The Brief

Facing a nearly $1 billion budget shortfall, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass is calling for major cuts to city resources that focus exclusively on addressing the local effects of climate change.

The cuts call for:

• Eliminating the city’s landmark climate action office, called the Climate Emergency Mobilization Office, or CEMO. That includes potentially cutting the city’s first chief heat officer, Marta Segura, who directs the office. The city declined to provide further details to LAist about what her role may be if the office is cut.  
• Downsizing the Office of Petroleum and Natural Gas, including: 
  
  • Cutting one position in the oil and gas well compliance program, which oversees pollution from oil wells in the city. 
  • Cutting one position in the oil amortization program, which is tasked with helping the city figure out how to phase out urban oil drilling over the next few decades.
• All in all, eight positions are proposed to be cut across the two offices, which is estimated to save the city about $950,000. The emergency mobilization cuts make up the bulk of those savings — about $750,000.

The move comes after the most destructive fires in L.A. history that were made worse by human-caused climate change.

The proposed cuts have alarmed local environmental justice and public health advocates who have worked closely with the city on these programs.

“I can’t believe it,” said Miguel Miguel, former director of the grassroots environmental justice group Pacoima Beautiful and now director of Sierra Club California. “Not only did we just go through the worst fires we’ve seen in a long time, but all the environmental justice organizations that are trying to fight climate change consistently in Los Angeles now just got told that this is not as important as the other things we have to pay for.”

A spokesperson for the city told LAist that Bass remains "committed" to climate action and that the city will continue to coordinate progress across city departments.

What does the Climate Emergency Mobilization Office do? 

Established in 2019 in a unanimous vote by the L.A. City Council, the office is considered the first of its kind in the world.

Since then, the office has led extreme heat education campaigns, been creating a comprehensive heat action plan, and worked across city departments to develop policies to transition buildings (which account for 40% of the city’s emissions) to cleaner energy in an equitable and affordable way, among other things.

“The last thing we should be doing is cutting the very office tasked with coordinating climate efforts across departments,” Alex Jasset, energy policy lead for the non-profit Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles, wrote in an emailed statement to LAist. “We strongly encourage the mayor to reconsider the proposed budget to include funding for this critical office.”

The idea of the office is to streamline the city’s approach to climate action by establishing an office solely focused on bringing together often-siloed city departments, developing a heat action plan and centering the concerns of communities most impacted by environmental pollution.

The office was established in large part due to advocacy from communities most directly affected by environmental pollution and extreme heat.

Marta Segura, who grew up on the front lines of environmental pollution in San Jose, was appointed director of the office and then became the city’s first chief heat officer. She is the only city official who focuses exclusively on the effects of worsening climate change, including working across city departments and with community-based organizations to address the health effects of extreme heat in L.A.

LAist reached out to Segura for comment, but a Climate Emergency Mobilization Office spokesperson said she was not authorized to speak with reporters because the budget proposal is not final. It’s not yet clear what will happen to her position going forward, and city officials would not provide further details to LAist.

“ Climate work is not just in the realms of climate,” said Miguel, “and the [Climate Emergency Mobilization] office was our chance to really connect and unify that work in one location to help the city of Los Angeles move forward.”

What effect would these cuts have? 

Officials and advocates worry the cuts could hinder climate progress in the city, including losing a state grant to help with extreme heat action and reducing more than half of the staff tasked with overseeing oil wells in the city.

Vahid Khorsand, the president of the city’s Board of Public Works, which oversees the Climate Emergency Mobilization Office and the Office of Petroleum and Natural Gas, expressed his concerns in a letter to the city responding to the budget proposal.

Khorsand wrote that the proposed cuts to the Office of Petroleum and Natural Gas would end already-funded efforts to monitor air quality around oil and gas drilling sites and to develop a “public transparency dashboard for oil and gas company compliance.” The planned cuts would also “delay or completely halt” work to develop a plan to phase out oil drilling in the city, he wrote.

Khorsand added that the proposal to eliminate the climate office would also require the city to forfeit a $750,000 state grant to create L.A.’s first heat action and resilience plan. Such plans can help the city prepare for the effects of climate change long-term, and receive certain types of funding for efforts such as planting trees, assisting with utility bills, and developing other strategies to address the worsening impacts of extreme heat, particularly in the hottest areas of the city that have long faced disinvestment.

“Should this office be deleted, ... community resources and education provided by this office to the most vulnerable communities who face the impacts of climate change and extreme heat would be eliminated,” Khorsand wrote.

The city’s response 

The mayor’s spokesperson, Zach Seidl, wrote in an emailed statement to LAist that “with an $800 million deficit, there are only difficult choices.”

He emphasized that, despite the proposed cuts, Bass remains committed to climate progress.

“The mayor’s office has a robust office of Energy and Sustainability led by Deputy Mayor Nancy Sutley working on various equitable climate action goals and initiatives including with the environmental justice communities,” Seidl wrote. “Mayor Bass is committed to her bold climate goals and despite a tough budget cycle, is unwavering in her commitment to a sustainable and green future for Los Angeles.”

Seidl also pointed to the mayor's "climate cabinet," which is made up of 15 city departments that convene periodically to coordinate climate action priorities.

What’s next?

Public comment can be provided in person at upcoming hearings about the budget proposal, which are scheduled for the following dates:

• Friday, April 25 at 1 p.m, at Van Nuys City Hall
• Monday, April 28, at 4 p.m. at L.A. City Hall
• Thursday, May 1, at 9 a.m. at L.A. City Hall (this hearing is specifically discussing the elimination of the Climate Emergency Mobilization Office)

Members of the public can also provide comments online. The council file number for the proposed budget is 25-0600.

Millions of dollars from workers’ unions and special interest groups are flowing to the Orange County Board of Supervisors races this year.

The Board of Supervisors is O.C.’s powerful governing body, controlling a $10 billion budget for critical departments such as social services, public health and public works. The board also sets laws and oversees more than 16,000 county employees.

The five-member board is nonpartisan, but its members have drawn criticism and praise for their political party affiliations, especially during election season. This November, two seats are up for grabs, and county Republicans see the potential for seizing control of the board from its current three-member Democratic majority.

LAist looked at who is financing their campaigns and how much they're putting down. The latest deadline to submit campaign finance records was Thursday. Here’s what we know.

How much did each candidate raise? 

In District 4, which represents Brea, Buena Park, Fullerton, La Habra, Placentia and others, Connor Traut is running against Tim Shaw.

Shaw raised nearly $58,000 in the last year, according to recent filings. Traut raised over $200,000 — three times as much as his opponent.

For District 5, which represents Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, San Clemente and others, incumbent Supervisor Katrina Foley is facing Republican Assemblywoman Diane Dixon.

In the last year, Foley raised nearly $480,000, just short of Dixon’s $514,000 in contributions.

Who are the big spenders? 

Outside groups have spent more than $2 million on Board of Supervisors races. Some of the highest amounts came from workers’ unions and political donor groups during this campaign cycle.

The firefighters' union spent more than $575,000 on the board elections — about $380,000 in support of Traut and $195,000 in support of Foley. The union has endorsed both candidates, according to Traut and Foley’s websites.

The Orange County Employees Association, which represents more than 11,000 of the county’s rank-and-file employees, spent more than $330,000 in support of Foley and over $30,000 in opposition to Dixon. The union also spent nearly $76,000 in support of Traut.

The Lincoln Club of Orange County spent over $448,000 — about $333,000 in opposition of Foley and about $115,000 in support of her opponent, Dixon. The Lincoln Club is a major conservative donor group that has had deep influence in California politics for more than 60 years.

The Democratic Party of Orange County has spent about $135,000 in support of Traut and about $77,000 in support of Foley. Among the biggest donors to the local party are the Orange County Professional Firefighters Association at $160,000 and the Orange County Employees Association at $65,000.

What’s next? 

Ballots for the Nov. 3 General Election go out early next month. LAist has a full voter guide here.

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed into law four bills aimed at curbing a startling rise in DUI fatalities in recent years, including measures that make it easier to charge repeat drunk drivers with a felony and, if they kill someone, with murder.

The legislation follows a CalMatters series that revealed the state was unable — or unwilling — to get dangerous drivers off the road before it was too late. Many kept driving recklessly even after killing someone, and some even killed again.

The bills were the last ones standing from an initial package of 17 aimed at addressing traffic deaths. Most failed in the face of fierce opposition from progressive groups that argued increasing enforcement and penalties will disproportionately harm low-income and historically marginalized residents, and are not the best way to address traffic safety.

While some of the bills that passed were pared back during the legislative process, the new laws still notably increase potential penalties for repeat DUI offenders in a state that’s historically had some of the weakest DUI laws in the country.

“The fact that four bills got through to the finish line leaves me very hopeful that California is ready for change and sees the need to make the state safer,” said Jennifer Levi, whose 18-year-old son Braun was killed in May 2025 by a suspected drunk driver with a prior DUI arrest. “I have mixed emotions. My victory is the result of losing a child and I’d do anything in the world to have my son back alive with our family. But I cannot let this happen to other people.”

Levi became a fierce road safety advocate after her son’s death, working with Mothers Against Drunk Driving and pushing state leaders to act. She partnered with state Sen. Bob Archuleta, a Democrat from Norwalk on a bill to significantly increase criminal penalties for repeat drunk drivers. Archuleta’s own granddaughter was killed by a drunk driver. Levi said Newsom and his wife came to her home recently to mark the signing of the bill.

A photo, showing the smiling first couple along with Archuleta and Levi in her dining room, was included with the bill signing announcement.

The resulting law will make it easier to charge drunk drivers with murder if they have a prior DUI arrest – which had been difficult if the previous DUI charge had been pled down to a lesser crime. The law will also increase the criminal penalties for drivers who kill someone in a hit and run if they had a prior DUI at the time of the fatal crash.

“Having lost my granddaughter to a repeat drunk driver, this is personal. No family should have to endure what mine has, or what has happened to the Levi family,” said Archuleta, according to the statement announcing the bill signing. “Thank you to Governor Newsom for taking bold action to support families that have been devastated by drunk drivers. These are preventable tragedies. Nothing will ever bring my Samantha back or bring Braun back to the Levi family, but in signing SB 907 California is finally stepping up for victims.”

Other bills the governor signed included one from Assemblymember Nick Schultz, a Democrat from Burbank. That new law will allow prosecutors to charge a third DUI within 10 years as a felony. Previously, it wasn’t until a fourth DUI that law enforcement could seek the stiffer charges.

Newsom also signed into law two bills from Assemblymember Tom Lackey, a Republican from Palmdale who spent years working as a California Highway Patrol officer before joining the Legislature. One increases the points that most drivers convicted of killing someone while driving drunk get on their license from two to three. The bill initially would have increased the points for all vehicular manslaughter convictions and not just those involving intoxication, but it was watered down during the session. Lackey’s other successful bill requires the DMV to revoke a driver’s license for six years if they drive drunk and hurt someone after having four prior DUIs.

While the bills do increase penalties for drunk driving, several road safety measures failed this session as the state grapples with a more than 50% increase in alcohol-related roadway deaths over the past decade. One measure that notably failed would have required first-time DUI offenders to install in-car breathalyzers. Most states have such a requirement, but California only mandates the devices for repeat offenders.

In a signing statement accompanying one of the bills, Newsom referenced his office’s work on that failed bill saying that “the Legislature should return to that broader effort next year” and work on “comprehensive, long-term framework for DUI sanctions” that are clear and consistent.

Jennifer Levi says she’ll continue pushing the Legislature to act.

“I’m ready to keep fighting, there’s more work to be done,” she said.

This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Los Angeles fire investigators stopped short of identifying what caused the June fire at the Lineage warehouse in Boyle Heights. The news this week leaves the question of who will ultimately be held responsible for the costly cleanup and harm suffered by residents unresolved.

People affected by the fire want the city to help recover their costs and hold companies involved accountable for the damage done. They also want stronger protections in place against similar crises in the future.

Mayor Karen Bass and the City Council have repeatedly asked the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office to advise them on what legal options are available.

Three months after the fire sent toxic smoke into the air and left 88 million pounds of rotting food to be removed, it’s unclear what, if anything, the city attorney’s office has done in response to those requests.

A City Council motion shows that City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto was supposed to brief the council within 15 days in closed session about possible litigation. She has yet to do so, and when she does, it’s unlikely the public will be provided the report or a summary of its details.

Councilmember Ysabel Jurado ushered that motion through the City Council, asking the city attorney to report in closed session what legal options are available, including potential civil claims, cost-recovery strategies and action against Lineage Logistics or any other responsible party. Her spokesperson said the City Council has not received that report.

When asked about this, a spokesperson for Feldstein Soto told The LA Local, “We do not comment on pending investigations or litigation.” When we followed up, they stopped responding.

The city attorney’s powers are no secret, and both candidates for city attorney say the office should be more transparent. They have also vowed to take a more public approach to holding Lineage and other companies accountable for the fire if elected. 

So, what can the city attorney do?

The Los Angeles city attorney is an independent elected official who does not report directly to the mayor. The mayor and City Council can ask the city attorney to investigate or pursue litigation, but the city attorney has the final say. 

The office is responsible for prosecuting some misdemeanor crimes, providing legal advice to elected officials and city agencies, defending the city in civil litigation and reviewing possible policy changes when needed.

California’s unfair competition law gives the city attorney the authority to investigate businesses believed to have broken the law, deceived the public or engaged in unfair practices. The city attorney can proactively investigate those concerns. The law also allows the city attorney to pursue unfair competition cases on behalf of Californians.

Those vying to be the next city attorney say they will use that authority to pursue an investigation of the Lineage warehouse fire. 

Marissa Roy, one of two candidates for city attorney, has worked in civil rights and corporate accountability law for both the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office and the California Department of Justice. She has worked on cases ranging from small-business wage theft to California’s $17 billion settlement with tech giant Meta. 

Marissa Roy is running for Los Angeles city attorney.

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Courtesy of the Marissa Roy campaign

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John McKinney, who currently serves as a deputy district attorney, is running against Roy.

Roy said she would have publicly announced an investigation into the cause of the fire on day one, and plans to if elected. That investigation would center on who started the fire, if building conditions might have made the fire worse or more difficult to put out and if the companies involved deceived the public about what they knew about the fire and its hazards.

“The decision whether or not to investigate Lineage Logistics and associated companies and to begin this type of litigation lies with one elected official alone: the city attorney,” Roy told The LA Local.

John McKinney is running for Los Angeles city attorney.

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Courtesy of the John McKinney campaign

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McKinney also said he would publicly announce an investigation if elected, adding that the people living in this neighborhood should not have to fight for justice on their own.

“My office will work with investigators to examine every potential violation, including applicable fire, building, safety and hazardous-material laws,” he told The LA Local. “If the evidence supports criminal charges, we will pursue them.”

What the law says about corporate accountability

The law empowers the city attorney to pursue accountability from companies that have harmed the people of L.A. But it doesn’t end there. If the investigation finds a broader pattern of misconduct outside city limits, the city attorney can investigate that too.

“These kinds of actions are not just for the people of the city but for people all over the state,” said Ted Mermin, executive director of UC Berkeley’s Center for Consumer Law and Economic Justice. 

Such cases, Mermin added, can lead to restitution for the direct losses people suffered, a court order for companies to make corrective actions to the way they do business and civil fines to pay for remediation and future enforcement efforts.

“The whole goal of that lawsuit would be to prevent any of the responsible companies from engaging in negligent behavior or unlawful behavior again, but then also to win back recovery that could be reinvested in communities,” Roy said.

If this suit is successful, any damages won from the suit could fund future greening projects, pollution cleanup and projects that build health resources for the communities that were harmed, Roy added.

McKinney similarly said that the goal of such a suit would be to aid the communities most harmed. 

“We will also use every appropriate civil, environmental and public-nuisance remedy to compel a timely cleanup, recover public costs and ensure those responsible—not the community—pay for remediation and recovery,” McKinney added.

What could accountability look like for the Lineage fire?  

Who is responsible for the fire is still openly being debated. After the cleanup was finished, Lineage Logistics sued solar contractors, Altus Power and Pearce Services, which it claims are responsible for the fire. Those companies denied the allegations.

LAFD concluded its investigation on Tuesday and reported that the fire appeared to have started on the roof of the building near electrical equipment but did not determine what caused it. 

The city attorney, however, can open a broader investigation into the conduct of businesses and their leadership before and after the fire. The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office has pursued similar cases in the past.

In 2015, Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer sued Wells Fargo over allegations it incentivized bankers to fraudulently open accounts to boost its numbers. It resulted in a $185 million settlement with the city. The U.S. Attorney’s Office eventually found similar fraud by the bank around the country, leading to a $3 billion settlement and more consumer protections.

Feldstein Soto has pursued cases under unfair competition law in the past. She filed a suit against a group of companies alleged to have operated a short-term rental price-gouging operation about two months after the 2025 wildfires. The suit is ongoing.

Meanwhile, Angelenos affected have filed individual and class-action lawsuits against Lineage and related businesses in a piecemeal attempt to recover damages for the harm they experienced.

But no focused legal effort has been publicly launched by the city attorney in connection with the Lineage warehouse fire. 

Roy said the city is not using all of its resources to lead amid the crisis that unfolded when the fire broke out.

“The full potential of the City Attorney’s Office is exactly in these situations where we can vigorously hold corporations accountable for endangering our communities,” Roy said. “That’s how we prevent this in the future, how we are able to make people whole, and are able to address the harm they’ve experienced.”

McKinney said the city attorney’s response to the fire has not been fast enough.

“When a company’s conduct puts people’s health, homes, businesses or quality of life at risk, the City Attorney must act decisively,” he said. “As a career prosecutor, I believe the City must follow the evidence wherever it leads, enforce the law without fear or favor, and pursue every available remedy against those legally responsible.”

Roy said that too often the most vulnerable Angelenos have been left to fend for themselves in moments of crisis. Corporate pollution, she said, isn’t just an environmental justice issue. “It’s a racial justice issue and it’s an economic justice issue.”

“These communities are communities that have been consistently ignored and underserved,” Roy added. “And it’s not fair to continue to expect them to take on some of the largest companies in the country.”

A group of residents is forming a neighborhood watch group after the LAPD reported at least six home burglaries over a three-week period this summer in the Leimert Park and Angeles Mesa neighborhoods of South L.A.

LAPD said this represents a sharp rise in home burglaries for areas that are usually quiet.

The burglary-related incidents were reported between Aug. 16 and Sept. 10, and stretched from 46th Street to 52nd Street between 6th and 11th Avenues, according to LAPD’s crime data. The data included incidents involving individuals most likely climbing through open windows or an unlocked side door.

Concern for safety and frustration came to a head at a Sept. 14 meeting, where locals gathered at Galilee Baptist Church for the group’s second monthly meeting. The nearly two-hour gathering gave neighbors an opportunity to share experiences, compare surveillance footage and discuss ways to protect the community.

Jeffrey, who lives on 6th Avenue and did not provide his last name for privacy and safety reasons, said most incidents occurred during daylight hours, when residents may have been at work or picking up children.

“I’ve lived here over 10 years, and this is the first time that I’ve felt like a big ramp-up of this happening,” said Jeffrey, whose home was burglarized last month. “We’ve personally contacted our representatives, trying to get them and I’ve filed burglary reports with the local police department. I’ve gotten zero response.”

During the meeting, some residents said surveillance footage appeared to show the same group of individuals targeting homes in the neighborhood. LAPD is aware of the individuals suspected of these crimes, according to Paul Evleth, a senior lead officer with LAPD’s Southwest Division.

In one Sept. 7 incident, a suspect reportedly left after realizing someone was home. On Sept. 10, officers stated that one suspect was known to LAPD from an earlier burglary arrest.

The most recent break-in took place Sept. 17 in the 4700 block of Van Ness Avenue, according to Evleth. The resident found shattered glass, indicating the windows and doors were locked, Evleth said.

Jackie, who also did not provide her last name for privacy and safety reasons, told The LA Local her home was burglarized earlier this month. She wants a City Council representative to visit the neighborhood and hear directly from residents.

The areas affected by these burglaries are in L.A. City Council District 8, represented by Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson.

Residents gather at Galilee Baptist Church on Sept. 14, 2026, to discuss how to combat a rise in burglaries in their South LA neighborhoods.

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LaMonica Peter

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The LA Local

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Cerrina Tayag-Rivera, a spokesperson for Harris-Dawson, responded via email to residents’ concerns.

“No one should feel unsafe in their homes, and our office is working with law enforcement to ask for increased patrols and ensure all investigations are pursued,” Tayag-Rivera wrote, adding that residents can reach out to their district office at (213) 485-7616 with questions or concerns.

“We want to serve as a resource for our residents, connecting them with everything they need to feel safe,” she wrote.

However, Jackie, one of the residents who attended the meeting, said “it would serve him [Harris-Dawson] to have one of his staff come into our neighborhood to hear about the frequency of this happening and for them to also invest in community safety.”

Liz Norris, one of the organizers of the neighborhood watch group, said they’re “just asking for help” in making their community safe where people can walk freely with their dogs and families.

Evleth recommended that residents have surveillance cameras installed inside and outside of their homes, in addition to a professionally installed security system. If an alarm company contacts the resident, having interior cameras allows them to see inside the home remotely and if someone may still be inside.

If you see someone who appears to be watching your or a neighbor’s home, alert neighbors, call 911 or (877) 275-5273.