Cato Hernández
explores tangible ways people can make an impact on their lives and neighborhood.
Published November 13, 2025 5:00 AM
Baby lettuce grows in a hydroponic tower in Santa Barbara.
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George Rose
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Getty Images
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Topline:
The L.A. City Council has approved funding for a project that will teach San Fernando Valley residents how to build and run a hydroponic system to grow food indoors and outdoors.
The details: Mid Valley Family YMCA will teach residents in Mission Hills, Panorama City and North Hills about hydroponic gardening, a process whereby plants grow in water instead of soil. The program will cover skills to build your own system and best practices for planting.
The money: The nonprofit will get nearly $390,000 to run the program. The money comes from funds already set aside for L.A. REPAIR, the city’s participatory budget program, which asked Angelenos in 2023 to vote on how to spend a pot of money. The designated neighborhoods are part of the Valley’s L.A. REPAIR Zone, designated neighborhoods impacted by structural and historic racism.
The backstory: Mid Valley Family YMCA is stepping in because the original grantee dropped out recently. Another program is the works for urban farming.
SoCal Congresswoman introduces bill after LA fires
Makenna Sievertson
covers the daily drumbeat of Southern California. She has a special place in her heart for eagles and other animals that make this such a fascinating place to live.
Published February 23, 2026 3:42 PM
A man carried his dog while evacuating the Palisades Fire last January.
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Wally Skalij
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Topline:
A bipartisan bill aimed at protecting pets during disasters has been introduced in Congress, with a Southern California representative citing the rescue efforts of local organizations during last year’s L.A.-area fires.
Why it matters: The PETSAFE Act of 2026 — which stands for Providing Essential Temporary Shelter Assistance For Emergencies — would expand the use of emergency management funds so local governments can plan for evacuations that move animals to safety, as well as provide veterinary care and rescue equipment during disasters.
Why now: Rep. Judy Chu, a Democrat who represents Pasadena and Altadena in the 28th Congressional District, helped introduce the bill earlier this month with several House of Representatives colleagues, including Republican Rep. Brian Mast of Florida and Democrat Rep. Dina Titus of Nevada.Chu told LAist she’ll never forget seeing the cats, dogs and other animals with burned feet and singed fur who were being cared for by Pasadena Humane in the aftermath.on Fire
A bipartisan bill aimed at protecting pets during disasters has been introduced in Congress, with a Southern California representative citing the rescue efforts of local organizations during last year’s L.A.-area fires.
The PETSAFE Act of 2026 — which stands for Providing Essential Temporary Shelter Assistance For Emergencies — would expand the use of emergency management funds so local governments can plan for evacuations that move animals to safety, as well as provide veterinary care and rescue equipment during disasters.
Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) helped introduce the bill earlier this month with several House of Representatives colleagues, including Republican Rep. Brian Mast of Florida and Democrat Rep. Dina Titus of Nevada.
Chu, who represents Pasadena and Altadena in the 28th Congressional District, said when the Eaton Fire tore through her district, many families delayed evacuations because they couldn’t bear to leave their pets behind.
She told LAist she’ll never forget seeing the cats, dogs and other animals with burned feet and singed fur who were being cared for by Pasadena Humane in the aftermath.
“But to think, if there is even one more thing we could do to keep our precious pets safe, wouldn't we want to do that?” Chu said. “So this PETSAFE Act could go a long way towards making sure that our loved pets can indeed survive a disaster.”
About the bill
Pasadena Humane teams looked for pets and wildlife in Eaton burn zones, dropping off food and water along the way.
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Courtesy Pasadena Humane
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The PETSAFE Act now has been referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill would amend the Emergency Management Performance Grant program to increase the federal cost share for certain animal-related preparedness activities from 50% to 90%.
Supporters say this would lower barriers and make it more affordable for communities to roll out emergency protection plans for people and pets.
Specifically, the PETSAFE Act would allow state, local and tribal governments to use grant money awarded by FEMA toward pet supplies, crates, veterinary equipment, emergency generators and training, among others.
Pet owners whose homes are under disaster-related evacuation orders can be faced with an “impossible choice” — leaving their pets behind or staying home with them, which risks the owner’s own safety and complicates rescue efforts for first responders, according to Chu’s office.
The bill aims to address the challenges pet owners and first responders face without authorizing new federal spending, according to Mast’s office.
How we got here
Chu said local shelters, including Pasadena Humane, and communities across California stepped up to care for all kinds of animals during the Eaton Fire, which ignited in January 2025.
A horse was housed in the organization’s garage when Chris Ramon, Pasadena Humane’s president and CEO, ran into its owner walking down Raymond Avenue for miles.
“Part of me likes to think that this won’t happen again,” Ramon told LAist last month. “But the realist in me realizes … disaster preparedness is something that just is an ongoing conversation for us at Pasadena Humane.”
Chu also cited the work of the ASPCA, which helped more than 530 animals during the Eaton Fire, including goats, parakeets, pigs and a gecko, according to the organization.
She said local organizations did “tremendous” work and “lovingly cared for” the rush of animals affected by the fire.
“But what we would want to do is to make sure that there is an even better system for animal evacuation and ways to ensure that pets could be safe,” Chu said, adding that would relieve the burden on places like Pasadena Humane.
Other laws aiming to protect pets
This is not the first time last year’s fires have led to new legislation focused on protecting pets during emergencies.
A new state law known as the FOUND Act, which went into effect Jan. 1, was inspired by Oreo the Pomeranian, who reunited with its Pacific Palisades owner in an emotional, viral video during the Palisades Fire.
The law requires cities and counties to include procedures for rescuing pets during mandatory evacuations in their next emergency plans, which need to be updated every five years to qualify for FEMA assistance.
Robert Garrova
explores the weird and secret bits of SoCal that would excite even the most jaded Angelenos. He also covers mental health.
Published February 23, 2026 3:34 PM
Firefighters spray water onto a burning property in Altadena.
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Brian Feinzimer
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LAist
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Topline:
Citing the partial government shutdown, the Department of Homeland Security announced Sunday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency would pause non-emergency work. The move could put a freeze on reimbursements for the ongoing Eaton and Palisades fire recovery efforts.
The background: Under the public assistance program, FEMA can reimburse 75% or more of the costs of debris removal, infrastructure projects and other work in disaster areas like Altadena and Palisades. But on Sunday, the DHS said FEMA will scale back to life-saving operations only effective this week.
LA County responds: In a statement, the L.A. County Office of Emergency Management called the measures “unprecedented,” “frustrating” and “highly disappointing.” The county said the success of the firestorm recovery is dependent on timely reimbursement for ongoing and completed work.
“Delays in the administration of the FEMA Public Assistance Program affect the restoration of our communities and impact ongoing hazard mitigation for future hazards and disasters,” L.A. County OEM said in the statement.
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Destiny Torres
is LAist's general assignment and digital equity reporter.
Published February 23, 2026 2:46 PM
A bankruptcy court Monday approved KPC Group and Lendlease’s $470 million bid for the property.
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Mario Tama
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Getty Images
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Topline:
The graffiti-covered skyscrapers in downtown L.A. have a potential new owner. On Monday, a bankruptcy court approved KPC Group and Lendlease’s $470 million bid for the property.
What we know: KPC Group owns a network of eight healthcare facilities across Southern California. The California-based development company has stakes in the commercial, hospitality and healthcare sectors. Australia-based Lendlease is the original contractor for the property.
Why it matters: The troubled buildings, officially called Oceanwide Plaza, are hard to miss. The structures went viral in 2024 for their colorful graffiti. After widespread attention, the city of Los Angeles also had to spend millions to secure the property.
How did we get here? Construction on the buildings stopped in 2019 after money troubles, and the developer — Oceanside Holdings — was forced to file for bankruptcy in 2024.
Officials say: Dr. Kali P. Chaudhuri, founder and chairman of the KPC Group, said in a statement that the purchase marks a milestone in improving that part of downtown. “We are eager to work in partnership with the City of Los Angeles and the Downtown community to move quickly on what is truly a keystone project for Downtown revitalization and that will deliver economic benefits across the region,” he said.
What’s next? The purchase is subject to final court approval, which officials expect sometime this year.
Jill Replogle
covers public corruption, debates over our voting system, culture war battles — and more.
Published February 23, 2026 2:05 PM
A home for sale sign in front of a house in Huntington Beach.
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Allen J. Schaben
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Topline:
The U.S. Supreme Court will not review a lower court’s ruling that Huntington Beach has to comply with state housing mandates.
The backstory: The Orange County beach city filed suit against California in 2023 in an effort to fight the state's order to make way for 40,000 new homes. Last year, a federal appeals court ruled against the city.
Huntington Beach’s argument: The city had argued that since it’s a charter city, which gives it some autonomy from the state, it should not have to comply with state housing law. The Ninth Circuit didn’t buy that argument, and now, the Supreme Court has declined to review that decision. LAist has reached out to the city for a response to the high court’s decision.
State applauds decision: In response to the decision, state Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement: “After years of meritless resistance that has wasted taxpayer dollars, Huntington Beach can no longer claim that the U.S. Constitution is on its side. It is not.”
What’s next? Huntington Beach has also lost its housing battle in state court. The city is now facing a looming court-imposed deadline in mid-April to zone for 13,368 new homes. Until then, the city’s authority to approve or deny local changes to land use is restricted.
