The Brief

Officials urged people in L.A. County to stay vigilant as the second of two atmospheric rivers continues to soak the region, causing floods, downed trees, debris flows and other hazards ahead of what is expected to be another full day of rain on Tuesday.

So far, Los Angeles County has been the hardest hit since the storm parked itself over the region, causing debris flows and widespread flooding.

The storm is expected to head southeast on Tuesday over Riverside and San Diego counties. L.A., meanwhile, will keep getting drenched. An additional 3 to 6 inches is possible before things start to dry out Wednesday.

Downtown L.A. saw 4.1 inches of rain, breaking the previous daily rainfall record of 2.55 inches set in 1927. Sunday was the 10th wettest day in L.A. history.

However, those rainfall totals are mild compared to what we've seen at other weather stations. More than 10 inches of precipitation has fallen on Topanga and Woodland Hills in the western San Fernando Valley.

"Stay safe and off the roads. Only leave your house if it is absolutely necessary," L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said at a news conference Monday.

As of noon Monday, the L.A. Fire Department had rescued trapped motorists, responded to 130 flooding incidents, and 49 reports involving mud and debris flows, officials said.

At around 9 p.m. Sunday, 16 residents were evacuated from nine Studio City homes after a mudslide damaged two structures on Lockridge road. And L.A. firefighters evacuated people from at least three homes affected by debris flows on West Boris Drive in Tarzana. A landslide on Beverly Crest damaged at least six homes, forcing the evacuation of 15 people.

More than 7,200 LADWP customers were without power as of midday.

Flood watches and warnings are in place from Santa Barbara to San Diego counties through Tuesday as the heavy rain is expected to continue.

These long, sustained periods of rain are characteristic of El Niño storms. Warmer than normal waters off the coast — often associated with the climate phenomenon — are juicing our recent storms by sending more heat and water into the atmosphere.

Keep scrolling to see more information on rainfalls, landslides and other critically important information about the storm.

A man walks his dog on the edge of the Los Angeles River, carrying stormwater downstream Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024.

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Damian Dovarganes

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AP

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Areas of high concern

• The southbound 405 Freeway at Moraga Drive, where a rock slide is blocking an outside lane.
• The 5 Freeway's southbound connector to the 110 Freeway is blocked by a rock slide.
• San Bernardino County officials are concerned about the potential amounts of snow falling in the mountain communities from Arrowhead to Big Bear. You'll recall that last year, massive amounts of snow paralyzed the communities, stranding people in their homes, destroying a local grocery store and making it difficult for people to get food and services. They are expecting 2 to 4 feet of snow above 7,000 feet and up to 10 inches in the 5,000 to 6,000 foot level.
• The Lost Hills Sheriff's Station says all roads going to and from Malibu are having rock and mud slides. Malibu Canyon Road is closed between Malibu Crest and Mulholland Highway.
• Sheriff's officials advise against driving on Kanan Dume Road, Topanga Canyon and other area roads.
• Caltrans has closed State Route 23, aka Westlake Boulevard south of East Potrero Road due to flooding.
• Pacific Coast Highway between Warner and Seaport in Huntington Beach is closed due to flooding.

Rainfall totals

As of 4:30 p.m. Monday:

• Topanga: 11:34 inches
• Woodland Hills: 10.97 inches
• Bel Air: 11.64 inches
• Downtown L.A.: 7.01 inches
• Santa Monica: 6.62 inches
• Pasadena: 6.07 inches
• Ventura: 3.63 inches
• Santa Barbara: 3.88 inches
• Mt. Baldy: 7.68 inches

These are particularly impressive totals, given that our average yearly rainfall in the L.A. area tends to land somewhere between 12 to 15 inches.

Don't be surprised if we see long standing rainfall records fall.

Reports of landslides

It's not uncommon for rocks and mud to flow off steep hillsides and onto roads during heavy rains, and debris flows were reported across the region overnight. Additional incidents are likely as the day progresses.

• Studio City: Two homes damaged by mudflow, with a total of 16 residents evacuated from nine homes. Heavy equipment has been brought out to help clear the road.
• Tarzana: Three homes damaged by a mudflow and two people evacuated from a home.
• Beverly Crest: Seven homes have been damaged by debris flow and 15 people were evacuated.
• Topanga Canyon: A mudflow has closed a portion of the canyon.
• Southbound 5 Freeway to southbound 110 Freeway, and Riverside Drive on-ramp: Closed due to mudflow.
• 405 Freeway just before Sunset: Small debris flow has closed the offramp.
• Agoura Hills: Small mudslides at Cornell road and Eagleton street.
• Malibu: 10-foot boulder reported on northbound Malibu Canyon Road just north of Pacific Coast Highway.
  

The LA River

Social media has been inundated with videos of the Los Angeles River gushing with water as historic rains pummel Southern California.

But Jon Sweeten, a reservoir regulation engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, said videos of the Los Angeles River seemingly on the verge of overflowing shouldn't necessarily be cause for alarm.

“People see a lot of water in a channel that they see that's normally dry and they go, ‘Oh my goodness, there's a lot of water,’” he said. “That's just the channel operating in the way it was designed.”

The system, Sweeten added, “is designed to hold some of the water behind the dams and release it into concrete line channels that will convey the flow very effectively to the ocean.”

Since the 51 miles of river pass through different cities, at the time it was built, they were responsible for building bridges within their respective boundaries. Locals at the time asked for a narrow river so that it would be cheaper to build the bridges while also preserving more developable land.

“In order to make the system work well, they designed it so that it flowed very fast so — the system flows much faster than a natural stream would flow,” Sweeten said. “Which is why it's dangerous for people to stand on the concrete in the L.A. River, because water up to your ankle is capable of knocking you off your feet.”

Up in the mountains

So far, snow levels have been quite high, mostly above 7,000 feet. They'll fall to about 5,500 feet by Monday night, bringing snow to popular mountain areas.

Big Bear could see 6 to 8 inches, while Wrightwood could see 12 to 18 inches.

Higher mountain peaks like San Jacinto (10,834 feet) could get around 1 to 3 feet of snow, while Mt. San Antonio (10,064 feet) could get 4 to 6 feet.

The eastern San Gabriel mountains and the San Bernardino County mountains are under a winter storm warning until 10 p.m. Tuesday for areas above 6,000 feet.

Travel is expected to be difficult, if not impossible. Higher mountains could see winds up to 70 mph, which can damage trees and knock them onto roadways. If you must head in or around these areas, pack emergency supplies in your car just in case.

The Mount Wilson observatory closed Saturday until further notice because of the weather. Mountain High Resort was also closed Monday, but is expected to reopen on Tuesday.

The Angeles National Forest is urging people to stay away from the area at least for the next few days. Very hazardous conditions are expected, including heavy rain, fast-moving landslides, snow, and flooding.

Evacuations

Los Angeles County

• An evacuation order is in effect for homes and businesses along La Tuna Canyon Road near the burn scars from the Land Fire in 2022. More info here.
• Evacuation order was issued Saturday night through 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, for the area of Topanga Canyon along Santa Maria Road north of Topanga Canyon Boulevard in the Owen Fire burn scar. Officials said: "Immediate threat to life. This is a lawful order to leave now. The area is lawfully closed to public access."
• Evacuation order for the Agua Fire Burn Area in Soledad Canyon, east of Acton.
• Evacuation warnings are in effect Sunday morning through 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 6, for areas near the Bobcat Fire (north end) and Lake Fire burn scars.
• An evacuation warning is in effect Sunday afternoon through 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 6 for the area in the Fish Fire burn scar in the city of Duarte.
• Evacuation warnings are also in effect Monday afternoon through 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 6 for areas of Culver City’s Upper Crest area due to potential mud or debris flows. The city is asking people who live above, below, or adjacent to a hillside in or below the Upper Crest neighborhood to take extra precautions.
• More info here.

Orange County

• A voluntary evacuation warning was issued for Silverado Canyon, Williams Canyon and Trabuco Canyons due to heavy rains.
• Canyon residents were strongly encouraged to prepare and voluntarily evacuate on Sunday, especially those with disabilities, access and/or functional needs, and canyon residents with large animals.
• More info here

Ventura County

• Evacuation orders were issued for Matilija Canyon, North Folk, Camino Cielo in Ojai.
• Evacuation warnings have been issued for a number of communities in Ojai and Camarillo.
• More info here.

Santa Barbara County

• Evacuation orders are in effect for:
  
  • Properties along waterways associated with the Thomas, Cave and Alisal burn areas.
  • Properties in the vicinity of Sycamore Creek, from Stanwood Dr. down to parts of Ninos Dr., in the city of Santa Barbara.
  • All state campgrounds including Gaviota, Refugio, El Capitan and Carpinteria
  • More info here.

• San Bernardino County and Riverside County
  
  • From the Yucaipa Police Department: Evacuation warning due to potential mud and debris flow for El Dorado and Apple fire burn scars.

Schools

• Los Angeles Unified School District announced that all schools will be open on Monday with the exception of Topanga Elementary Charter and Vinedale College Preparatory Academy. Topanga students may report to Woodland Hills academy at 8001 Ledge Avenue in Sun Valley, while Vinedale students may report to Glenwood Elementary School.
• Santa Monica and Malibu Unified schools are expected to open Tuesday.
• Long Beach Unified released this statement on Sunday afternoon:
  "While there are currently no plans to close schools, in the event of any impacts or changes to scheduled plans, families from the affected schools will receive direct communication via text and email. Additionally, updates will be promptly posted on the school websites and social media platforms."
• Santa Barbara Unified and Santa Maria Joint Union High School District have both preemptively cancelled classes and activities for Monday.

Universities

• UCLA- Normal operations. Classes will occur as usual
• USC- Normal operations. Classes will occur as usual
• Cal State Fullerton is pivoting to remote classes on Monday. Staff are encouraged to work remotely. The faculty will have access to offices and facilities as the campus will remain open.
• UC Santa Barbara has instructed faculty to move to remote instruction or reschedule classes. Any staff impacted by weather (including if a child’s school closes) should be allowed to work remotely or “request time off”
• Cal State Long Beach said it expects normal operations and classes to resume on Tuesday.
• Cal Poly Pomona is moving to remote classes and remote work for non-essential employees on Monday. The university says "The campus will remain open and minimally staffed, including University Housing, the Library, Centerpointe and student health services. We will provide an update via email and on the safety and emergency web page by the end of business on Monday regarding operating plans for Tuesday, February 6, 2024."
• Cal State Northridge remains open, but on-campus in-person classes are cancelled. Course instructors will determine whether courses will shift to online instruction or alternative assignments.

The forecast for coming days, as of Sunday morning.

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Courtesy National Weather Service

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Here's what rainfall totals are forecast to be in coming days:

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Courtesy NWS San Diego

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High winds are also expected to be an issue:

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Courtesy NWS Los Angeles

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Emergency proclamations and preparation

The powerful storm moved L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath to sign an emergency proclamation Sunday night for the region. She said the move will align the county with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s emergency order and help the county act quickly to deploy resources.

“We had to proclaim a local emergency today following the governor’s statewide emergency declaration. We wouldn’t do that if this was something to ignore,” Horvath said.

San Bernardino County also declared a state of emergency Sunday night in anticipation of extreme rain and snow expected through Wednesday.

“This declaration puts the state and federal government on notice that our residents will need their help,” said San Bernadino County Supervisor Dawn Rowe.

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said the city is prepared to weather the effects of a potentially catastrophic storm. Bass declared a local state of emergency on Monday.

“This has been a tough day for our city,” Bass said Monday evening.

A man and his dog were rescued from the Pacoima Wash near Foothill Boulevard via helicopter after he jumped into the water after his dog. LAFD Fire Chief Kristen Crowley said both the man and the dog are safe now.

Bass said more than 100 unhoused people had to be evacuated from a tiny home complex. She added that they’re being moved into a nearby shelter that wasn’t being used, but now will be “instantly” filled.

Bass also answered a call from President Joe Biden towards the end of Monday’s news conference and held the phone up to the microphone so he could speak to the people of Los Angeles.

“We’ll get any help on the way as soon as you guys request it, so just let me know,” Biden said.

Mandatory evacuations have been issued for certain areas of L.A. and Santa Barbara counties.

Why LAUSD plans to be open Monday

L.A. Unified Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said based on Monday's forecast, schools will remain open tomorrow morning, unless weather conditions change. District officials said they issue an update at 6 a.m. Monday.

Carvalho said in a news conference Sunday that the schools will remain open because "they are the places where many of our kids receive their nutrition."

However, Vinedale Elementary School, which is in an area in Sun Valley that is under mandatory evacuation, will be shut down. Students will report to Glenwood Elementary School about a mile away.

Heavy rains are expected to continue through Monday morning, with some of the most intense downpours expected between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m.. The National Weather Service is warning of "life threatening flooding, damaging winds and heavy mountain snow," and has revised the expected rain totals to up to 8 inches across the greater L.A., and up to 14 inches in the mountains and foothills, through Tuesday.

"Los Angeles County now seems to be the area of most concern where the heaviest rain will last the longest," said Ryan Kittell at the National Weather Service.

Flooding and other dangers are expected for across the state. California officials warned that the Southern California coastline — including Los Angeles and San Diego metro areas — would likely see the most severe damage.

"These next storms are going to be impactful and dangerous, and most of the damaging impacts most likely to our coastal and southern regions," said Nancy Ward, director of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services. "They're the most dangerous natural disasters that we have, killing more people from storm damages and flooding than wildfires every year."

More ahead

Residents in mountain, canyon and coastal areas should prepare for the risk of debris flows and flooding to remain at least through Tuesday.

Those in landslide prone areas like the Palos Verdes Peninsula should be on the lookout for indications of land movement, including the formation of new cracks, the fracturing of underground utilities, doors and windows falling out of plumb and sounds of creaks and groans coming from the ground.

Sandbags are available at all Los Angeles Fire Department locations. Sand is also available at select other locations, and updates on availability can be checked here.

Los Angeles County Fire Department locations also have sandbags and sand.

Sand and sandbags are available at these locations in Orange County.

Understanding National Weather Service warnings

Here’s an excerpt from our guide to understanding flood warnings, if any are issued:

• Flood advisories are how the NWS begins to raise the alarm. The goal is to give people enough time to take action.
• Flood watches are your indicators to get prepared to move.
• A flood warning is issued when a hazardous weather event is imminent or already happening. When one is issued for your area, you need to get to higher ground immediately.
• A flash flood warning is issued when a flash flood is coming or in progress. Flash floods are sudden and violent floods that can start within minutes.

Read more: Flash Flood Warnings? Watches? Here’s What You Need To Know

Tips for driving in the rain

Advice on driving in the rain:

• Check weather and road conditions all along your planned route
• Slow down
• Keep a wider-than-usual distance between your vehicle and the one in front
• Don't drive through standing water — as little as 12 inches of rushing water can carry away most cars, and two feet can carry away SUVs and trucks.
• Make sure tires are fully inflated
• Check windshield wiper blades and replace if necessary

Read more: What You Should Do If You End Up Driving In A Flooded Area

Downed tree, power line or flooded road?

Dial 911 if it's an emergency.

However, if you need to report a flooded road or a downed tree, you can call the following non-emergency numbers:

• L.A. City: Dial 311 for a flooded road or downed tree. Call (800) DIAL-DWP if you see a downed power line.
• L.A. County: (800) 675-HELP
• Ventura County: (805) 384-1500
• Orange County: (714) 955-0200 or visit here.

If you're in L.A. County and need sand bags you can find some at local fire houses.

Staying safe when the winds are high

• Watch for traffic signals that may be out. Approach those intersections as four-way stops.
• Make sure you have a battery-operated radio and flashlights. Check the batteries to make sure they are fresh. Use flashlights for lighting during a power outage; do not use candles because they may pose a significant fire hazard.
• If you’re in a vehicle with a fallen power line on it, stay in the vehicle and remain calm until help arrives. It is OK to use your cellphone to call 911. If you must leave the vehicle, remember to exit away from downed power lines and exit by jumping from the vehicle and landing with both feet together. You must not touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Then proceed away from the vehicle by shuffling and not picking up your feet until you are several yards away. 
• Water and electricity don’t mix. Water is an excellent conductor of electricity. Do not step in or enter any water that a downed power line may be touching.
• Do not use any equipment inside that is designed for outdoor heating or cooking. Such equipment can emit carbon monoxide and other toxic gases.
• If you use a generator, place it outdoors and plug individual appliances directly into it, using a heavy-duty extension cord. Connecting generators directly to household circuits creates “backfeed,” which is dangerous to repair crews.
• Leave the doors of your refrigerator and freezer closed to keep food as fresh as possible. Place blocks of ice inside to help keep food cold. Check food carefully for signs of spoilage. 
• Check on your neighbors to make sure everyone is safe.

Tips on staying warm

• State law requires residential units to have heating systems that can keep indoor temperatures at a minimum of 70 degrees. That means every dwelling unit and guest room offered for rent or lease should offer heating equipment, usually central air conditioning (A/C) or a wall heater. — Caitlin Hernández
• Use heat smartly to save money: Cranking things like the A/C and wall heaters can be expensive. If money is tight, be judicious about how and when you use your utilities. For example, only use heaters at night or only set the thermostat to around 70 degrees.
• Open and close those vents: If you have central A/C, look at where the vents are around your home. Are any open in places where you don’t stay long? Practice opening and closing those so warm air only goes where you need it (most vents should have a small toggle lever). Humidifiers can also help you warm things up — and it’s useful to add moisture into our dry air.
• Adjust your wall heaters: If you have a wall heater, you can change the output by adjusting the knob (usually at the bottom). Since wall heaters can only warm the areas where they’re placed, it’s essential to close doors to rooms you won’t be in so hot air doesn’t get wasted.
• Turn on your ceiling fan (really): If you have a ceiling fan, try turning it on. This sounds counterintuitive, but there’s science behind it. The direction a fan turns can push air in different directions, and since hot air floats up, you’ll want to move that around. Your fan should spin clockwise to create an updraft to circulate. Not all fans will have this option, though.
  

Sign up for emergency alerts

• L.A. City: Notify L.A.
• L.A. County: Ready L.A. County
• Ventura County: Ready Ventura County
• Orange County: AlertOC
• Riverside County: AlertRivCo

How we're reporting on this

George Kiriyama, a senior editor, is tracking the storm and adding updates along with Kevin Tidmarsh, a producer, and Fiona Ng, LAist's weekend editor. Other LAist staff members will be keeping a close eye on how the storm is affecting various parts of the region.

This is a developing story. We fact check everything and rely only on information from credible sources (think fire, police, government officials and reporters on the ground). Sometimes, however, we make mistakes and/or initial reports turn out to be wrong. In all cases, we strive to bring you the most accurate information in real time and will update this story as new information becomes available.

Your questions or ideas

A federal judge ordered the Department of Homeland Security to stop using “coercive” and threatening language to convince unaccompanied immigrant children to agree to deportation, court documents show.

The judge said earlier this week that by using threats of prosecution and coercive language, the U.S. government violated a 40-year-old court order that bans immigration agents from attempting to coerce unaccompanied children to voluntarily leave the country after being detained.

In a separate order, the court also denied government lawyers’ request to end those same longstanding protections.

The two decisions were issued Monday by Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald, who wrote in the orders that the government’s threat of prolonged detention for immigrant children who choose not to self-deport “disturbingly mirrors the testimony” of Jose Antonio Perez-Funez, whose trial in 1985 led the court to first order the protections for children the following year. Perez-Funez and others in that class action case testified that they were not informed of their rights to apply for bail or asylum, leading them to involuntarily waive their rights while they were detained by immigration agents as children.

Mark Rosenbaum, a lawyer for the nonprofit law firm Public Counsel has been representing immigrant children who were detained by the government for decades and helped win the 1986 court order in the Perez-Funez case.

He said the case has now shown new evidence that the Trump administration has no intention of respecting the rule of law.

The administration’s goal, as Rosenbaum sees it, “is to amp up [deportation] statistics of children who represent no threat to the national interest, who are among the least culpable individuals on the planet.”

LAist reached out to DHS for comment but has not heard back.

The language that has been banned

Last October, LAist reported that DHS had begun targeting unaccompanied children with a “voluntary option” to return them to their countries of origin. Through court documents in the current case, more has been confirmed about how this so-called “voluntary option” was actually presented to children.

Unaccompanied children who are detained for suspected immigration violations are first held by DHS, before generally being turned over to Office of Refugee Resettlement, or ORR, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services. At ORR, children are required by federal law to be provided a confidential legal consultation within 10 days, along with other support.

Court documents show DHS was presenting children with the option to self-deport, along with threats of prosecution and prolonged detainment if they refused, before they were transferred to ORR and guaranteed the chance to speak with an attorney.

Fitzgerald wrote that presenting this ultimatum to children violated the 1986 court order.

“It is difficult to imagine a scenario more coercive than the one faced by [unaccompanied immigrant children] in the 72 hours before they are transferred into ORR custody,” Fitzgerald wrote in court documents, “particularly for noncitizen children who likely do not know whether they possess any rights at all.”

According to evidence presented in court, children were told that if they did not accept voluntary deportation, they would be detained “for a prolonged period of time” and if they turned 18 years old while in custody they would “be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal.”

They were also told they may be “barred from legally applying for a visa” and that their sponsor in the U.S. “may be subject to criminal prosecution” if they didn’t agree to voluntary deportation.

This information was read to children or presented to them in a document DHS called the “UAC Pathway Processing Advisal”, but Rosenbaum told LAist he sees even the document’s name as misleading.

 ”It wasn't an advisal, it was a coercive document,” Rosenbaum said. The government has admitted it used the document since September 2025, according to the court order that now bans its use.

How did it come to this?

Rosenbaum said that after the 1986 court order, which also requires unaccompanied children to be allowed telephone access to relatives or legal support, organizations like Public Counsel and  the National Immigration Law Center monitored the government’s compliance with the order.

Other than a few exceptions, he said, the injunction had been followed until recent years.

“  When the Trump administration began its immigration activities in the second term of the president,  that all changed,” Rosenbaum said, “and it changed in a hurry.”

Court records show that DHS notified the court last November that they would be asking for the 1986 court ordered protections for children in the department’s custody to be ended. When organizations monitoring compliance with the order saw this, Rosenbaum said they investigated and found that in nearly all circumstances, children were no longer allowed to talk to lawyers and were being coerced to take voluntary departures from the country.

Despite the court order, Rosenbaum said, children were “separated from family, separated from their communities and separated from their constitutional rights.”

Peter McGraw, deputy legal director at the National Immigration Law Center, told LAist that the court order was issued to specifically protect children’s Fifth Amendment rights to due process.

He said that when unaccompanied children arrive in the U.S., they don’t have an adult there with them to help them understand their decisions about whether to pursue a number of protections that may keep them from being deported.

“ What due process requires is that the government provide children with notice of their ability to apply for asylum or for other protections — withholding from removal or protection from removal under the convention against torture — to ensure that they are not sent back to countries where they would be in danger,” McGraw said.

The Aquarium of the Pacific is putting out a call for donations to raise $50,000 for a surgery to save the front flipper of its newest green sea turtle, Meatloaf.

The 240-pound turtle was taken to the aquarium in January after being found entangled in fishing line and rope in the San Gabriel River.

For two months, she has undergone rehabilitation and several surgeries to nurse her front-right flipper back to health. Dr. Lance Adams, the aquarium’s director of veterinary services, said the plan is to keep Meatloaf for at least another six months as they redress her wounds.

Dr. Lance Adams watches Meatloaf, a green sea turtle, swim in a rehabilitation tank at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach on Wednesday. The turtle was rescued from the San Gabriel River after she got tangled in fishing line and rope.

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Thomas R. Cordova

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Long Beach Post

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Wide as a manhole cover and several times the size of the facility’s former tenant, Porkchop, Meatloaf is the latest ward at the aquarium’s newly expanded turtle rehabilitation center — one of two able to care for them in Southern California.

Right now, Meatloaf’s swollen flipper is more than twice the size it should be. Adams said aquarium staff repeatedly have cleaned out the wound and used a number of methods to drain it. Past surgeries were done to remove scar tissue that had built up.

But Meatloaf’s fluid buildup, called edema, persists and likely will require reconstructive surgery. It’s hard to tell, Adams said, as turtles are slow to heal.

Turtles tended to at the aquarium include loggerheads, leatherbacks, ridleys and green sea turtles, which arrive on the coast and warmer waters each summer to mate, nest and battle natural and human-made threats: speedboats, water skiers, baited hooks, urban runoff, tons of garbage and harassment.

Green sea turtles like Meatloaf can grow up to five feet long and weigh 500 pounds. They typically have tropical haunts — sandy beaches along the Mexican coast where they lay eggs.

But in recent decades, the chunky oddballs have continued to wander upstream, usually in search of food, toward the San Gabriel River’s mouth in Long Beach. Aquarium officials say there can be a dozen to nearly 100 turtles in the river at a time.

They eat almost anything they can clamp their mouths on, including snails, eel grass and — to the ire of scientists — rotting garbage along the waterway floor.

It’s an unfortunate circumstance that volunteers with the aquarium’s Southern California Sea Turtle Monitoring community science program see on a weekly basis.

But it’s not all bad. Adams said workers have seen their most recent graduate, Porkchop, at least three times since the three-flipped turtle left their waters and ventured out on her own.

Each time, they’re sure to say hello.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Boyle Heights residents have seen it all when it comes to finding a place to park: cars in the red, blocked driveways, double parking and even people sitting in lawn chairs to save a spot. At times, disputes over parking spots have escalated into arguments between neighbors. 

The longstanding struggle for parking in the neighborhood only seems to be getting worse as more developments go up across the city — often with limited parking — and multi-generational households share space. Many people have memorized their block’s street sweeping schedules and no-parking zones to avoid a ticket. 

That frustration is showing up in the data.

A city of Los Angeles parking violation sits on the windshield of a car near Michigan Avenue and Cummings Street in Boyle Heights on Wednesday, March 18.

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Laura Anaya-Morga

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Boyle Heights Beat

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Parking tickets in Boyle Heights have increased at a rate much higher than the city of Los Angeles as a whole, making it one of L.A.’s most ticketed neighborhoods, according to an analysis of city data by Crosstown. Residents say they aren’t sure what could help remedy the issue but acknowledged that multiple parking tickets feel even heavier as gas and grocery prices rise. 

What the numbers show

Last year, Boyle Heights was the sixth-most ticketed community among the city’s 114 neighborhoods, receiving a total of 60,695 citations, an average of 5,057 per month. 

Between 2023 and 2025, the number of parking tickets handed out across the city of Los Angeles increased by 4.9%. In Boyle Heights, however, the rise was more than three times that — the 60,695 citations dispensed in 2025 was 17.6% more than two years prior, the Crosstown analysis of public parking citation data shows. 

A bar graph showing years 2023 through 2025 where parking tickets increase by year from 51,627 to 60,695.

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Courtesy of Crosstown LA

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That is likely an undercount, as city citation data is not available after Dec. 14, 2025 (the Los Angeles Department of Transportation was unable to identify why this happened or when it will be fixed). Even so, the increase in Boyle Heights surpasses that in some other frequently ticketed neighborhoods. Van Nuys registered an increase of 4.5% during that time, while citations in Hollywood fell by 9.6%.  

Some areas suffered even sharper rises: Tickets in downtown and Koreatown rose 21% and 33.5%, respectively.

Hernan Gabriel, who has lived in Boyle Heights for 10 years, said parking hasn’t always been easy, but tickets have been part of his routine. 

On a recent afternoon, he stood outside his home near Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and Chicago Street, keeping an eye on the time before street sweeping restrictions began.

“This is my first ticket of the year,” Gabriel said, as he pulled a $73 parking ticket from the dashboard of his truck that he received in February.

Hernan Gabriel received a $73 parking violation in February for failing to move his vehicle for street sweeping near Cesar E Chavez Avenue and Chicago Street.

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Laura Anaya-Morga

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Boyle Heights Beat

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But it hasn’t been his only one. In 2023, he racked up over $2,800 in parking tickets while working deliveries downtown.

“Since I received those tickets, I’ve been paying closer attention,” Gabriel said. While he has access to a parking spot at his home, many of his neighbors don’t. 

A disproportionate impact

Not only are tickets increasing in Boyle Heights, but residents are being cited at higher rates than in much of the city. 

People in the neighborhood of roughly 81,000 residents received 60,695 citations last year — about 0.75 tickets per resident. 

Citywide, the rate is significantly lower: 0.48 citations per resident, based on 1.87 million tickets issued across Los Angeles. 

The types of violations also mirror city trends but at higher concentrations.

Approximately one of every four tickets written in Boyle Heights is for parking in a street sweeping zone — a $73 infraction. Last year, 16,776 such tickets were issued.

The second-most frequent infraction is parking in a red zone — a $93 hit. In Boyle Heights, these made up 20.9% of the community’s total, well above the citywide rate of 12.4%.  

A pie chart showing types of parking violations in 2025.

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Courtesy of Crosstown LA

)

Stephanie Sanchez, a lifelong Boyle Heights resident, has gotten used to the struggle of looking for a spot and avoiding parking tickets.

“It’s expensive,” she said. “I’ve noticed people from a couple blocks away coming to park here or people who live here going a couple blocks away just to park because it is so cramped.”

Last year, Sanchez received five parking tickets totaling over $350. 

“[I could] buy more groceries, lots of things for my day-to-day living. It would help with gas because gas is ridiculous right now,” she said.

What LA officials say

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) said the number of citations issued across L.A. is a “direct result of posted restrictions, driver behavior, and officer staffing.” According to the department, of the 502 traffic officers deployed citywide, 115 serve the Central Division, with 24 officers specifically assigned to Boyle Heights.

In response to community concerns regarding street congestion and parking, LADOT said in a statement, “street improvements require identifying specific locations and coordinating between multiple City departments. LADOT remains committed to collaborative solutions that address the needs of every neighborhood.”

A spokesperson from Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s office echoed the community’s sentiment about parking issues in the neighborhood and said Jurado is looking into addressing them.

Boyle Heights hot spots 

The most ticketed location in Boyle Heights is Cesar Chavez Avenue and Chicago Street, where 1,070 tickets were dispensed for illegally parking in a bus lane, a $293 infraction. 

Just south is the neighborhood’s second-most ticketed location. A 76-space public parking lot at 249 Chicago St. produced 669 citations in 2025. Most were for an expired meter.

On the stretch of Cesar Chavez between Boyle Avenue and Fickett Street, more than 3,200 bus-lane parking tickets were given out. On a recent visit to the area, there were no easily visible signs warning about bus zone infractions.

No easy fixes in sight 

For many residents, solutions feel limited while the problem gets worse. 

Maria Solis and Orlando Cervantes have lived in Boyle Heights for 30 years and said finding a spot to park in their neighborhood is harder than ever before. After 5 p.m., it is nearly impossible, Cervantes said. 

They suggested limiting how many cars a single person can have. 

Another more obvious solution would be for the city to create more parking lots but that comes with its own problems. “The more parking there is, the more cars you will see,” Solis said.

Sanchez echoed that concern. 

“Theres no space to even create like a parking lot, even then I feel like that would be expensive to pay for a spot,” she said.