Some more conspiratorially-minded residents wondered whether the fire had been allowed to spread — or even set deliberately — to allow politicians to build low-income housing on what was once prime real estate.

Last week, Gov. Newsom signed a rollback of environmental regulations to allow low-income housing to be built more easily in urban areas. While hailed by many housing advocates as a deregulatory measure, the new law also paved the way for low-income housing to be built in fire zones.

Tuesday’s announcement by Newsom will add fuel to suspicions that the real goal of state and local leaders is not rebuilding, but redistribution.