Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat, suddenly canceled plans Saturday to pay her appointed wildfire recovery czar Steve Soboroff a staggering $500,000 for three months of work .
Bass was forced to retreat after intense criticism over the huge compensation package.
“Steve is always there for LA. I spoke to him today and asked him to modify his agreement and work for free. He said yes,” Bass said. “We agree that we don’t need anything distracting from the recovery work we’re doing.”
The Los Angeles Times first reported Saturday morning that Soboroff, appointed January 17, would receive $500,000 to serve as the city’s chief recovery officer for 90 days. Real estate executive Randy Johnson was set to receive an additional $250,000 for assisting Soboroff.
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, who sits on the five-person recovery committee, called the combined $750,000 compensation “obscene” and “infuriating” as thousands of Angelenos struggle after losing homes to the fires.
“He’s getting paid $500,000 for 3 months of work? And they call this a charity. Gross. Offensive,” wrote Ric Grenell, President Trump’s envoy for special missions, on X. “I’m getting paid $0 – as are many people. It’s a good thing there will be strings on the Federal money for California.”
Before the reversal, Soboroff defended his huge amount of compensation. “I’ve been doing this for 35 years for free on some of the biggest civic projects for the city of Los Angeles. But nobody ever asked me to drop everything. This time they did,” he told the Times.
The real estate developer emphasized the money would not come from city funds or fire victims. “I said OK, under the condition that my pay not be taken out of city money, or from any wildfire survivors who would otherwise benefit from that money.”
Local residents condemned the huge payment scheme. Pacific Palisades homeowner Larry Vein, whose house suffered smoke damage, said no one should handle recovery efforts for “financial gain.” Steve Danton, displaced to temporary housing in Marina del Rey, called it a “money grab” and “crisis of leadership.”
Bass’s office declined to name the charitable organizations or explain how the funding was arranged.