After being forced to evacuate her Los Angeles home due to the recent wildfires, Grimes has added her voice to the conversation about housing accessibility. She co-wrote an article in The Atlantic advocating for a faster, more efficient permitting process to help speed up reconstruction efforts in the city. The piece argues that bureaucratic delays are worsening the housing crisis, making it even harder for displaced residents to rebuild, according to Stereogum.

The article notes that even before the fires, securing a permit for a single-family home in L.A. took an average of 15 months. Now, the backlog could push wait times to several years. The authors point to states like Texas, where H.B. 14—passed in 2023—allows applicants to bypass slow local regulators by hiring licensed third-party architects and engineers. This policy has helped speed up the process, leading to a surge in housing permits and lower home prices in cities like Austin. The piece suggests that California could benefit from similar reforms.

Grimes, who has previously expressed interest in urban policy and technology, joins a growing number of voices calling for change. The article also highlights efforts in Tennessee and Florida, where lawmakers have taken steps to cut through red tape and increase housing availability.

In addition to her work on housing issues, Grimes is set to perform at the World Pride Music Festival in Washington, D.C., this June. She’ll be joining a lineup that includes Jennifer Lopez, Troye Sivan, Kim Petras, and RuPaul.

With housing affordability remaining a pressing issue in Los Angeles, the discussion around permit reform continues to gain traction. Grimes’ involvement adds another perspective to the debate, bridging conversations between policy and culture.

Photo credit: Owen Ela