While Karen Bass isn’t the city of Los Angeles itself, she does represent it. Therefore, it’s noteworthy that her brother, Kenneth Bass, has joined the dozens of lawsuits being filed against Los Angeles over the Palisades fires that destroyed their homes.
The brother has joined thousands of Palisades fire survivors in suing the city after his home burned down in Malibu.
Kenneth Bass and his wife, Cindy, filed a complaint in L.A. Superior Court on May 18 for the destruction of their home, their injuries from smoke inhalation, and mental anguish. The lawsuit, first reported by L.A. Material, comes as Karen Bass is fighting for reelection in a November runoff election against Councilmember Nithya Raman.
Karen Bass’s office responded to the litigation on Wednesday, June 10, saying, “There is nothing new here.”
“Mayor Bass has spoken of his brother’s loss publicly since January of 2025. Thousands of people are plaintiffs in this action, which names 18 public and private sector defendants,” press secretary Paige Sterling said. “The City Attorney’s Office is responsible for defending the City and DWP in this lawsuit.”
The city attorney’s office did not respond to an email seeking comment.
Survivors of the fire that claimed 12 lives and tore through Pacific Palisades and nearby areas have sued the city and the L.A. Department of Water and Power after some fire hydrants ran dry as the nearby Santa Ynez Reservoir sat empty. The complaints also allege that sparking or downed power lines exacerbated the inferno. The suits are now under one master complaint, Grigsby et al.
DWP has denied the allegations, calling the master complaint “misleading or inaccurate.”
Kenneth Bass’ home sat on a 1.5-acre lot, with a panoramic view of the Malibu Pier and Surfrider Beach. While the main structure was destroyed, a guest house, pool and putting green survived the January 2025 blaze, according to Zillow. The hilltop lot sold last year for $2 million.
Kenneth Bass is represented by the Frantz Law Group, which did not return a request for comment.
According to published reports, Bass owns a kitchen remodeling business and has donated to the mayor’s campaign.
