Sandhya Kambhampati

Berlin, Los Angeles

Data and Graphics Reporter at Los Angeles Times

reporter, focusing on demographic data @latimes/@datagraphics. Teach @uscannenberg. email: [email protected] | she/her

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Articles

AI is coming soon to speed up sluggish permitting for fire rebuilds, officials say.

3 weeks ago | latimes.com | Liam Dillon |Koko Nakajima |Sandhya Kambhampati

In what’s believed to be a first-of-its-kind program, L.A. city and county building officials will use artificial intelligence to assist with permitting for rebuilding after January’s wildfires. The software, donated by wildfire recovery foundations, aims to speed up a process already being criticized as moving too slowly. Disaster recovery and government technology experts said permitting was a good use of AI technology, but cautioned that human oversight was needed.
AI is coming soon to speed up sluggish permitting for fire rebuilds, officials say.

3 weeks ago | flipboard.com | Liam Dillon |Koko Nakajima |Sandhya Kambhampati

1 day agoInsurers seek to surcharge California homeowners for L.A. County fire costsInsurers are seeking to charge homeowners across California for some of the costs of the catastrophic Los Angeles County fires the companies were burdened with when the state’s insurer of last resort needed a bailout. The California FAIR Plan Assn., with the approval of state Insurance Commissioner …1 day agoThree and a Half Months Later, Los Angeles County Has Issued . . .
Insurer of last resort kept growing. Then LA fire victims paid the price

1 month ago | thederrick.com | Laurence Darmiento |Sandhya Kambhampati

LOS ANGELES — When Diane Hvolka’s home burned down in January, the real estate attorney didn’t lose just her Pacific Palisades residence but a link to her teenage daughter, who died two years ago. The tragic loss of her only child — whose room she had left untouched — has left her determined to rebuild on her Glenhaven Drive property.
Insurer of last resort kept growing. Then LA fire victims paid the price

1 month ago | dailyitem.com | Laurence Darmiento |Sandhya Kambhampati

LOS ANGELES — When Diane Hvolka’s home burned down in January, the real estate attorney didn’t lose just her Pacific Palisades residence but a link to her teenage daughter, who died two years ago. The tragic loss of her only child — whose room she had left untouched — has left her determined to rebuild on her Glenhaven Drive property.
Insurer of last resort kept growing. Then L.A. fire victims paid the price

1 month ago | latimes.com | Laurence Darmiento |Sandhya Kambhampati

Pacific Palisades property owner Diane Hvolka said she was promised a $550,000 check from the state’s FAIR Plan in early February that has yet to arrive. “This is so frustrating. I’ve been chasing them ever since.”When Diane Hvolka’s home burned down in January, the real estate attorney didn’t lose just her Pacific Palisades residence but a link to her teenage daughter, who died two years ago.
Map: Here's what living in each Cal Fire wildfire hazard zone means for you

2 months ago | latimes.com | Noah Haggerty |Sean Greene |Sandhya Kambhampati

In the over four decades the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has been mapping wildfire hazard, the Legislature has referenced, cross-referenced and cross-referenced their cross-references of the maps in over 100 fire-safety regulations across the state’s reams of statutory and regulatory codes — including highway safety, building requirements and insurance law. This year, Cal Fire increased the zones by nearly 6 million acres — representing about 6% of the state.
Real estate losses from fires may top $30 billion, from old mobile homes to $23 million mansions

Feb 26, 2025 | havasunews.com | Doug Smith |Sandhya Kambhampati

Real estate losses from the Palisades and Eaton fires could top $30 billion, and government agencies that receive revenue from taxes stand to lose $61 million or more annually while homes are being rebuilt, a Times analysis shows. The analysis, comparing California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection assessments of buildings destroyed and damaged with Los Angeles County assessor parcel records, gives new perspective to the extent of the toll on the two communities.
Real estate losses from fires may top $30 billion, from old mobile homes to $23 million mansions

Feb 25, 2025 | miamiherald.com | Doug Smith |Sandhya Kambhampati

Real estate losses from the Palisades and Eaton fires could top $30 billion, and government agencies that receive revenue from taxes stand to lose $61 million or more annually while homes are being rebuilt, a Times analysis shows. The analysis, comparing California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection assessments of buildings destroyed and damaged with Los Angeles County assessor parcel records, gives new perspective to the extent of the toll on the two communities.
Real estate losses from fires top $30 billion, from old mobile homes to $23-million mansions

Feb 21, 2025 | latimes.com | Doug Smith |Sandhya Kambhampati

Real estate losses from the Palisades and Eaton fires could top $30 billion, and government agencies that receive revenue from taxes stand to lose $61 million or more annually while homes are being rebuilt, a Times analysis shows. The analysis, comparing Cal Fire’s assessments of buildings destroyed and damaged with Los Angeles County Assessor parcel records, gives new perspective to the extent of the toll on the two communities.
Real estate losses from fires top $30 billion, from old mobile homes to $23-million mansions

Feb 21, 2025 | yahoo.com | Doug Smith |Sandhya Kambhampati

Real estate losses from the Palisades and Eaton fires could top $30 billion, and government agencies that receive revenue from taxes stand to lose $61 million or more annually while homes are being rebuilt, a Times analysis shows. The analysis, comparing Cal Fire's assessments of buildings destroyed and damaged with Los Angeles County Assessor parcel records, gives new perspective to the extent of the toll on the two communities.

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Sandhya Kambhampati @sandhya__k

9 May 25

RT @aaja: A round of applause to our #AAJAExcellence in Online/Digital Award recipients: Alia Wong, Sandhya Kambhampati, Monica Jha, Sriram…

Sandhya Kambhampati @sandhya__k

9 May 25

Honored to win the Excellence in Online/Digital Journalism, Data Award from @aaja! https://t.co/sb6Eb3wIOn

Sandhya Kambhampati @sandhya__k

5 May 25

RT @latimes: After the L.A. fires, officials refused to perform comprehensive soil testing to ensure properties in burn zones are free of f…

Sandhya Kambhampati

Articles

AI is coming soon to speed up sluggish permitting for fire rebuilds, officials say.

AI is coming soon to speed up sluggish permitting for fire rebuilds, officials say.

Insurer of last resort kept growing. Then LA fire victims paid the price

Insurer of last resort kept growing. Then LA fire victims paid the price

Insurer of last resort kept growing. Then L.A. fire victims paid the price

Map: Here's what living in each Cal Fire wildfire hazard zone means for you

Real estate losses from fires may top $30 billion, from old mobile homes to $23 million mansions

Real estate losses from fires may top $30 billion, from old mobile homes to $23 million mansions

Real estate losses from fires top $30 billion, from old mobile homes to $23-million mansions

Real estate losses from fires top $30 billion, from old mobile homes to $23-million mansions

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