The Brief

On a late May morning, a vast field of invasive yellow mustard grass swayed gently in the cool ocean breeze.

To the east, there’s downtown Culver City and, in the distance, the smog-shrouded San Gabriel Mountains. To the west, the channelized Ballona Creek drained into the Santa Monica Bay.

The Ballona Wetlands — an ecological reserve on L.A.'s Westside, bordered by Marina del Rey, Playa Vista and Playa del Rey — are the second-largest chunk of open space in L.A., second only to Griffith Park. They're also a refuge for native birds such as great blue herons and hooded orioles, as well as thousands of birds that migrate every year along the Pacific flyway.

These 577 acres are also L.A. County’s largest remaining coastal wetlands.

“In the city of Los Angeles, we've lost 95% of our coastal wetlands. This is it. This is the last one we have,” said Scott Culbertson, executive director of nonprofit Friends of Ballona Wetlands. “It needs to be restored.”

The public has limited access to the 577-acre Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve near Playa del Rey. Efforts to restore the area have been ongoing for more than two decades.

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Erin Stone

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LAist

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Healthy wetlands can absorb carbon in the atmosphere and buffer coastal communities from flooding. They support a diverse array of birds and plant species. Across the world, calls to protect them are growing as human-caused climate change accelerates.

Despite the potential, the Ballona Wetlands have been the subject of one of Southern California’s longest running environmental battles.

Nearly 20 years after the wetlands were designated by the state as an ecological reserve, there’s still no timeline for completing the plans to restore them, and public access to the green space remains significantly limited.

The history 

Thousands of years ago, this stretch of coast was sand dunes and wetlands that sprawled deep into the L.A. basin, shifting with ocean tides and winter floods. For much of the year, Ballona Creek was a meandering stream, lined by sycamore and willow trees. Dozens of Tongva villages dotted the area.

The wetlands’ destruction began in the 1820s, when rancher Augustin Machado settled the area to graze cattle. Machado’s Mexican land grant stretched from Culver City to Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica. He called it “Rancho La Ballona.”

Augustin Machado's ranch house in what is now Santa Monica.

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Courtesy L.A. Public Library

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After the Mexican-American war ended in 1848, white settlers took over the land. By the 20th century, a new electric railway was bringing throngs of visitors from the growing city of L.A. to the beaches.

The oil boom was no boon for the Ballona Wetlands. A view down a Ballona Creek channel circa 1937, when oil wells lined the banks of the Venice Oil Field, located south of Venice, in what is modern day Marina del Rey.

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Herman Schultheis

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L.A. Public Library

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Then, before World War II, millionaire Howard Hughes bought the land for an aircraft factory. By the 1960s, the development of Marina del Rey paved over 900 acres of the wetlands. Portions of today’s ecological reserve became a dumping ground for all that dredging.

The fight to save the wetlands began in the 1970s, when the development of Playa del Rey threatened to pave over what was left. By then, only environmentalists stepped in to save what now remains.

In the early 2000s, the state purchased the land for $139 million.

Since then, environmental groups have been at odds with each other and the state about how best to restore the land. And the state lacks funding for a project whose cost has skyrocketed.

Today, a scourge of invasive plants

Meanwhile, the area is inundated with invasive plants — especially yellow mustard grass.

“That's the sort of the thing that drives people to say, we need to do something,” said Walter Lamb, president of nonprofit Ballona Wetlands Land Trust. “You look out and you see all these invasive weeds, just a huge field of mustard.”

Walter Lamb, president of the nonprofit Ballona Wetlands Land Trust, in Area A of the ecological reserve, where vast fields of invasive mustard grass dominate the landscape.

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Erin Stone

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LAist

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But underneath and between all that, there are natives. Lamb pointed out a low-lying green shrub called alkali heath. Its small succulent-like leaves appear to sparkle in the sun.

“What's really making the glisten is the salt,” Lamb said. The plant absorbs and excretes the salt, causing the shine. “It typically grows in wetlands, and it can do that because it's salt tolerant.”

Alkali heath is a native plant that thrives in California wetlands, but it's being crowded out by nonnatives like the crown daisies flowering in this photo.

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Erin Stone

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LAist

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Right next to it though, are more invasives. Lamb pointed to a sprouting weed with long green leaves and yellow-green round buds.

“This is a plant called euphorbia terracina. This is probably one of the worst invasive species we have here at the Ballona Wetlands,” Lamb said.

Several local nonprofits, including Friends of Ballona Wetlands and Lamb’s land trust group, are part of ongoing efforts to remove these invasives.

Those weeds and the history of tidal flows and salt versus freshwater marshes in the wetland are reasons for long-running — and often tense — debate about the best way to restore Ballona.

Anahy Hernandez with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife clears a walking path of invasive plants in Area A of the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve.

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Erin Stone

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LAist

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What the future may hold 

Restoring a wetland is no easy task — the very definition of restoration is an ongoing debate.

Removing invasives requires a lot of labor and can disturb nesting birds. Restoring the wetlands to what it was thousands of years ago would require significant bulldozing and dredging, which could harm migratory and native bird species, reptiles and other animals, critics argue.

This part of the Ballona Wetlands has fewer invasive plants and is healthier overall, but the state has proposed dredging in this area to connect these marshes to the ocean again. Currently, they are non-tidal marshes, fed mostly by runoff.

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Erin Stone

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“There's always some objection to whatever anyone does in Ballona,” said Erinn Wilson-Olgin, regional manager for the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife, which manages the wetlands. “It's not uncommon for these projects to take a really long time to get done because of opposition and different opinions.”

Other wetlands in the region, such as Bolsa Chica in Orange County, also took decades to restore, and still require a lot of maintenance and heavy engineering.

In 2004, the state Coastal Conservancy estimated developing Ballona’s restoration plans would take three years at a cost of about $2 million.

A great snowy egret, a native bird, flies over several species of ducks in a non-tidal seasonal marsh in the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve.

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Courtesy Walter Lamb

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In 2025, though, there’s still no timeline for completing the planning process. The state has spent about $15 million on planning so far and estimates the full cost of the restoration could well exceed $200 million.

“We see no credible path for this project ever being built,” Lamb said.

Lamb and allies argue that worsening climate change, such as sea level rise, have made the plan moot.

His group was one of several that sued the state in the latest lawsuit about Ballona’s restoration (environmental groups have brought at least a dozen over the years).

In 2023, a judge narrowly ruled in the group’s favor, saying the state’s plan was mostly sound but failed to account for certain flood risks. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which manages the wetlands, is seeking funding to revise its environmental impact report.

Ballona Creek flows into the Santa Monica Bay in May 2025.

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Erin Stone

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LAist

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Lamb and his allies would like to see the state abandon plans to dredge a healthier part of the wetland so that it can once again be connected to ocean tides. They argue that plan could harm plants and animals that rely on seasonal rains and brackish water. It also would require federal approval, which could further delay the project.

“The only path forward we see is for [the California Department of Fish and Wildlife] to design a more manageable project that provides better mitigation against sea level rise, avoids the need for costly federal approvals, and protects existing habitat for threatened species,” said Lamb.

The Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve is a 577-acre protected area. But it's full of invasive plants.

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Erin Stone

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LAist

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Others say this latest debate is another unnecessary delay.

“The science issue is settled,” said Culbertson, of Friends of Ballona Wetlands, the longest-running grassroots group focused on the wetlands. “The courts have, even under appeal, determined that the science is solid. There's no more suing on the science.”

His group supports the plan as it stands.

The Fish and Wildlife Department told LAist it hopes to get funding to update and recirculate the environmental impact report for public comment by the end of the year. If approved, the restoration effort will take years more.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Since 1977, Richard Santillan has been to every Opening Day game at Dodger Stadium. 

“The tradition goes from my father, to me, to my children and grandchildren. Some of my best memories are with my father and children here at Dodger Stadium,” Santillan told The LA Local, smiling under the shade of palm trees near the entrance to the ballpark Wednesday morning. He was there to protest the team less than 24 hours before Opening Day.

Santillan, like countless other loyal Dodgers fans, is grappling with his fan identity over the team’s decision to accept an invitation to the White House and owner Mark Walter’s ties to ICE detention facilities.

More than 30 people joined Santillan on Wednesday morning for a press conference held near 1000 Vin Scully Drive to convey a message directly to the team. 

“We are demanding the Dodgers stop participating in funding of inhumane treatment of families and do not go to the White House to celebrate with the criminal in chief,” Evelyn Escatiola told the crowd. “Together, we have the power to make a change.”

Escatiola, a former dean of East Los Angeles College and longtime community organizer, urged fans to flex their economic power by “letting the Dodgers know that we do not support repression.”

Jorge “Coqui” Rodriguez, a lifelong Dodgers fan, spoke to the crowd and called on Dodgers ownership to divest from immigration detention centers owned and operated by GEO Group and CoreCivic.

Jorge Coqui H Rodriguez speaks at a press conference outside Dodger Stadium on March 25, 2026, to demand the Dodgers not to visit the White House following their 2025 World Series win.

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J.W. Hendricks

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The LA Local

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In a phone interview a day before the protest, Rodriguez told The LA Local he did not want the Dodgers using his “cheve” or beer money to fund detention centers. 

“They can’t take our parking money, our cacahuate money, our cheve money, our Dodger Dog money and invest those funds into corporations that are imprisoning people. It’s wrong,” Rodriguez said. 

Rodriguez considers the Dodgers one of the most racially diverse teams and said the players need to support fans at a time when heightened immigration enforcement has become more common across L.A.

The team’s 2025’s visit to the White House drew ire from the largely Latino fan base, citing the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on immigrants. 

In June, the team came under further scrutiny when rumors swirled online that federal immigration agents were using the stadium’s parking, which immigration authorities later denied in statements posted on social media accounts.

The team again came under fire after not releasing a statement on the impacts of ICE raids on its mostly Latino fan base at the height of immigration enforcement last summer. The team later agreed to invest $1 million to support families affected by immigration enforcement.

When he learned the Dodgers were pledging only $1 million to families in need, Rodriguez called the amount a  “slap in the face.” 

“These guys just bought the Lakers for billions of dollars and they give a million dollars to fight for legal services? That’s a joke,” Rodriguez said. “They need to have a moral backbone and not be investing in those companies.”

According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times, former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershawsaid last week that he is looking forward to the trip.

“I went when President [Joe] Biden was in office. I’m going to go when President [Donald] Trump is in office,” Kershaw said. “To me, it’s just about getting to go to the White House. You don’t get that opportunity every day, so I’m excited to go.”

The Dodgers have yet to announce when their planned visit will take place. 

Santillan sometimes laments his decision to give up his season tickets in protest of the team. His connection to the stadium and the memories he has made there with family and friends will last a lifetime, he said. On Thursday, he will uphold his tradition and be there for the first pitch of the season, but with a heavy heart.

“It’s a family tradition, but the Dodgers have a lot of work to do,” he said.

A local favorite mom-and-pop bookshop in Eagle Rock is facing displacement due to a steep rent hike. The owners say theirs is just one of several small businesses along Eagle Rock Boulevard struggling to keep up with lease increases.

Over the past 19 years, many in the neighborhood have come to love READ Books for its eclectic collection of used titles and shop dog Florence.

Co-owner Jeremy Kaplan said it’s been a delight to grow with the community over the years.

“Like seeing kids come back in, who were in grade school and now they’re in college,” Kaplan said.

But the building where Kaplan and wife Debbie rent was recently sold, and the rent increased by more than 130% to $2,805 a month, Kaplan said. He told LAist it was an increase his small business simply could not absorb.

Kaplan said he originally was given 30 days notice of the rent increase. After some research, assistance from Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s office and some pro-bono legal help, Kaplan said he pushed back and got the 90-day notice he’s afforded by state law.

California Senate Bill 1103 requires landlords to give businesses with five or less employees 90 days’ notice for rent increases exceeding 10%, among other protections.

Systems Real Estate, the property management company, did not immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment.

What can small businesses do? 

Nadia Segura, directing attorney of the Small Business Program at pro bono legal aid non-profit Bet Tzedek said California law does not currently allow for rent control for commercial tenancies.

Outside of the protections under SB 1103, Segura said small businesses like READ Books don’t have much other recourse. And even then, commercial landlords are not required to inform their tenants of their protections under the law.

“There’s still a lot of people that don’t know about SB 1103. And then it’s very sad that they tell them they have these rent increases and within a month they have to leave,” Segura said.

She said her group is seeing steep rent hikes like this for commercial tenants across the city.

“We are seeing this even more with the World Cup coming up, the Olympics coming up. And I will say it was very sad to see that also after the wildfires,” Segura said.

Part of Bet Tzedek’s ongoing work is to advocate for small businesses, working with landlords who are increasing rents to see if they are willing to give business owners longer leases that lock in rents.

What’s next 

After READ Books posted about their situation on social media, commenters chimed in to express their outrage and love for the little shop.

While he looks for a new spot, Kaplan says he’s forming a coalition of local businesses and activist groups to see what can be done to help other small businesses facing similar displacement. He wants to address the displacement issue for businesses like his, which have made Eagle Rock the distinctive neighborhood that it is today.

Owl Talk, a longtime Eagle Rock staple selling clothing and accessories in a unit in the same building as READ Books, is facing a “more than double” rent increase, according to a post on their Instagram account.

Kaplan said he’s been in touch with the office of state Assemblywoman Jessica Caloza and wants to explore the possibility of introducing legislation to set up protections for small businesses like his, including rent-control measures or a vacancy tax for landlords. Kaplan said he also reached out to the office of state Sen. Maria Durazo.

By his count, Kaplan said there are about a dozen businesses within surrounding blocks that are at risk of closing their doors or have shuttered due to rent increases or other struggles.

When READ Books was founded during the Great Recession, Kaplan said he knew it was a longshot to open a bookstore at the same time so many were struggling to stay in business.

“It was kind of interesting to be doing something that neighborhoods needed. That was important to me growing up, that was important to my children, that was important to my wife growing up,” Kaplan said.

“And then somebody comes in and says, ‘We’re gonna over double your rent.”

Topline:

Frozen budget: Most of the city’s Bureau of Street Lighting budget comes from an assessment that people who own property illuminated by lights pay on their county property tax bill. The amount people pay depends on the kind of property they own and how much they benefit from lighting. A typical single-family home currently pays $53 annually, and in total, the assessments bring in about $45 million annually for the city to repair and maintain streetlights. Changing the amount the Bureau of Street Lighting gets from the assessment requires a vote among property owners who benefit from the lights.

Ballots: L.A. City Council’s vote gives city staff the green light to prepare and send out those ballots. Miguel Sangalang, who oversees the bureau, said at a committee meeting earlier this month that he expects to send out ballots by April 17. Notices about the ballots will be sent out prior to the ballots themselves.

Near unanimous vote: L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez was the only “No” vote Tuesday, saying she wanted to see a more current strategic plan for the bureau. Sangalang said the bureau developed a plan in 2022 that lays out how money will be spent. Councilmember Imelda Padilla was absent for the vote.

Vote count: Votes will be weighted according to the assessment amount. Basically, the more you’re asked to pay yearly to maintain streetlights, the more your vote will count. Ballots received before June 2 will be tabulated by the L.A. City Clerk.

How much more money: According to a report, the amount needed in assessments from property owners to meet the repair and maintenance needs of the city’s streetlighting in the next fiscal year is nearly $112 million.

Use of the money: Sangalang said at a March 11 committee meeting that the extra funds would be used to double the number of staff to handle repairs and procure solar streetlights, which don’t face the threat of copper wire theft. That would all potentially reduce the time it takes to repair simple fixes down to a week. Currently, city residents wait for months to see broken streetlights repaired. The assessment would come with a three-year auditing mechanism.