The Brief

On a beautiful July day earlier this year, out of the blue, catastrophe visited residents of Rolling Hills Estates on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

It’d been about four months since the last heavy rains, but the precipitation from one of the wettest years on record appears to have been working its way deep into the earth.

It appears that raindrops percolated through the silt and sand and past deposits of volcanic ash in the Altamira Shale, before settling on layers of montmorillonite rich clays, lifted from the ocean during the Pliocene some three million years ago.

An aerial view of upscale homes destroyed by a landslide on Palos Verdes Peninsula in July, 2023.

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It's possible that the particles of clay then took on the water, compromising the ability of the earth beneath the homes to stick together, leading them to separate like an unevenly stacked layer cake. The constituent parts of the neighborhood – the homes, streets and sewer – began to move, pulled by gravity down an embankment into the canyon below.

A preliminary report compiled for the city of Rolling Hills Estates by the geotechnical firm GeoKinetics said that a "high level of precipitation" was likely the main factor behind the slope failure. Though, it should be noted, other inquiries are ongoing.

If you know a bit about the area, landslides should come as little surprise, especially considering there are roughly 150 others that've have been documented there.

A view of upscale homes destroyed by a landslide on Palos Verdes Peninsula in July 2023.

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“Is the geology conducive to land sliding along the Palos Verdes Peninsula? The answer is yes,” said Jeremy Lancaster, state geologist and director of the California Geological Survey.

Given that another year of heavy rain might be on the way, influenced by a strong El Niño, what are the odds we’ll see even more homes sliding into canyons below?

Can we predict landslides?

There are two key types of landslides that you should be aware of: shallow and deep seated landslides.

The one's I'm usually on LAist screaming about are the shallow ones, particularly in hilly areas that've just burned. They're a bit more predictable because we know that after a fire, hillsides are covered in a waxy, water repelling layer and have had most of their vegetation removed. So, when rain falls from the sky, there's not much to slow it down, keep it from knocking dirt loose, picking up speed and turning into a huge destructive wall of water, like what we saw in Montecito in 2018.

When reporting on landslide risk during major storms, I'm usually on the lookout for recently burned areas anticipated to receive an inch of rain per hour, because heavy rainfall makes the shallow slides more likely.

Debris from a mudslide covers a home on January 10, 2018 in Montecito, California.

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Deep–seated landslides, like what we often see in the Palos Verdes Peninsula are a whole other beast,

We know that they typically need three things to occur: steep slopes, weak rocks and some sort of triggering mechanism, such as earthquakes or water (the peninsula has all three), to get them going.

But unless there's apparent movement on the surface, they're terribly difficult to anticipate because it's unclear what's going on deep in the ground. As soon as you're dealing with layer upon layer of material from different epochs all stacked upon each other, things get much more complex.

All it takes is one weak layer of water loving clay to give out between a whole bunch of big strong rock, for a whole hillside to come down.

Terrifyingly, a deep slide can occur months after a rainy season ends because it can take water a long time to slowly percolate through the earth to get to one of those weak layers.

"Because these landslides are at greater depths, it's really difficult geologically to have precise controls on when and how exactly that motion starts. But generally we expect that an above average rainfall seasons, particularly ones that are back to back, the probability or likelihood of motion is there," said Matthew Thomas, a research hydrologist with the USGS landslide hazards program.

It can take many cycles of wetting and drying for one of those weaker layers to become a problem.

Take for instance, bentonite clay found throughout the peninsula. According to Lancaster, while the clay is quite strong when it's dry, when it's wet it weakens and expands slightly, allowing for a slight amount of creep. Over time, cracks can grow and fill with water, further jeopardizing the hill structure. Add a whole bunch of weight and steep slopes and things can destabilize over time.

So if you can't predict a slide, what's there to look out for?

Listen for creaks and groans, look for evidence of movement, including broken water pipes and growing cracks.

It’s not always rain that’s responsible. Broken sewer or irrigation lines can also compromise layers and add weight to a hillside and cause it to give out.

Workers search for victims of a mudslide that left four people dead and 20 missing January 11, 2005 in La Conchita, California.

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What risk does El Niño bring?

El Niño is sometimes linked to wetter winters here in Southern California, which means more opportunity for water to percolate deep underground and destabilize hillsides.

There’s no guarantee that slides will follow a heavy rain year, but it does increase the risk that one will happen, especially in areas that’ve already seen slides, or have active slides ongoing.

According to the preliminary report prepared for the city, there were no earlier slides detected where the July 8 slide occurred in the Rolling Hills Estates area.

What can be done?

Preventing the percolation of water deep into the soil is key. Good surface drainage is an important. Concrete can be used to fill cracks that open up to prevent further infiltration. And in places like Abalone Cove, they've also installed dewatering wells, which actively pump water out.

At the behest of the city of Rolling Hills Estates, the homeowners association began winterization work in November, according to a letter provided by Assistant City Manager Alexa Davis. It includes various measures meant to clear water away from vulnerable parts of the hillside, including temporary drainage, grading and sandbags.

If you’re nervous about your property, you need to be on the lookout for growing cracks and listening for sounds of the earth moving. If your doors have suddenly fallen out of plumb and your windows aren’t opening, you may be facing a catastrophic issue.

If it’s not an emergency, but you're curious about what's going on beneath your home, hire an engineer to look at the geotechnical report relevant to your property.

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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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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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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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.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Depression increased 36% and anxiety increased 22% among patients seen at AltaMed after the Lineage warehouse fire, according to a new report released Thursday.  

The report, released nearly 100 days after the Lineage fire broke out, compares the patients treated within a 5-mile radius of the Lineage warehouse since June 17 with patients treated in the same period in 2025. The clinic estimates about 40,000 patients were seen during that period. 

The numbers also revealed a 27.8% increase in gastrointestinal concerns, a 24.2% increase in eye and throat irritation and a 19.9% increase in respiratory diagnoses within the same timeframe. 

“On their own, the data do not establish that the fire caused each of these increases, but they definitely help us identify trends,” said Dr. David Escobar, regional medical director for AltaMed, at a press conference Thursday at Lou Costello Recreation Center. 

“Patients were coming to me frequently with headache, throat irritation, eye irritation, and traumatic stress,” Escobar said. 

A majority of patients who were evaluated for behavioral health issues were treated through talk therapy and trauma therapy, Escobar said. 

Chronic stress and depression have disrupted Elizabeth Lopez’s daily life in the months after the fire. Lopez lives in the Estrada Courts housing complex and said she experienced the smoke, smell and physical symptoms after the fire, including eye irritation and ongoing asthma attacks. 

The inability to leave her home during heat waves over the summer and having to endure the horrible smell left her feeling defeated and with no motivation, Lopez said. Her doctor prescribed her antidepressants. 

“I’ve never been on depression [medication],” Lopez said. “I didn’t have that energy that I used to have. I had always been a very active person…and I just wasn’t.” 

Lopez is a health promoter for AltaMed and said she referred her neighbors to AltaMed mobile health clinics to get treated for similar symptoms. 

Since June 23, AltaMed has deployed its mobile health unit at Lou Costello Recreation Center, Pecan Recreation Center, and the Robert Louis Stevenson Branch Library, providing clinical evaluations, respiratory care, medication access, and connections to social support to help residents navigate recovery.

Escobar emphasized that the needs of the patients he cared for in Boyle Heights did not end when the fire was knocked down on June 24. 

“Even when the fire was out, patients were still coming to me in my clinic personally with ongoing new or recurring symptoms…which tells me clinically there’s still exposure happening of some kind or another,” Escobar said. “What concerns me the most as a physician clinically is that I still do not know exactly what my patients were exposed to.”

Escobar told Boyle Heights Beat that the vast majority of AltaMed patients in Boyle Heights and East L.A. have Medi-Cal and Medicare. The health provider also serves residents without insurance and offers sliding scale fees. 

In August, a St. John’s Community Health report also revealed the physical and mental toll that the fire had on patients seen at its mobile clinics. Of the 1,306 patients seen between June 17 and July 31, 36% had serious health problems attributed to smoke and toxic chemical exposure, including acute upper respiratory infections, eye disorders and asthma exacerbation. Dozens of patients were prescribed anxiety and/or sleep medication to treat acute stress after the fire.