Steve Soboroff is a longtime fixture in Los Angeles civic life who is now serving as chief recovery officer for the city’s wildfire comeback.

Steve Soboroff’s salary would have been funded entirely by charitable organizations. He had defended the arrangement, saying his expertise made him worth the $500,000.

Steve Soboroff, the recently appointed Los Angeles wildfire recovery czar, was to be paid $500,000 for 90 days of work, saying his expertise was well worth the price. But then Mayor Karen Bass, faced with backlash over the $5,556-a-day fee to be paid by nonprofit groups, reversed course, the Los Angeles Times reported.

After facing intense criticism over his planned $500,000 salary for 90 days of work, the city of Los Angeles’ Chief Recovery Officer Steve Soboroff will work pro bono. His salary was to have been funded entirely by charitable organizations.

Steve Soboroff, a longtime fixture in Los Angeles civic life who is now serving as chief recovery officer for the city’s wildfire comeback, won’t take a salary after facing backlash over plans to pay him $500,