs significantly while maintaining high-quality, fire-resilient construction tailored to the neighborhood’s unique coastal setting.

“This groundbreaking is about more than rebuilding homes—it’s about a community moving forward together,” said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. “In the face of unimaginable loss, Sunset Mesa residents came together with creativity and determination to chart a new path forward. Los Angeles County is proud to partner in clearing barriers and supporting innovative solutions like Seaview Homes that help more families recover and rebuild.”

The effort was initially spearheaded by Sunset Mesa residents Francesca Cohn and Glen Beer, who proposed a collective rebuilding model after realizing that rebuilding individually would be financially unfeasible. Their vision brought together Clive Wilkinson Architects and Comstock Homes, who collaborated to design a set of flexible, cost-efficient home plans.

“Our work has always focused on leveraging the power of community, so working closely with the homeowners to evolve standard house designs and a plan for rebuilding has been a continuous pleasure,” said Clive Wilkinson. “There have been obstacles and compromises, but there’s nothing like working with a great group of people to achieve something new and invaluable.”

Clive Wilkinson Architects, a Los Angeles-based firm founded in 1991, led a four-month pro bono design process, engaging dozens of homeowners through community meetings to develop four adaptable home models. Comstock Homes, a trusted California builder with more than 35 years of experience, is leading construction.

The County played a key role in advancing the project. Supervisor Horvath’s office worked closely with the Department of Regional Planning and the Department of Public Works’ Building and Safety.

“With the help of the government, with the help of community leaders, with the help of people that live right across the street from us, we’ve been able to imagine beginning over and finding a new home to replace the home that we’ve lived in for so very long. So it’s just a very exciting time, and also a very nerve wracking time too,” said Isabelle Harley, Sunset Mesa resident.

Construction on the first phase is expected to continue through 2026, with completion of the homes projected for Spring/Summer 2027. Additional homeowners are being invited to join future phases of the Seaview Homes project.