LA Forward

There are lots of reasons it’s difficult to build housing for homeless people in Los Angeles. One of them shouldn’t be city officials standing in the way of a project — especially one already approved twice by the City Council. But that’s the outrageous situation that has trapped the Venice Dell project in pre-development hell since 2017. It will be up to this City Council and the mayor to show city residents that they are serious about building affordable housing and getting homeless people off the streets. Killing the Venice Dell project says the opposite. City officials decry homeless people dying on the street as disgraceful. Letting a project die that would house some of them is just as disgraceful.

New episode! Scott, Hayes, and I reflect on the five-year anniversary of the pandemic — with clips from our March 2020 episode "SoCal Distancing." Plus, a "scathing" homelessness audit, LAPD response times, and the brazen corruption of Operation Dirty Pond.

Check out today’s new episode of LA Podcast with Alissa Walker Scott Frazier & Hayes Davenport. The three original LA Pod hosts look back on how the pandemic has changed LA, five years later. Then, a scathing audit of homelessness services at the city and LAHSA, a famous content creator’s burglary raises questions about LAPD response rates, and the brazenness of Huntington Park’s corruption scandal, “Operation Dirty Pond.” Listen wherever you get your podcasts https://lnkd.in/gNiayRcv

Need your fill of commentary and analysis on LA public affairs? Catch the latest episode of LA Podcast with Alissa Walker Rachel Reyes and me. We discuss the vote to support the firing of LAFD Chief Crowley, a right-wing recall effort against the mayor, the city’s fiscal crisis and more. (One of my observations: don’t underestimate Mayor Bass or count her out yet.) Brought to you by LA Forward. Wherever you listen to podcasts: https://lnkd.in/dJ3KYpdk And then on Tuesday, check out the latest episode of What’s Next, Los Angeles, where I interview Los Angeles City Attorney candidate Marissa Roy.

Deputy CA Attorney General Marissa Roy thinks the L.A. City Attorney should be the lawyer for the people, and not the special interests. Yesterday, she announced she is challenging the scandal-plagued incumbent, Hydee Feldstein Soto in next year's election. We have the first interview with her on the latest episode of What's Next, Los Angeles? Brought to you by LA Forward. Wherever you listen to podcasts. https://lnkd.in/g6gMdxBG

Need your fill of commentary and analysis on LA public affairs? Catch the latest episode of LA Podcast with Alissa Walker Rachel Reyes and me. We discuss the vote to support the firing of LAFD Chief Crowley, a right-wing recall effort against the mayor, the city’s fiscal crisis and more. (One of my observations: don’t underestimate Mayor Bass or count her out yet.) Brought to you by LA Forward. Wherever you listen to podcasts: https://lnkd.in/dJ3KYpdk And then on Tuesday, check out the latest episode of What’s Next, Los Angeles, where I interview Los Angeles City Attorney candidate Marissa Roy.

LA Forward community members plugged into a lot of local housing justice work in 2024: advocating for Venice Dell; building a movement for social housing; supporting funding initiatives like Measure A; pushing for affordable housing in single-family-zoned areas; and more. On Saturday, March 15, from 10am-3pm, we're getting organized for 2025! We invite all our community members interested in housing justice advocacy across LA City and LA County to come in-person for community-building, to hear from local?housing justice groups about upcoming opportunities for change in 2025, and decide how they'd like to be involved in the coming months. Lunch provided. RSVP: https://lnkd.in/e3vddVTR

Immigrants have been, are, and will continue to be an integral part of the fabric of our LA communities! Many of us have been attending (or holding) Know Your Rights trainings, joining rapid response networks, and engaging with some level of direct support, but what policy solutions can be passed locally to support immigrants? Join us as we learn from leaders of the Immigrants Are LA coalition about their work to support and protect immigrants through policy -- and maybe you'll get some new ideas for fighting for justice in LA! RSVP: https://lnkd.in/gxtffnGk

Are you passionate about local government and ready for a career change? We're launching a new academy in March just for you!?LA Forward Institute’s City Hall Academy?aims to build a pipeline of talented and effective leaders to staff progressive LA City Council offices.?The academy will train community members whose career trajectories have prepared them to be strong candidates for jobs as City Council staffers through?six full-day Saturday workshops. Applications are due February 14. Get more info and apply at https://lnkd.in/gkratbxT

On a special episode of LA Podcast recorded live on Zoom last Thursday, Alissa Walker, Rachel Reyes and I discuss the fires, the response, and where LA goes next. Also joining: Eater LA reporter Mona Holmes on Altadena, Hayes Davenport on housing & Faizah Malik on emergency housing initiatives. Brought you by LA Forward. https://lnkd.in/gztp2a_x