LOS ANGELES

HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT - As part of its “Save Our SROs” advocacy campaign, Housing Is A Human Right has found more than 4,600 housing units in the Downtown Los Angeles area that are sitting vacant or are waiting to be built or have been converted from low-income housing to other uses.

PLANNING WATCH - The Sunday, September 4, 2022, Los Angeles Times had a top-of-the-fold front page article comparing the homeless proposals of the two LA mayoral candidates, Karen Bass and Rick Caruso. 

VETERAN HOUSING - The sprawling 388-acre West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs (VA) Campus, deeded to veterans in 1888 as the “National Home for Disabled Soldiers,” contains 140 “Tiny Home” shelters.

GUEST COMMENTARY - As one who understands elections from a first-hand perspective, I also understand the risk that is assumed when endorsing a candidate or cause.

PLANNING WATCH - Who has the time to keep track of the real estate scams that regularly wallow up at City Hall, always packaged with fanciful justifications that fall apart when scrutinized? 

THE EASTSIDER - Back in the 90’s, I was living in a Loft at the Brewery in Lincoln Heights, and working downtown. 

CD 10 FILE- Los Angeles City council has not had a black woman serve as a member since Jan Perry and this was over a decade ago.

LA POLITICS - Of all the Los Angeles City Councilmembers who voted to suspend CD 10 representative Mark Ridley-Thomas (MR-T), Councilmember Paul Koretz’s agenda is indeed, the most difficult to discern. 

PLANNING WATCH - We are surrounded by crime, such as the petty street crimes that the media relish, as well as other types of crime that rarely get prosecuted or generate media coverage.

GUEST COMMENTARY – What is happening? The City Council’s Public Works and Finance Committees are holding a joint meeting to consider approval of the contract and environmental clearances for the new STAP/Street Furniture program. 

LA POLITICS - Two weeks ago, Councilmember Paul Krekorian introduced a motion co-authored by Councilmember Gil Cedillo seeking an opinion from the city attorney in 30 days regarding the authority of City Controller Ron Galperin to revoke Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas’ (MR-T) salary and benefits.

LA POLITICS - Eunisses Hernandez’s toppling of Los Angeles City Councilmember Gil Cedillo came as part of a progressive temblor that shook Los Angeles politics in June.

PLANNING WATCH - The 21 year old Wilshire Community Plan is part of LA’s General Plan’s Land Use Element. 

RantZ and RaveZ - The new Sixth Street Viaduct and what it has become for Commuters, Residents, and the LAPD. 

STUDENT DEBT - With only two weeks before a pandemic-related pause on federal student loan payments expires, progressive lawmakers and organizations on Wednesday reiterated demands for U.S. President Joe Biden to finally take sweeping debt cancellation action.

THE VIEW FROM HERE - Just because Los Angeles City Council operates above the law in open violation of Penal Code, § 86 does not means its members are mentally ill, just corrupt. 

LA TRANSPO - The August 10, 2022, edition of the Los Angeles Times ran an article on a ballot proposal to require bike and pedestrian lanes in the City of Los Angeles when the city's roads are paved.

A HOUSING - With interest rates and home prices at record highs, the homeownership dream feels less attainable these days.

SFV CRIME - Oh, the irony of this question coming from my fellow Angelenos is almost beyond my comprehension. Is it safe?

LABOR VIEW - Vin Scully, the Hall of Fame broadcaster, was so adept at painting a picture when describing a baseball game that Los Angeles Dodgers fans sometimes remarked that they didn’t need to see the action on television to know exactly what had happened.

ALPERN AT-LARGE - There are a few of us lucky to have known, written for, and worked with the late, great Ken Draper, founder of CityWatch (CityWatchLA.com).