The Ben Perlman family house on Embury Street was destroyed in the fire. The family already has received approval to rebuild it.
The Ben Perlman family moved to Santa Monica from the Boston area in 2016, before relocating to the Palisades in 2021. They tried out different areas in the town, including Via Bluffs and the Highlands, before settling on the Alphabets neighborhood.
That’s where they found a location that was perfect for them. “We loved the energy of the Village Green, the walkability and character of our neighbor and the warmth of our neighbors,” Perlman said. “After years of moving around, it felt like home.”
About two years ago, they bid on a house they had fallen in love with it but lost to another bidder. They discovered the contractor was Oran Belillti of Ortam Construction, so when they purchased a lot on Embury in 2022, Perlman asked if Belillti could build a similar house for them.
The answer was “yes,” and Belillti worked with the family to develop the project on a plot of land on Embury Street, tucked around the corner from the Village.
The finished house had 4,100-sq.-feet with five bedrooms. “It was beautiful home and perfect for us,” Perlman said. “More importantly, it felt like home.”
They moved into the house in April 2024.
Less than 10 months later their home was leveled during The Palisades Fire on January 7.
The family Opted Out for debris removal and this past week the lot was cleared.
Perlman had already submitted building plans a little over one month ago and has received a “Ready to Issue” permit, pending final inspection of his cleared lot. In 2022, it took five months to receive the permit.
“The fees are substantially lower than the first time,” Perlman said. “Some of the red tape has been cut.”
His original contractor is in place and will rebuild the exact home that burned.
Perlmans said there is still a lot of uncertainty with respect to the scope and sequencing of the rebuilding process, specifically as it relates to infrastructure projects. Will electricity be put underground? Water and natural gas infrastructure changed? Will the City widen the Alphabet Streets?
“There are real tradeoffs to all of these projects, not only for those committed to rebuilding first, but for all residents whose loss of use funds are being exhausted,” Perlman said. “Despite these unknowns, we are committed to rebuilding immediately.”
Many Palisadians are worried about toxicity after the fire. Perlman said his lot was tested and there was no lead nor asbestos, and since his place was destroyed, he’s not worried about the debris, everything is getting cleared out, topsoil included.
“We’d like to start rebuilding immediately,” Perlman said.
But what about the fears that other Palisadians have expressed about being the first home done and then living in a construction zone as other homes are built.
“This is a collective action problem,” he said, meaning that homeowners would benefit from all going forward, but if someone sits back and lets others do the work, it leads to a worse outcome. Perlman sees rebuilding as a team effort: ‘If we all wait for someone else to go first, nothing moves forward. We’re ready to take that step and hope others will too.”
Stores are already opening in Pacific Palisades, and it’s rumored that Caruso’s Palisades Village will reopen in the summer. The new playground is expected to be finished in July.
As soon as the Perlman home is completed, “My wife, my three-year-old and our five-pound Yorkie will be back walking the streets and hope to see neighbors doing the same—rebuilding together, step by step.”
Lovely, lovely, Mr. Ben Perlman. A great spirit.
I’m sure Ben and his family are lovely people but, as a long time Palisadian, it is my opinion that these oversized (three people need 4100 square feet?) lot line to lot line homes in the Alphabet Streets are exactly what has damaged the feel of the Palisades these past few years. No doubt that’s what will replace our town as more and more
lots are listed and sold to developers, and there continues to be few restrictions on size. The endless McMansion replacement of the beautiful 1800 sf beach cottages that defined the Palisades is definitely impacting my and my friends’ feelings about returning and rebuilding. We do not want to live in another cramped version of Manhattan Beach.