Two weeks after wildfires tore through Los Angeles, the city’s top leaders are stepping up with plans to rebuild. But here’s the catch: they can’t seem to agree on how to do it.

Mayor Karen Bass recently tapped Steve Soboroff, a well-known developer and civic figure, as her “chief recovery officer.” Soboroff, 76, was tasked with rallying the city—from the hard-hit Pacific Palisades to the broader L.A. region—around a shared recovery effort.

But Soboroff isn’t the only one with big ideas. Billionaire developer Rick Caruso, who ran against Bass in 2022, just announced his own commission to spur rebuilding. Caruso, who hasn’t ruled out another mayoral bid, said he hopes the crisis will unite people.

With Caruso’s move, there are now four independent rebuilding committees, plus Soboroff’s mayoral effort, all vying for influence. The stakes are sky-high: this reconstruction project could be one of the most expensive in California history.

The early jostling among L.A.’s power players hints at a long, complex road ahead. With billions of dollars and the future of the city on the line, collaboration could be just as challenging as the rebuilding itself.