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The Brief

The most important stories for you to know today
  • Federal proposal includes swaths of SoCal
    San Bernardino National Forest
    San Gorgonio Mountain in the San Bernardino National Forest. The San Gorgonio Wilderness Area would not be affected by the current Senate bill, but hundreds of thousands of acres beyond those bounds would be.

    Topline:

    Millions of acres of public lands in California and across the West could be put up for sale over the next five years under the Trump administration’s “big beautiful bill.”

    The context: More than 250 million acres of federal lands, including an estimated 16 million acres in California, would be eligible to be sold off if the budget reconciliation bill from Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican and chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, is approved. Senate Republicans set a deadline of July 4 for a vote on the bill.

    Local impact: Chunks of the Angeles, Los Padres, San Bernardino and Cleveland national forests could be on the auction block. Other areas at risk surround beloved destinations such as Yosemite and Big Sur.

    Read on ... for more details and a link to the map of the lands that could be put up for sale.

    Millions of acres of public lands in California and across the West could be put up for sale over the next five years under the legislation in Congress that President Donald Trump has called the “big beautiful bill.”

    Listen 0:42
    Federal government could put millions of acres of SoCal public land up for sale

    More than 250 million acres of federal lands — including an estimated 10 million acres in California, according to the state — would be eligible to be sold off if the budget reconciliation bill from Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican and chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, is approved. Senate Republicans set a deadline of July 4 for a vote on the bill.

    What’s in the bill?

    The bill mandates selling at least 3 million acres of public lands to “interested parties,” which adds up to an area about the size of Connecticut. States would have the first opportunity to buy the land, but the ability to do that could be affected by each state’s budget — especially, environmentalists worry, when competing with large, well-financed corporations.

    Kirsten Macintyre, a spokesperson for the California Natural Resources Agency, said the agency and the state "strongly oppose the haphazard sell-off."

    "California does not have enough funding to buy federal lands proposed for sale or to manage those lands long-term," Macintyre wrote in an email to LAist. "California is currently working to understand the extent of impacts to community safety, emergency readiness, biodiversity and culturally protected areas if the sell-off comes to fruition."

    The bill would also open new oil drilling in the Arctic and offshore drilling in the Gulf and Alaska, and eliminate funding for renewable energy projects on federal lands overseen primarily by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. Locally, chunks of the Angeles, Los Padres, San Bernardino and Cleveland national forests could be on the auction block.

    Environmentalists, elected leaders and others worry the sales could be detrimental both for people who recreate in these areas, as well as for wildlife.

     "The BLM, the Forest Service and the federal land management agencies for years have balanced development with conservation on federal public lands,” said Michael Carroll, the BLM campaigns manager with environmental group the Wilderness Society, which created a map of the public lands that could end up for sale.

    “Once they're sold, they're gone for good,” Carroll said.

    Though national parks and national monuments are exempt from the proposed sell-off, the Trump administration has indicated it may target those spaces in the future as part of its efforts to expand domestic fossil fuel production. (The U.S. has been the world’s top crude oil producer since 2018). In a recent opinion, the Department of Justice stated the Trump administration has authority to undo national monuments established by his predecessors.

    A motorist drives along a road in the mountains. Flowers bloom on the roadside.
    States would have the first opportunity to buy lands that go up for sale under the proposal, but a California representative said the state couldn't afford to purchase and maintain the lands, such as in the Angeles National Forest, seen here.
    (
    David McNew
    /
    Getty Images
    )

    Why sell off public lands?

    Lee, the Utah senator, has argued the bill would open land to build affordable housing, while reducing the budget deficit and expanding local sources of oil, gas and coal.

    Not everyone agrees. In May, House Republicans struck down a public lands sales provision that was supported by most House Republicans. But Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana pushed back, and the provision was eliminated.

    “I do not support the widespread sale or transfer of public lands. ... God isn’t creating more land,” Zinke said in a news release. “Public access, sportsmanship, grazing, tourism … our entire Montanan way of life is connected to our public lands.”

    Democrats oppose the provision in the Senate version of the bill.

    In a social media post, Sen. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, blasted the idea.

    “Republicans are attempting to ram through a provision to sell millions in acres in California, including land around Yosemite, Mt. Shasta, Lake Tahoe and Big Sur, as part of their big ugly bill,” Schiff wrote. “Our federal public treasures shouldn't be sold off to the highest bidder. I will fight this, tooth and nail.”

    California's other U.S. senator said the "proposal is riddled with anti-environment provisions."

    "If Republicans have their way, we will never get our public lands back once they are privatized," Sen. Alex Padilla said in a statement. "Our public lands and natural spaces are some of our nation’s greatest gifts, and I will do everything I can do to protect them."

    After the vote on the larger bill, it will need to go back to the House. Congressional committees are submitting their concerns about provisions in the reconciliation bill. The bill won’t become law until Trump signs the final version.

    SoCal public lands that could be affected

    Using data from the BLM, the Forest Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Park Service and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee budget reconciliation bill text, nonprofit environmental advocacy group the Wilderness Society created a comprehensive map of the lands that would be eligible for sale.

    Some Southern California areas that could be affected include:

    • More than 240,000 acres in the Angeles National Forest, largely areas that are home to old growth trees. 
    • Much of the San Bernardino National Forest, including near Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake.
    • Large swaths of the Cleveland National Forest and Los Padres National Forest.
    • Popular hiking areas such as Strawberry Creek in Idyllwild. 
    • BLM lands near Joshua Tree National Park.
    • Large portions of forest land surrounding Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
    • Large portions of the Santa Ana Mountains.
    • Portions of the Chaney Trail Corridor in Altadena. 
    • BLM lands south of Chuckwalla National Monument, which are the ancestral lands of the Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe.

    The map includes links to elected leaders for each area.

    “Republican lawmakers from California have a duty to stand up and say, ‘I'm a no on this until the public land sale provisions are taken out of the bill,’” Carroll said. “ We need people to contact their lawmakers and ask them to demand that this provision that's in the Senate bill be stripped out of it.”

  • Aims to buy land near famous bald eagle nest
    Two adult bald eagles are perched in a nest towards the top of a tall tree that's covered in white snow. A large lake can be seen beyond the eagles in the background.
    Big Bear's famous bald eagles, Jackie and Shadow, in their nest overlooking Big Bear Lake on Wednesday. Environmental organizations are launching a fundraiser to buy nearby land to preserve it from a planned housing project.

    Topline:

    Environmental organizations are launching a fundraiser to buy land in Big Bear Valley to prevent construction of a planned housing project some say would harm rare plants and wildlife in the area.

    Why now: Friends of Big Bear Valley and the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust are trying to raise $10 million by the end of July to purchase more than 62 acres of land pegged for Moon Camp. The project would include 50 lots for custom homes and a marina with 55 boat slips.

    Why it matters: Instead, the organizations want the land to be placed under a permanent conservatorship. Officials say “Save Moon Camp” is the most ambitious fundraising effort in the history of Friends of Big Bear Valley.

    The backstory: Sandy Steers, the nonprofit’s late executive director, said last fall that Moon Camp would have a “severe detrimental impact” on the community’s plant life and wildlife, including bald eagles and San Bernardino flying squirrels. Steers died last week, and Friends of Big Bear Valley said the fundraiser now is in her honor.

    Go deeper: Big Bear housing project proposal reignites habitat concerns among bald eagle fans

    Environmental organizations are launching a fundraiser to buy land in Big Bear Valley to prevent construction of a planned housing project some say would harm rare plants and wildlife in the area.

    Friends of Big Bear Valley and the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust are trying to raise $10 million by the end of July to purchase more than 62 acres of land pegged for Moon Camp. The project would include 50 lots for custom homes and a marina with 55 boat slips.

    Instead, the organizations want the land to be placed under a permanent conservatorship. Officials say “Save Moon Camp” is the most ambitious fundraising effort in the history of Friends of Big Bear Valley.

    Sandy Steers, the nonprofit’s late executive director, said last fall that Moon Camp would have a “severe detrimental impact” on the community’s plant life and wildlife, including bald eagles and San Bernardino flying squirrels.

    Steers died last week, and Friends of Big Bear Valley said the fundraiser is now in her honor.

    San Bernardino County officials voted to move forward with Moon Camp last fall, despite some community concerns about the project’s environmental impacts on the area.

    That includes the famous bald eagles, Jackie and Shadow, who nest less than a mile away. The Moon Camp site can be seen from the eagles’ nest camera on a popular YouTube livestream, which is run by Friends of Big Bear Valley and followed by thousands of fans.

    According to the nonprofit, the project would affect the bald eagles’ ability to raise chicks, and there is a “real possibility” Jackie and Shadow would leave the area altogether.

    Jenny Voisard, the organization’s media manager, told LAist it’s a “moon shot to buy Moon Camp,” but it’s the most important thing the group's members and supporters could do for Big Bear Valley.

    “And we're doing it for Jackie and Shadow,” she said, “because it will absolutely disrupt and devastate that area.”

    A view from a nest high up in a tree overlooking a large blue lake and mountains.
    The proposed project site can be seen from the nest livestream.
    (
    Friends of Big Bear Valley
    /
    YouTube
    )

    The big picture

    Friends of Big Bear Valley said Steers helped negotiate a signed agreement to buy Moon Camp from the property developer, RCK Properties Inc., with the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust. Friends of Big Bear Valley said negotiating the deal was the "most important priority Steers had."

    RCK Properties didn’t immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment.

    If the groups raise $10 million by July 31, the acres will be placed under a permanent conservatorship.

    The eventual goal is to have the land be protected under the U.S. Forest Service. The San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust has helped purchase hundreds of acres that were later added to the San Bernardino National Forest, according to the organization.

    “We need everyone to be Jackie and Shadow's hero,” Voisard said, her voice cracking with emotion.

    Donations should be made directly to SaveMoonCamp.org. The San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust kicked off the fundraiser with a $50,000 gift, Voisard added.

    Voisard said donations of all sizes are welcome. Large gifts can expect special recognition from Friends of Big Bear Valley, she added.

    Friends of Big Bear Valley is managing the fundraiser, and if it raises enough, the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust would purchase the land for preservation.

    Friends of Big Bear Valley will not receive any money in the effort, Voisard said.

    The backstory

    Moon Camp’s design in the unincorporated community of Fawnskin was first drafted decades ago, but the project has faced harsh criticism and legal challenges from Friends of Big Bear Valley and other environmental organizations.

    Steers has argued Moon Camp would have a “severe detrimental impact” on the community’s plant life and wildlife. The project site is a foraging habitat for Big Bear’s famous feathered couple, their chicks and other bald eagles in the area, she said previously.

    “ We're not trying to stop development or anything like that — we're trying to protect habitats,” Steers told LAist last September. “ We want this valley and the environment to maintain its integrity.”

    The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the Moon Camp project in July 2020, according to a staff report, but it was challenged in court a month later.

    The board voted unanimously again last September to approve parts of the project, with updates meant to address habitat and wildlife issues, according to the staff report.

    Steers said before the board’s vote last fall that the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust being able to purchase the land “would be ideal”

    “Then the developer gets their money, and nothing has to be destroyed, and the land can be protected,” she said last September.

    A woman with graying blonde hair past her shoulders is speaking into a long black microphone sticking out from a wooden podium. She's wearing a lavender-colored shirt with the image of four eagles on it.
    Sandy Steers, the late executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley, spoke against the Moon Camp project during the the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors meeting in September 2025.
    (
    County San Bernardino
    /
    YouTube
    )

  • Free museum day, Mardi Gras and more
    A colorful array of concert posters from the Fillmore in San Francisco.
    'Echoes of Gen X' is at the Gabba Gallery through April 11.

    In this edition:

    Free museum day, Mardis Gras in Venice, the Galaxy kick off their season, the Bunny Museum welcomes Scanner and more of the best things to do this weekend.

    Highlights:

    • Scanner is a very large (read: 14-feet-tall, 1,100-pound) bunny created by Chinese artist Jessie Zhao that is about to sit, appropriately, outside the Bunny Museum in Altadena. Head to the unwrapping ceremony, and make sure to do the Bunny Bump!
    • Try new types of coffee paired with pastries, all curated by third-generation roaster Amy Tang. The Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center is hosting this Lunar New Year–inspired coffee salon that celebrates creativity, renewal and community.
    • To celebrate the opening of LACMA’s exhibition SUEÑO PERRO: A Film Installation by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the museum will host the Oscar-winning director for a screening of his directorial debut, Amores Perros on its 25th anniversary in a new 4K restoration. Museum director Michael Govan will join for the Q&A. 
    • Be still, my Gen X, former SF-resident and regular-at-the-Fillmore heart. This sprawling show of band posters from the legendary Fillmore club is a trip down musical memory lane. Expect an excellent soundtrack at the opening event, or catch the show any time from now through April 11. 

    There’s no excuse not to head out to one of the city’s many excellent museums this weekend, as nearly 30 of them are free for all on Sunday. Some do require a reservation, so get clicking and plan your day here. If you’d rather be outside, the L.A. Bakery Walk is way overbooked, but who says you can’t plot your own epic doughnut walk across L.A.?

    And get ready for summer — the Hollywood Bowl just announced its full season, which includes a special farewell to L.A. Phil Conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the Blue Note Jazz Fest lineup and much more.

    A little sooner on the calendar (i.e., this weekend), Licorice Pizza has your listings, including a free Nikka Costa show in West Hollywood, Lady Gaga’s return to the Forum on Sunday, plus Lizzo settles in for her residency at the Blue Note. On Saturday, you can see Los Tigres del Norte at the Intuit Dome, the Pains of Being Pure At Heart at the Echoplex, Christopher Owens of Girls at Sid the Cat and Lights at the El Rey Theatre (she’s also playing Sunday). And the future is coming on, as Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett’s cartoon supergroup Gorillaz take over the Hollywood Palladium to play their much-anticipated ninth album, The Mountain, in its entirety on Sunday.

    Elsewhere on LAist, you can read up on all the facts about the next L.A. mayoral race, learn how farmers’ markets are tackling food insecurity, and get tickets for FilmWeek’s March 7 Oscar preview.

    Events

    Scanner unwrapping

    Friday, February 20, 10 a.m.
    Bunny Museum 
    2605 Lake Ave., Altadena
    COST: FREE; MORE INFO

    If you’re not familiar with Scanner, it's a very large (read: 14-feet-tall, 1,100-pound) bunny created by Chinese artist Jessie Zhao. And it's about to sit, appropriately, outside the Bunny Museum in Altadena. Monrovia’s Walter Zucco donated Scanner after last year’s wildfires burned the museum to the ground, and it's sure to bring joy to the community. You can say you were there at the beginning if you head to the unwrapping ceremony! Make sure to do the Bunny Bump!


    LGBTQ+ Figure Skaters

    Friday, February 20
    Junior High Los Angeles 
    603 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale 
    COST: FREE; MORE INFO 

    A poster for an event, with text reading Out on the Ice, A Queer History of Figure Skating. Images of skaters are in the background.
    (
    Courtesy Junior High Los Angeles
    )

    While Heated Rivalry has put all eyes on ice hockey’s relationship with the LGBTQ+ community, figure skating has long been seen as a haven for out athletes. But that hasn’t exactly been the case. Reporters Ari Saperstein and Chris Schleicher — who's also a former USA national team skater — will talk about their work covering the hidden history of queerness in figure skating. Perfect timing if you’re watching the Olympics and keeping up with all the skating drama on and off the ice!


    California Pen Show 

    Thursday through Sunday, February 19-22
    Torrance Marriott Redondo Beach 
    3635 Fashion Way, Torrance
    COST: FROM $20; MORE INFO

    Fear not: The internet and computers have not taken away the mighty pen! The California Pen Show is happening this weekend, and it includes classes for folks new to fountain pens, intros to journaling, tutorials on advanced calligraphy techniques and more. Spill some ink.


    Amores Perros with Alejandro Innaritu 

    Sunday, February 22
    LACMA / Academy Museum Theater
    6067 Wilshire Blvd., Miracle Mile 
    COST: $10, SOLD OUT BUT ADDITIONAL TICKETS MAY BE RELEASED AT 9 A.M. DAY-OF; MORE INFO

    A man with medium skin tone sits in a bed in a dark room with light coming in slats through the blinds. There are car stickers on the wall.
    (
    Courtesy Lionsgate
    )

    To celebrate the opening of LACMA’s exhibition SUEÑO PERRO: A Film Installation by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the museum will host the Oscar-winning director for a screening of his directorial debut, Amores Perros, on its 25th anniversary in a new 4K restoration. Museum director Michael Govan will join for the Q&A.


    Highly Favored: Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Black History Month Celebration

    Saturday, February 21, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
    The Village at Ed Gould Plaza
    1125 N. McCadden Place, Hollywood
    COST: FREE; MORE INFO

    A brown and gold poster reading Highly Favored.
    (
    Courtesy Los Angeles LGBT Center
    )

    Celebrate Black History Month with this free, joy-filled dance party on the plaza at Hollywood’s LGBT Center. Centered on queer Black joy, the party honors Pose actress Hailie Sahar and filmmaker Elegance Bratton (Move Ya Body: The Birth of House).


    LA Galaxy home opener

    Sunday, February 22, 4 p.m. 
    Dignity Health Sports Park
    18400 Avalon Blvd., Carson
    COST: VARIES; MORE INFO

    A Black man in a blue soccer uniform juggles a ball near the sideline.
    Joseph Paintsil dribbles the ball during a game between Chicago Fire FC and Los Angeles Galaxy.
    (
    Liza Morales
    /
    ISI Photos via Getty Images
    )

    The World Cup is still a few months away, but the 2026 MLS season kicks off with the L.A. Galaxy’s home opener against NYCFC. The rivals will have a few familiar faces on either side, including L.A. Galaxy legend Todd Dunivant, who is now NYCFC’s Sporting Director, and NYCFC homegrown midfielder Justin Haak, who has joined the Galaxy.


    Echoes of Gen X: The Art of The Fillmore (1980s–2000s)

    Through April 11, opening night Saturday, February 21, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
    Gabba Gallery
    235 S. Broadway, Downtown L.A. 
    COST: FREE; MORE INFO 

    A poster featuring concert posters with text overlaid reading Gabba Gallery X Relix Present Echoes of Gen X.
    (
    Courtesy Gabba Gallery
    )

    Be still, my Gen X, former SF-resident and regular-at-the-Fillmore heart. I have a small collection of these myself, but this sprawling show of band posters from the legendary Fillmore club is a trip down musical memory lane. Expect an excellent soundtrack at the opening event, or catch the show any time from now through April 11.


    Venice Mardi Gras parade

    Sunday, February 22
    The Waterfront 
    Venice Beach 
    COST: FREE; MORE INFO

    Laissez les bons temps rouler at the annual Venice Mardi Gras Parade! Don your weirdest, most colorful attire, grab some beads, then head to the boardwalk for gumbo, live music and a party atmosphere!


    Common Grounds: Exploring Coffee Through Art & Flavor

    Saturday, February 21, 10:30 a.m.
    Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center
    241 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim
    COST: $28; MORE INFO

    A banner image promoting an event called "Coffee Grounds: Exploring Coffee Through Art & Flavor."
    (
    Muzeo x Owlvericks
    )

    Try new types of coffee paired with pastries, all curated by third-generation roaster Amy Tang. The Muzeo Museum is hosting this Lunar New Year–inspired coffee salon that celebrates creativity, renewal and community.

  • Plus her picks for best vegan food in LA
    A white woman with short black hair, wearing a black scarf and gray blazer in front of a grey background that partially reads "Nominees Night."
    Diane Warren attends The Hollywood Reporter's Nominees Night at Chateau Marmont on Feb. 10 in Los Angeles.

    Topline:

    Legendary songwriter Diane Warren has been nominated 17 times for the Academy Award for best original song. Her latest nomination is for the song "Dear Me," which — in a meta turn of events — Warren wrote for the documentary "Diane Warren: Relentless," about her life. In addition to her love of music, the illuminating documentary also explores Warren's love of animals.

    The backstory: Warren is such a big animal lover that she started a private animal sanctuary called Mousebutt Rescue Ranch, named after her late, beloved cat Mouse and parrot Buttwings. Warren also is vegan and grew up in L.A. (Van Nuys) so she knows her local vegan restaurants.

    Read on ... for Warren's take on the best vegan Vietnamese food and pizza in the city.

    You probably already knew that Diane Warren — the creative mind behind hit songs like “If I Could Turn Back Time” (Cher) and “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” (Aerosmith) — is one of the most successful songwriters of all time.

    She’s an inductee into the Songwriting Hall of Fame, an honorary Oscar recipient and a Grammy and Emmy winner. According to the 2025 documentary, Diane Warren: Relentlessfor which she’s nominated for another best original song Oscar (with “Dear Me,” her nominations now total 17) — she’s written songs for more than 450 recording artists, and her music catalog is valued at over a half-billion dollars.

    The illuminating documentary about Warren’s life, love of music and approach to songwriting also explores her lesser known love: animals — from her own pets (like her late cat Mouse and parrot Buttwings) to the animals that live at her private sanctuary (fittingly named Mousebutt Rescue Ranch) in Malibu.

    Warren also is vegan, or as she puts it, “pretty much 99.9% vegan,” to account for the possibility of something like an egg ending up in a pasta dish without her knowledge.

    When Warren spoke with LAist host Julia Paskin about her latest Oscar nomination (as her birds Chicken and Charlie occasionally chirped from the other room), she also shared her favorite vegan restaurants in L.A.

    Follow Your Heart

    This Canoga Park cafe and market dates back to 1970 and Warren, who grew up in nearby Van Nuys, counts it as one of her favorite vegan restaurants.

    Location: 21825 Sherman Way, Canoga Park
    Hours: Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

    Au Lac

    Au Lac, Warren says, “which is a vegan Vietnamese restaurant in downtown L.A., [...] is kind of my favorite. It’s the best.”

    For those in Orange County, the restaurant’s original outpost is located in Fountain Valley.

    Location: 710 W. First St., DTLA
    Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 3 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m.; Closed Mondays

    Pura Vita

    Warren’s go-to spot for “great Italian”? Pura Vita in West Hollywood.

    Location: 8274 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood
    Hours: 4 to 10 p.m., Monday; noon to 10 p.m., Tuesday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 or 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

    Vinh Loi Tofu

    Vinh Loi in Reseda, which specializes in Southeast Asian cuisine, Warren says is really good for takeout. They also have a location in Cerritos.

    Location: 18625 Sherman Way, Reseda
    Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Closed Tuesdays

    Crossroads Kitchen

    Warren also recommends Crossroads Kitchen (“I was there last night”), but she sometimes regrets her choices when she goes: “I eat way too much fried stuff.”

    Location: 8284 Melrose Ave., Beverly Grove
    Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; open until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 9 p.m. Sunday

    Julie Goes Green

    “If you like pizza,” Warren says, Julie Goes Green has “the best vegan pizza in the city.”

    Location: 11140 Palms Blvd., Palms
    Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

  • Cities are tens of thousands of units behind
    Aerial view of housing in Los Angeles with a view to the city's downtown skyline in the distance.
    Aerial view of homes in Los Angeles.

    Topline:

    Southern California needs to plan for 1.3 million new homes by 2029 to keep up with demand in our region and hit state-mandated targets. All the cities within L.A. County are responsible for 812,000 in total, with 450,000 of those units coming from the city of L.A.

    So how are we doing? In 2024, L.A. County built around 28,000 units, far below the average of 101,000 a year needed to meet that bigger goal. The numbers are even lower for 2023, 2022 and 2021.

    What's preventing us from building more? In short, we made things difficult with restrictive zoning and bureaucratic red tape on permitting and approvals. Building anything new is also expensive, which affects not just how much we build, but what type of housing we're incentivizing. And then there are the debates — even though most Angelenos agree we need to build more, the real battles are over what kind of housing and where to put it.

    Go deeper: For more on the obstacles around housing development in L.A. and what you can do to make things better, sign up for our seven-issue newsletter course Building Your Block.

    Read on … to learn more about why it’s so hard to build in L.A.

    This piece is adapted from the first issue of Building Your Block, a seven-issue newsletter course that unpacks the obstacles to housing development in L.A. and what you can do to make things better. Sign up for the whole series here.

    Experts agree that L.A. County is in a housing shortage, including the state housing department, the state legislative analyst’s office, policy analysts and academics.

    This shortage, they say, is the main driver of the exorbitant rents and housing prices across Southern California. But no single policy or elected official is to blame — today’s challenges are the result of decades of building too little housing to keep up with population growth. Here are some numbers to consider: over a 40-year period since the 1970s, California added only 325 new housing units for every 1,000 people added to our population. It’s a similar story for the country at large.

    That’s why the state government set ambitious housing production goals for counties across California. The state housing department establishes new goals every eight years for how much new housing to produce. For the period from 2021 to 2029, California’s overall goal is 2.5 million new homes — more than double the target for the previous cycle.

    Southern California needs to plan for 1.3 million new homes by 2029 to keep up with demand in our region and hit the state’s targets. All the cities within L.A. County are responsible for 812,000 in total, with 450,000 of those units coming from the city of L.A.

    L.A. County is nowhere near meeting these numbers.

    Together the 88 cities in L.A. County are supposed to add about 101,500 units per year to stay on track with their goals. In 2024, they built 28,453.

    Why progress is so slow: We made it difficult to build 

    In Southern California, we built our cities out, not up. There are a lot of historical reasons for why our region ended up spread out and decentralized. Jobs opportunities grew in different areas, instead of a single urban core, and during the housing booms of the late 19th century and early 20th century, there was room to sprawl. Suburbs and single-family homes were idealized and developed in large numbers. Discriminatory housing practices, such as racially restrictive covenants, furthered segregation. Car culture spawned freeways and parking lots. This all means that today, there’s not much empty land left to build on.

    Another factor: local zoning rules. Because there isn’t a lot of empty land left, adding housing density is key — for example replacing a five-unit apartment building with a 20-unit one. But our rules restrict where we can densify housing.

    Until recently in the city of L.A., for example, it wasn't even legal to build the housing required to reach state-mandated goals. When the city received its target of building 450,000 new homes, its regulations only allowed for about half of that to be built. The city had to change its rules about what housing can be built and where.

    Building anything new takes a long time and is really expensive 

    Even if city ordinances allowed us to build more housing, a labyrinth of red tape slows down the approval process, including getting departments to review the plans and waiting for utilities to get connected.

    And when housing proposals get political, as they so often do, the process gets bogged down even more with public hearings, lawsuits, City Council discussions and so on.

    There’s also the cost of building housing. Any one of myriad factors can make prices jump: supply chain disruptions, the scarcity of materials, labor shortages, inflation and more.

    Plus, since most of the land in L.A. is already built on, to build something new you usually have to tear down existing structures first. That makes it — you guessed it! — more expensive.

    These factors don’t just affect the rate at which we’re getting new housing, but also the kind of housing we end up getting.

    We can’t get out of this crisis without building more housing 

    Plenty of other factors exacerbate the crisis we’re seeing today: Corporations or foreign investors buying up housing. The proliferation of short-term rentals like Airbnb. Gaps in rent control or other tenant protections. Empty lots or buildings that aren’t utilized.

    But housing experts agree: we still need to build. And even if building new housing can’t solve the crisis alone, we also can’t solve the crisis without it.

    Those state housing production goals we mentioned? There are consequences if cities don’t make a meaningful effort to cooperate. They could lose access to affordable housing funds, get sued, and get fined as much as $600,000 a month. The state could also take over decisions about what buildings get approved, which means L.A. residents would have less influence on new housing in their communities.

    The big questions: What kinds of housing and where? 

    Surveys show that a majority of Angelenos support building new housing.

    But where should it get built?

    And what kind of housing should it be? Subsidized apartments for low-income residents? Permanent supportive housing for formerly unhoused people? High-rises? Duplexes? All of the above and everything in between? What should be preserved, and how do we alleviate our housing shortage without worsening gentrification?

    These are the questions that underlie most local housing battles today — and the answers we choose will shape our neighborhoods for years to come.

    Weighing in on L.A.’s housing future starts with figuring out what kind of housing you want to support and where you think it should go, then figuring out what stands in the way of that. For more information to help you do that, sign up for the Building Your Block newsletter course here.