The Brief

The flood tragedy in Texas has claimed over 100 lives — including at least 27 girls and staff at a summer camp — with an additional 161 people reported missing as of Tuesday.

It’s one of the nation’s deadliest floods this century and is spotlighting the growing numbers of flood deaths in the U.S., driven by heavier rainfall as the warming atmosphere holds more water.

Southern California has not been immune to serious injuries and deaths from floods.

In the wake of the tragedy in Texas, LAist set out to get answers about our local situation here.

We found that while flood infrastructure has come a long way since historic disasters, a warming climate is contributing to more frequent, powerful storms that heighten the risk of flooding in Southern California. Officials are six years behind schedule to fix one of the riskiest dams in the nation, sitting just above cities right here in Southern California.

But experts say there are steps you can take to protect yourself should disaster strike.

Flood infrastructure has improved a lot — but rainstorms are getting wetter, and local areas still flood 

Flooding used to be a regular occurrence in Southern California, both from rains and — in one major case — a manmade disaster.

Nearly a century ago, L.A. County suffered the deadliest dam failure in U.S. history. Design flaws caused the St. Francis Dam to collapse in 1928, killing at least 431 people from a flood that swept from Santa Clarita to Ventura.

The region has upgraded its flood control system since then by building major dams, water-holding basins and channelizing major rivers with concrete.

Some areas of the region do still flood during major storms — including one in 2005 that killed 10 people in a landslide and caused hundreds of millions in damage.

Even the modern infrastructure can still be inundated by a massive rainstorm.

“That system may be overwhelmed by a storm [that’s] the size and scope of what we've seen in Texas and what may be forecast as a hundred-year event,” said Kerjon Lee, a spokesperson for the L.A. County Public Works, which manages flood control systems across the county.

Major rainstorms are getting wetter, increasing flood risk

Storms that used to be expected once every 100 years are getting more frequent, experts say.

Frances Edwards, who oversaw emergency preparedness for the cities of San Jose and Irvine, said that, thanks to climate change, we can expect these 100-year storms — like the recent one in Texas — more frequently and in places we wouldn’t expect to be at risk.

“Just because it didn’t happen before, doesn't mean it can’t happen now,” she added. “The warmer the ocean gets, the warmer the air gets. The warmer the air gets, the more moisture it holds, which means there’s more moisture in the clouds when it rains, [and] as the ocean warms, we are going to see much wetter weather than before.”

The county’s draft hazard mitigation plan for 2025, which was made available for public comment this spring, says major rainstorms are expected to worsen with climate change, with a 95% chance of a flooding event each year in L.A. County. The draft plan is expected to go to the county Board of Supervisors for final approval.

We’re home to one of the nation’s highest-risk dams for major flooding

In 2016, the Whittier Narrows Dam above Pico Rivera was designated in the highest risk category nationally for failure — deemed by an official study to be “unsafe” and “critically near failure.”

Failure of the dam could be catastrophic, according to the county’s previous hazard mitigation plan from 2020.

“An intense storm could prematurely open the dam’s massive spillway and flood the area below from Pico Rivera to Long Beach,” the county plan states.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages the dam, classified it as the “highest dam priority nationally because of the risks ‘due to the combination of loss of life with a very high likelihood of failure” during a rare flood event.

An Army Corps construction project to fix the dam was expected to finish by 2025, the county plan stated.

The work is now six years behind schedule, with an estimated completion in 2031, a spokesperson for the city of Pico Rivera told LAist in an interview.

The Army Corps of Engineers did not have someone available to answer questions on Tuesday, according to a spokesperson.

But Pico Rivera spokesperson Javier Hernandez described to LAist the latest briefing the city got from the Army Corps and its contractor.

Major construction is expected to start late next spring and early summer, and be completed by the end of 2031, Hernandez said. The Army Corps cited the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downturn, supply chain shortages, and increased costs to obtain the large amount of raw materials as the main reasons for the delay, he said.

At the same time, Hernandez said heavier rainfall is “testing the limits of the dam.”

“The big challenge the Army Corps has outlined is, building such a significant project while trying to best plan for weather and weather conditions,” Hernandez said. “Hopefully, we don’t have the 500-year storm between now and completion of this project.”

How to prepare and protect yourself from flooding

Edwards, the former emergency planning director, said it’s important to pay close attention to weather forecasts and news reports before and during major storms — and to evaluate the area around your home for flood risks.

“Look at your environment, and ask yourself, if there’s a whole lot of rain that’s going to come in a hurry, is it going to come racing down the side of that mountain…or is it going to clog up storm drains in my area? What’s my risk in my location?” she said.

L.A. County emergency officials set up ready.lacounty.gov to help prepare for all kinds of disasters, including floods, said Lee of the public works department.

The flood preparation page includes links to maps of flood risks in the region.

“Severe flooding could happen almost anywhere in L.A. County. Just because you live adjacent to the L.A. River doesn't mean that there's not risk there,” Lee said.

People should try to keep three to four days of food and supplies at home in case they get stranded and are awaiting help, Edwards said. It’s also good to arrange in advance to have multiple people check in to make sure you’re OK, she said.

If someone doesn’t communicate back, that’s a trigger they may be stranded and to contact authorities, she said.

“You should still have a buddy system, so somebody knows that they haven’t heard from you,” Edwards said. “Asking for help is extremely important for everybody. I don't care how young and able-bodied you are.”

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Since 1977, Richard Santillan has been to every Opening Day game at Dodger Stadium. 

“The tradition goes from my father, to me, to my children and grandchildren. Some of my best memories are with my father and children here at Dodger Stadium,” Santillan told The LA Local, smiling under the shade of palm trees near the entrance to the ballpark Wednesday morning. He was there to protest the team less than 24 hours before Opening Day.

Santillan, like countless other loyal Dodgers fans, is grappling with his fan identity over the team’s decision to accept an invitation to the White House and owner Mark Walter’s ties to ICE detention facilities.

More than 30 people joined Santillan on Wednesday morning for a press conference held near 1000 Vin Scully Drive to convey a message directly to the team. 

“We are demanding the Dodgers stop participating in funding of inhumane treatment of families and do not go to the White House to celebrate with the criminal in chief,” Evelyn Escatiola told the crowd. “Together, we have the power to make a change.”

Escatiola, a former dean of East Los Angeles College and longtime community organizer, urged fans to flex their economic power by “letting the Dodgers know that we do not support repression.”

Jorge “Coqui” Rodriguez, a lifelong Dodgers fan, spoke to the crowd and called on Dodgers ownership to divest from immigration detention centers owned and operated by GEO Group and CoreCivic.

Jorge Coqui H Rodriguez speaks at a press conference outside Dodger Stadium on March 25, 2026, to demand the Dodgers not to visit the White House following their 2025 World Series win.

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J.W. Hendricks

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The LA Local

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In a phone interview a day before the protest, Rodriguez told The LA Local he did not want the Dodgers using his “cheve” or beer money to fund detention centers. 

“They can’t take our parking money, our cacahuate money, our cheve money, our Dodger Dog money and invest those funds into corporations that are imprisoning people. It’s wrong,” Rodriguez said. 

Rodriguez considers the Dodgers one of the most racially diverse teams and said the players need to support fans at a time when heightened immigration enforcement has become more common across L.A.

The team’s 2025’s visit to the White House drew ire from the largely Latino fan base, citing the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on immigrants. 

In June, the team came under further scrutiny when rumors swirled online that federal immigration agents were using the stadium’s parking, which immigration authorities later denied in statements posted on social media accounts.

The team again came under fire after not releasing a statement on the impacts of ICE raids on its mostly Latino fan base at the height of immigration enforcement last summer. The team later agreed to invest $1 million to support families affected by immigration enforcement.

When he learned the Dodgers were pledging only $1 million to families in need, Rodriguez called the amount a  “slap in the face.” 

“These guys just bought the Lakers for billions of dollars and they give a million dollars to fight for legal services? That’s a joke,” Rodriguez said. “They need to have a moral backbone and not be investing in those companies.”

According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times, former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershawsaid last week that he is looking forward to the trip.

“I went when President [Joe] Biden was in office. I’m going to go when President [Donald] Trump is in office,” Kershaw said. “To me, it’s just about getting to go to the White House. You don’t get that opportunity every day, so I’m excited to go.”

The Dodgers have yet to announce when their planned visit will take place. 

Santillan sometimes laments his decision to give up his season tickets in protest of the team. His connection to the stadium and the memories he has made there with family and friends will last a lifetime, he said. On Thursday, he will uphold his tradition and be there for the first pitch of the season, but with a heavy heart.

“It’s a family tradition, but the Dodgers have a lot of work to do,” he said.

A local favorite mom-and-pop bookshop in Eagle Rock is facing displacement due to a steep rent hike. The owners say theirs is just one of several small businesses along Eagle Rock Boulevard struggling to keep up with lease increases.

Over the past 19 years, many in the neighborhood have come to love READ Books for its eclectic collection of used titles and shop dog Florence.

Co-owner Jeremy Kaplan said it’s been a delight to grow with the community over the years.

“Like seeing kids come back in, who were in grade school and now they’re in college,” Kaplan said.

But the building where Kaplan and wife Debbie rent was recently sold, and the rent increased by more than 130% to $2,805 a month, Kaplan said. He told LAist it was an increase his small business simply could not absorb.

Kaplan said he originally was given 30 days notice of the rent increase. After some research, assistance from Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s office and some pro-bono legal help, Kaplan said he pushed back and got the 90-day notice he’s afforded by state law.

California Senate Bill 1103 requires landlords to give businesses with five or less employees 90 days’ notice for rent increases exceeding 10%, among other protections.

Systems Real Estate, the property management company, did not immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment.

What can small businesses do? 

Nadia Segura, directing attorney of the Small Business Program at pro bono legal aid non-profit Bet Tzedek said California law does not currently allow for rent control for commercial tenancies.

Outside of the protections under SB 1103, Segura said small businesses like READ Books don’t have much other recourse. And even then, commercial landlords are not required to inform their tenants of their protections under the law.

“There’s still a lot of people that don’t know about SB 1103. And then it’s very sad that they tell them they have these rent increases and within a month they have to leave,” Segura said.

She said her group is seeing steep rent hikes like this for commercial tenants across the city.

“We are seeing this even more with the World Cup coming up, the Olympics coming up. And I will say it was very sad to see that also after the wildfires,” Segura said.

Part of Bet Tzedek’s ongoing work is to advocate for small businesses, working with landlords who are increasing rents to see if they are willing to give business owners longer leases that lock in rents.

What’s next 

After READ Books posted about their situation on social media, commenters chimed in to express their outrage and love for the little shop.

While he looks for a new spot, Kaplan says he’s forming a coalition of local businesses and activist groups to see what can be done to help other small businesses facing similar displacement. He wants to address the displacement issue for businesses like his, which have made Eagle Rock the distinctive neighborhood that it is today.

Owl Talk, a longtime Eagle Rock staple selling clothing and accessories in a unit in the same building as READ Books, is facing a “more than double” rent increase, according to a post on their Instagram account.

Kaplan said he’s been in touch with the office of state Assemblywoman Jessica Caloza and wants to explore the possibility of introducing legislation to set up protections for small businesses like his, including rent-control measures or a vacancy tax for landlords. Kaplan said he also reached out to the office of state Sen. Maria Durazo.

By his count, Kaplan said there are about a dozen businesses within surrounding blocks that are at risk of closing their doors or have shuttered due to rent increases or other struggles.

When READ Books was founded during the Great Recession, Kaplan said he knew it was a longshot to open a bookstore at the same time so many were struggling to stay in business.

“It was kind of interesting to be doing something that neighborhoods needed. That was important to me growing up, that was important to my children, that was important to my wife growing up,” Kaplan said.

“And then somebody comes in and says, ‘We’re gonna over double your rent.”

Topline:

Frozen budget: Most of the city’s Bureau of Street Lighting budget comes from an assessment that people who own property illuminated by lights pay on their county property tax bill. The amount people pay depends on the kind of property they own and how much they benefit from lighting. A typical single-family home currently pays $53 annually, and in total, the assessments bring in about $45 million annually for the city to repair and maintain streetlights. Changing the amount the Bureau of Street Lighting gets from the assessment requires a vote among property owners who benefit from the lights.

Ballots: L.A. City Council’s vote gives city staff the green light to prepare and send out those ballots. Miguel Sangalang, who oversees the bureau, said at a committee meeting earlier this month that he expects to send out ballots by April 17. Notices about the ballots will be sent out prior to the ballots themselves.

Near unanimous vote: L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez was the only “No” vote Tuesday, saying she wanted to see a more current strategic plan for the bureau. Sangalang said the bureau developed a plan in 2022 that lays out how money will be spent. Councilmember Imelda Padilla was absent for the vote.

Vote count: Votes will be weighted according to the assessment amount. Basically, the more you’re asked to pay yearly to maintain streetlights, the more your vote will count. Ballots received before June 2 will be tabulated by the L.A. City Clerk.

How much more money: According to a report, the amount needed in assessments from property owners to meet the repair and maintenance needs of the city’s streetlighting in the next fiscal year is nearly $112 million.

Use of the money: Sangalang said at a March 11 committee meeting that the extra funds would be used to double the number of staff to handle repairs and procure solar streetlights, which don’t face the threat of copper wire theft. That would all potentially reduce the time it takes to repair simple fixes down to a week. Currently, city residents wait for months to see broken streetlights repaired. The assessment would come with a three-year auditing mechanism.