A Beverly Hills City Council meeting at Beverly Hills City Hall on April 16, 2024.
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Jules Hotz
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CalMatters
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Topline:
A proposed clinic that would have performed later abortions was blocked from opening in Beverly Hills. As Gov. Gavin Newsom focuses on access for Arizona women, officials are overlooking barriers for providers in California.
The backstory: Despite the sympathetic politics of Beverly Hills, which lit its city hall pink to protest the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court Dobbs decision that overturned a constitutional right to abortion, it has been a struggle. While more than two-thirds of local voters joined Californians statewide that November to enshrine “reproductive freedom” in California’s constitution, few of them now seem to be paying attention to what moderator Andrea Grossman calls a “hideous” situation that undermines that very protection.
Read more ... for a deeper dive into the civic history of abortion in California.
The billboards popped up in January, looming above busy intersections near the city limits of Beverly Hills, where such advertising is banned.
“Los Angeles should be SAFE for abortion seekers,” declared the signs, which depicted a group of four young women of color staring defiantly at passersby. “Fight back against attempts to shut down DuPont Clinic.”
Weeks later, at a forum ahead of Beverly Hills’ March city council election, moderator Andrea Grossman pressed the crowded table of candidates about their position on abortion rights.
“Are you pro-choice, and what is your view about abortion clinics in Beverly Hills?” she asked. “Would you take steps to keep out abortion clinics in the city if there were likely to be disruptive protests?”
Nearly a year after DuPont Clinic — a Washington, D.C., provider that performs abortions into the third trimester and sought to open a clinic in one of California’s wealthiest and most famous communities — lost its lease at a medical center on Wilshire Boulevard, Grossman and a small band of local activists are still laboring to draw a spotlight and stoke a sense of outrage that matches their own.
Despite the sympathetic politics of Beverly Hills, which lit its city hall pink to protest the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court Dobbs decision that overturned a constitutional right to abortion, it has been a struggle. While more than two-thirds of local voters joined Californians statewide that November to enshrine “reproductive freedom” in California’s constitution, few of them now seem to be paying attention to what Grossman calls a “hideous” situation that undermines that very protection.
On a recent afternoon, Grossman sat in her living room with other members of a group they founded last fall to demand attention and accountability for DuPont Clinic — furious that Beverly Hills had failed to stand up to anti-abortion protestors and defend a provider offering a procedure not commonly available elsewhere, and frustrated that liberals remain oblivious to the threats to abortion access in their own backyard.
“In 2023, to have to start Beverly Hills for Choice,” she said, “how crazy is that?”
‘Feeling the backlash’ to abortion rights
Reproductive rights have dominated the political landscape across the country since the end of Roe v. Wade and California is no exception. In the wake of the ruling, Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democratic state leaders vowed to turn California into a “haven” for abortion rights, placing the constitutional amendment, known as Proposition 1, on the ballot and passing dozens of other new laws to protect doctors, expand the number of providers and fund travel for patients.
Just last week, Newsom and the Legislative Women’s Caucus introduced a bill that would allow Arizona abortion providers to temporarily treat their patients in California after a strict abortion ban takes effect in Arizona in June.
But with the heightened focus on accommodating the expected influx of patients from conservative states that banned or restricted abortion, California has largely overlooked the limitations on access in its own borders.
At least two other proposed California abortion clinics have also been blocked from opening in the past two years because of local opposition in more conservative areas: Visalia, one of the largest cities in the Central Valley, and Fontana, the second-most populous city in San Bernardino County.
“We are feeling the backlash of the state taking a very strong stand in support of very strong access,” said state Sen. Toni Atkins, a San Diego Democrat who ushered Proposition 1 onto the ballot. “The more rights people seem to gain, the more those who are directly opposed become more vocal.”
Abortion rights protesters confront an anti-abortion demonstrator at a rally in Los Angeles on May 14, 2022.
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Ringo Chiu
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AP
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Jon Dunn, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties, said the organized resistance is more intense than he’s ever seen in his 30-year career. Aggressive demonstrations now require full-time security staff at every clinic, he said, while local officials who might have once backed down under threat of a lawsuit are standing firm.
“It ramped up after (Donald) Trump and then it ramped up again after the Dobbs decision,” Dunn said. “The folks on the extreme of the issue are more extreme and more willing to dig in.”
The Planned Parenthood affiliate has been trying to open a new clinic in Fontana since 2022. The permit process was first delayed for months by what Dunn said were “absurd corrections” from city officials to their building plan, such as demanding sconces for decorative lighting. Shortly after the permits were finally approved last summer, the city council passed an emergency moratorium on development in the section of Fontana where the proposed clinic was located.
Now the Planned Parenthood affiliate is suing Fontana, alleging that it violated residents’ right to access reproductive services as established by Proposition 1 — a broad legal argument that Dunn hopes could prevent another city from doing the same thing in the future.
“We saw this pattern developing of municipalities using their power to prevent reproductive health centers from opening,” Dunn said. “We felt it was time to draw a line in the sand.”
The city of Fontana has denied that it targeted Planned Parenthood, calling the emergency moratorium “a strategic and necessary measure in the planning process as Fontana progresses with the highly anticipated redevelopment of the important downtown and commercial corridor.”
State leaders have been slow to get involved in these local battles.
The office of Attorney General Rob Bonta is reportedly investigating the Beverly Hills case, but a spokesperson declined to confirm the investigation or discuss their strategy for protecting abortion access in California.
At a press conference about the bill for Arizona abortion providers, Newsom refused to answer a question from CalMatters about whether his administration is doing anything to address the barriers preventing clinics from opening in California.
Another measure currently moving through the Legislature could help: Assembly Bill 2085 by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, an Orinda Democrat, would create a streamlined approval process for reproductive health clinics that meet certain development criteria.
“Just listening to the amount of work that our abortion providers are putting in to get the permits, it’s shocking to me,” Bauer-Kahan said. “There’s always a new front that people who want to deny access to health care will find and we need to show them that California will continue to be vigilant.”
‘The gap between values and action’
Activists have been particularly struck by the conflict in Beverly Hills because the community is a Democratic stronghold in a blue state — demonstrating what they regard as a lack of courage by politicians to prioritize abortion rights in a polarized society.
Bonyen Lee-Gilmore, vice president of communications for the National Institute for Reproductive Health, an abortion access advocacy organization that paid for the billboards about DuPont Clinic, said its campaign was a warning that “this can happen anywhere” if people are complacent about reproductive rights and a call to demand accountability for elected officials who did not step up to defend the clinic’s right to open.
“We have had a long-running problem with standing in the gap between values and action,” Lee-Gilmore said.
DuPont Clinic never opened in Beverly Hills and never served a single patient there. The matter is now headed to court after DuPont last year separately sued Beverly Hills and Douglas Emmett, Inc., the landlord that rescinded its lease, alleging they “colluded and conspired with the protestors to try to drive DuPont out of the City.” The case against the city, which has sought a dismissal on free speech grounds, is set for a hearing today about discovery.
A spokesperson for Beverly Hills did not respond to a detailed list of questions about how it handled the controversy over DuPont Clinic, citing the lawsuit.
“The City is already home to medical offices that offer reproductive health services and has been very clear on its position of strongly supporting a person’s right to choose,” spokesperson Lauren Santillana said in an emailed statement. “The decision to rescind DuPont Clinic’s lease was not made by the City of Beverly Hills.”
According to its lawsuits, DuPont chose Beverly Hills as the site for its second clinic in part because it believed the city would support it. After the company announced its plans in late 2022, anti-abortion protestors began showing up outside the building where DuPont had leased an office, but renovations and permit applications with the city continued.
The medical building where the DuPont clinic was planned in Beverly Hills, on April 16, 2024. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters
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Jules Hotz
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The situation escalated in April 2023. First, on April 10, the group Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust projected the words “MURDER MILL” onto the side of the building during one of its protests and DuPont contacted the local police department about security concerns. A week later, three opponents spoke during a city council meeting, with one suggesting that Beverly Hills would develop a “reputation of condoning murder” if it allowed the clinic to open.
“DuPont Clinic has chosen Beverly Hills to host a massacre,” Tasha Barker, a Sacramento paralegal leading a group called Stop DuPont Clinic, said by phone at the meeting. “I am asking you to consider how extreme this clinic is, pause the approval of their building permits and place this issue on the agenda for the next city council meeting.”
During the meeting, Beverly Hills City Manager Nancy Hunt-Coffey emailed members of the council with more information about DuPont Clinic, according to documents obtained by Beverly Hills for Choice through a public records request. It included a warning: “Late-term abortion clinics can be the focus of protests, rallies and unfortunately other more violent actions on occasion.”
“How did this get through?” Councilmember Sharona Nazarian responded.
“Well, it’s a private business renting space in a private building,” Hunt-Coffey replied. “We don’t have anything in our code that prevents it…”
Barker followed up by email with several council members the next day, arguing that it was “quite offensive to the community of Beverly Hills” that DuPont had chosen the city and requesting a meeting to “explain some of the practical, unemotional reasons” why the clinic should not be allowed.
Nazarian replied that she was open to learning more. Over the next few weeks, emails show city employees planning with the city attorney and local law enforcement for a meeting with Barker, which was scheduled for May 19. It’s unclear what was ultimately discussed.
The entrance to the Beverly Hills City Council chamber and the exterior of Beverly Hills City Hall, on April 16, 2024.
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Jules Hotz
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CalMatters
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Barker would only speak with CalMatters if a reporter signed a contract agreeing to conditions that included allowing her to “review and make edits” to this story prior to publication. CalMatters refused because that would violate our editorial policies.
In the Beverly Hills council chambers earlier this month, Nazarian declined to answer questions, before Deputy City Manager Keith Sterling stepped in front of a CalMatters reporter to end the conversation.
“As someone who has always supported a person’s right to choose, I am proud that our City already provides high quality reproductive services,” Nazarian wrote in an email. “As an elected official committed to transparency and accessibility, I make it a point to meet with any group or individual, when requested.”
‘A political basis’ or safety concerns?
Meanwhile, the week after the city council meeting where opponents raised objections to DuPont Clinic, the abortion provider learned that Beverly Hills had placed a hold on its project while City Attorney Laurence Wiener reviewed whether it was an allowed use for the building, according to emails and DuPont’s lawsuit.
Following a phone conversation with Wiener, a lawyer for DuPont agreed to provide a letter confirming that the clinic would not violate California law with any services it provided. A few days later — after DuPont’s chief medical officer, Dr. Jennefer Russo, emailed the city council to complain about the permit delays — the hold was lifted.
Jessica Corpuz, an attorney representing DuPont Clinic, told CalMatters the abortion provider was “always, always going to operate within California law,” which only allows abortions after fetal viability when the life or health of the mother is threatened. She said Beverly Hills officials appeared to take some of the complaints of “anti-abortion extremists” to heart and “interject themselves in the process” in a way that they would not have for other medical practices.
“It was clear from the beginning that it was a political basis,” Corpuz said.
The DuPont lawsuit alleges that around the same time, the city met with representatives from landlord Douglas Emmett and directly asked if there was any way to “simply prevent DuPont from opening its clinic.”
Emails show that in the weeks that followed, city officials, including from the police department, continued to meet with Douglas Emmett representatives about safety concerns and drafted a letter for distribution to other tenants of the building. It warned that they could face violence, vandalism, harassment and intimidation because an unnamed “new reproductive health care provider” was opening.
“I thought he was going to suggest a locking door for the garage, security to get in the elevators, security offers with/without guns, bomb sniffing dogs etc.” then-Mayor Julian Gold, who did not respond to interview requests, wrote in an email after reviewing a draft. “I don’t mind turning up the heat a little.”
Though the letter was never sent, it was cited by Douglas Emmett on June 12, 2023, when the landlord canceled DuPont’s lease. The notice, emailed to DuPont with six Beverly Hills officials copied, accused DuPont of withholding information during lease negotiations about its services and the severity of protests that it would face, which DuPont denies. A spokesperson for Douglas Emmett said the company does not comment on matters in litigation.
DuPont, in its lawsuit, said this joint email was clearly intended by Douglas Emmett “to notify the City that it had done what the City instructed it to do.” Beverly Hills treated the clinic as the problem, said Corpuz, the DuPont attorney, instead of focusing on how to keep everyone safe.
“The implication is that there is really scary things that are going to happen as a result of DuPont Clinic moving into this building,” she said. “It’s really sad, really scary, to see that all it takes is a couple of anti-abortion protesters going to a city council meeting.”
‘They betrayed the voters of California’
Despite the controversy, many Beverly Hills residents were entirely unaware of DuPont Clinic and the protests against it. Grossman and her fellow activists learned about the situation from news coverage of the lawsuits last summer. Infuriated, they formed Beverly Hills for Choice to push back, though by then, it was unclear that it would make a difference.
In addition to its records request, Beverly Hills for Choice collected signatures for an online petition asking the city for an independent investigation, a swift resolution to the lawsuit and an ordinance prohibiting cooperation with out-of-state entities looking into abortions performed in California. Those demands have so far been ignored.
Members also unsuccessfully sought help from Democratic politicians representing the area, whom they hoped might intervene and push for another solution, including U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu, state Sen. Ben Allen and Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur. Lieu and Chavez Zbur declined to comment for this story; Allen said in a statement he is “hopeful that the provider and the City can work together to ensure that area patients can get the access they need.”
Andrea Grossman, left, and Gay Abrams, two members of Beverly Hills for Choice, on April 16, 2024.
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Jules Hotz
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CalMatters
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Gay Abrams, a member of Beverly Hills for Choice, said she found the city’s handling of the situation hypocritical, given its public stance in support of reproductive freedom, and she worried that it would empower abortion opponents to use the same strategy elsewhere. Though she understood the heightened sensitivities around a clinic that performs abortions into the third trimester, she said it should not have mattered because of the protections guaranteed by Proposition 1.
“They kowtowed to a group of anti-abortion extremists,” Abrams said. “They betrayed the residents and they betrayed the voters of California. And I think they betrayed people and women all over the country who are in need of safe reproductive health care.”
The Beverly Hills for Choice activists argue that, in the emails they obtained, city officials never consider whether they have an obligation to protect DuPont Clinic’s right to operate. The activists believe the city was primarily concerned with appeasing protestors to avoid the “messiness” that would follow if the clinic opened.
In another series of exchanges, from July 2023, city officials including then-Mayor Gold communicated and set up meetings with Tim Clement, outreach director for Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust, about further protests his group had planned outside the medical center where DuPont was no longer opening. After Clement wrote in an email that “we would be willing to turn our campaign in another direction out of Beverly Hills” if the city would provide a written statement that “DuPont is definitely NOT moving into Beverly Hills City limits,” Deputy City Manager Sterling confirmed that “the lease has been rescinded.”
Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust touts that it shut down DuPont Clinic in Beverly Hills, including with signs at its booth last week at the California March for Life rally at the state Capitol.
“Activism works. It’s meant to cause concern about how this is going to affect your neighborhood,” Clement said in an interview. “But mainly what activism does is make people aware. It exposes what’s in the dark.”
With significant funds sunk into the office renovation, attorney Corpuz said DuPont Clinic still hopes to open in Beverly Hills, but she acknowledged that may never happen.
The Beverly Hills for Choice activists also have their doubts. They wonder whether there will be any accountability for how DuPont was treated.
“I’m looking for people to own up to it,” Grossman said. “I do want more than a slap on the wrist. I don’t know what that looks like.”
Whether you’re craving pumpkin spice or something different, these Eastside cafes have plenty of drinks and pastries to choose from.
Why it matters: Fall is here, and so are the cozy, seasonal drinks. If you’re looking to skip out on chain lattes and support local instead, this guide is for you.
Cafe Niña: What started as a home-based coffee shop in Boyle Heights has now expanded to a brick-and-mortar location in East Los Angeles. Find their fall menu at both locations. If you’re looking for spooky vibes, ask for a ghost design on the inside of your cup.
Read on... for more Eastside cafes to check out this fall.
Fall is here, and so are the cozy, seasonal drinks. If you’re looking to skip out on chain lattes and support local instead, this guide is for you.
Whether you’re a pumpkin spice lover or not, these Eastside cafes have a variety of drinks and pastries to choose from.
Cafe Niña
Add a ghost design to your drink at Cafe Niña.
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Courtesy of Cafe Niña
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What started as a home-based coffee shop in Boyle Heights has now expanded to a brick-and-mortar location in East Los Angeles. Find their fall menu at both locations. If you’re looking for spooky vibes, ask for a ghost design on the inside of your cup.
Pumpkin pillon latte: Pumpkin with piloncillo
Durazno Latte: Peach cobbler-inspired latte
Location #1: Boyle Heights: 3264 E. 4th St., Los Angeles, CA 90063
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday-Monday 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Location #2: East Los Angeles: 3923 1/2 E. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90023
Hours: Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The pumpkin spice latte is made with fresh pumpkin and espresso at Acurrúcame Café.
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Courtesy of Acurrúcame Café
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This cafe is known for specialty drinks available only to customers who order in person. Its pumpkin spice matcha and latte are available now, while the Franken-Berry latte and the Beetlejuice matcha will be available starting September 26.
Pumpkin spice matcha or latte: Made with fresh pumpkin and either matcha or espresso
Franken-Berry latte: Made with espresso and blueberries
Beetlejuice: Matcha made with blackberries
Location: 2609 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90033
Hours: Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Looking for a vegan alternative this fall season? Cake Girl has a variety of pumpkin spice desserts, including cupcakes, donuts, cookies and more. For a fall drink, try the pumpkin spice cold brew.
Yusra Farzan
reports on issues affecting current and future college students, their families and communities.
Published October 9, 2026 5:00 AM
California Community Colleges signed a new deal to make it easier for students to transfer to Arizona State University.
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Dania Maxwell
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Topline:
California Community Colleges announced an agreement Thursday with Arizona State University that creates a guaranteed transfer pathway for students.
Why it matters: In recent years, ASU has been rapidly expanding, “growing with no end in sight and expanding well beyond the state's borders,” as AZ Central put it. For California community colleges, the new agreement offers a new option for students who struggle to transfer to the California State University and University of California systems.
Why now: The transfer process from community colleges to CSU is not an easy one. A state audit of the transfer process in 2024 found that only 21% of students who started at a California community college between 2017 and 2019 transferred to a four-year university within four years of starting their ADT program. The audit pointed to “financial insecurity, family responsibilities, and an inability to relocate.”
Another reason: CSU and UC had complicated transfer requirements that were difficult for students to navigate.
What's next: Enter ASU with a golden ticket, literally.
At a signing ceremony at their center downtown, ASU officials demonstrated — printed-out tickets in hand — how ASU was going to guarantee a degree pathway for every student who completes the ADT.
”The plan here is to try to increase transfer, increase completion of baccalaureates in equitable ways for Californians,” said James Todd, chief academic officer at the California Community Colleges.
California Community Colleges announced an agreement Thursday with Arizona State University that creates a guaranteed transfer pathway for students.
In recent years, ASU has been rapidly expanding, “growing with no end in sight and expanding well beyond the state's borders,” as AZ Central put it. For California community colleges, the new agreement offers a new option for students who struggle to transfer to the California State University and University of California systems.
For over a decade, California community college students could enroll in a two-year associate degree of transfer after it was codified in law. There are about 60 ADT options students can do. The law envisioned that if students completed that program, they were guaranteed admission to a California State University campus. In recent years, that guaranteed transfer degree has also let students transfer to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
What transfer options do students have?
But the transfer process is not an easy one.
A state audit of the transfer process in 2024 found that only 21% of students who started at a California community college between 2017 and 2019 transferred to a four-year university within four years of starting their ADT program. The audit pointed to “financial insecurity, family responsibilities, and an inability to relocate.”
Another reason: CSU and UC had complicated transfer requirements that were difficult for students to navigate. And transfer students weren’t always offered their first-choice CSU or UC school — so even if they got into a CSU or UC school, sometimes they didn’t go because it was not in the region they were applying to.
The audit also found:
every community college did not offer all ADTs
all CSU campuses did not accept all the ADTs
not all community colleges offered counseling to make sure students had the required number of units to transfer.
The Arizona State option
Enter ASU with a golden ticket, literally.
At a signing ceremony at their center downtown, ASU officials demonstrated — printed-out tickets in hand — how ASU was going to guarantee a degree pathway for every student who completes the ADT.
”The plan here is to try to increase transfer, increase completion of baccalaureates in equitable ways for Californians,” said James Todd, chief academic officer at the California Community Colleges.
“ What makes this unique is this is the most comprehensive ADT partnership that has existed for the California Community Colleges,” said Jeff DeFranco, special advisor to the provost at ASU. “Arizona State University is accepting all 60 associate degrees for transfers. So we're saying we're accepting all these, and those 60 actually lead and open you up to nearly ... 100 different degree options.”
Students who choose to transfer to ASU can enroll on campus in Arizona, do the program online or opt for ASU Local, where you do your coursework online but you have a weekly meeting with your fellow students and ASU staff.
“ What ASU could provide is, for instance, let's say you can't leave your community, and this was the case for many students: childcare, supporting an intergenerational household, work commitments, whatever was going on — sometimes they can't leave,” he said. “ASU has more than 200 bachelor's degrees online, and that is very unique.”
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AirTalk host Larry Mantle, left, speaks with a panel of experts to guide us all through the 14 state propositions on the Nov. 3 ballot.
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James Van Evers for LAist
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LAist.com
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Californians will decide on more than a dozen ballot initiatives this November, covering a wide range of proposals focused on housing, taxes, recall elections, voter identification and more. LAist is here to help with our Voter Game Plan and a series of "ballot cram sessions" where we ask the experts for insight and answer your questions. The one thing we don't do? We don't tell you how to vote. That part is up to you.
Read on ... for details about how LAist is helping you get ready for Nov. 3.
Californians will decide on more than a dozen ballot initiatives this November, covering a wide range of proposals focused on housing, taxes, recall elections, voter identification and more.
It’s a lot of information to wade through on your own.
That’s why LAist unveils its Voter Game Plan each election season, with guides to help you cast a ballot that aligns with your values and beliefs. (The one thing we don’t do? Tell you how to vote. That is up to you.) For the Nov. 3 general election, LAist is also hosting a series of ballot cram sessions focused on helping you make informed decisions.
The series kicked off on Wednesday with AirTalk Host Larry Mantle and a panel of experts focused on the long list of statewide propositions in a one-hour cram session.
Michael Alvarez, professor of political and computational social science at CalTech; Sara Sadhwani, associate professor of politics at Pomona College, and Lee E. Ohanian, a professor of economics at UCLA and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, provided an overview of each ballot measure. The trio described the pros, cons and stakes of every decision Californians face this November, including the confusing and conflicting trio of tax measures you’ll see on your ballot as Props. 40, 41 and 42.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty as to how much revenue this might generate. There’s a lot of uncertainty, in particular, if it’s going to generate revenue in sufficient time to help the Californians who are really in need of having healthcare,” said Alvarez on Prop. 40, which would create a one-time tax on billionaires to fund healthcare.
Lee and Sadhwani both noted that there's a question of whether the tax would drive billionaires out of the state. “If you think that super high wealthy people should be paying more in taxes, there’s better ways to do this,” said Lee.
As for Prop. 41, which would require audits of new tax programs, and Prop. 42, which would ban new taxes on personal property, the panel agreed the measures are confusing.
Both propositions would nullify Prop. 40 if they receive more votes in support than the billionaire tax measure. That’s the big thing to remember, said Sadhwani: “They’re really the poison pills of Prop. 40, the billionaire’s tax. So a yes on 41 or a yes on 42 is a no essentially for Prop. 40.”
“I’ll be honest, Prop. 41 as well as Prop. 42 kind of makes my eyes glaze over,” said Sadhwani. Alvarez added that the measures make his head spin. Experts — they’re just like us!
Lucas Brady Woods
covers the weather and disasters, among other climate and science topics.
Published October 8, 2026 5:18 PM
Officials are urging Southern California residents in flood-prone areas, including in burn scar zones like Altadena (seen in this December 2025 photo), to get sandbags and learn how to use them ahead of El Niño rains.
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Gina Ferazzi
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Topline:
Peak El Niño season will hit in the next few months, and emergency management officials are urging residents to prepare their homes for possible flooding, mudslides and debris flows.
Know your flood risk: Officials say it’s crucial for residents to understand the flood risks to their property, their neighborhood and the important routes they travel. Know if your property has flooded before and be aware if you’re below a hillside that’s susceptible to landslides or in an area that’s vulnerable to coastal flooding.
Prepare your home: Consider buying flood insurance now if you’re in a high risk zone. Clear out gutters and storm drains. Make sure important documents are in waterproof storage. And think about stockpiling sandbags. But when it comes to sandbags, make sure you know how to properly use them.
Read on … for sandbag tips and our full guide on how to prepare your home for El Niño.
Elevated sea levels are already rolling into Southern California waters, leading to coastal erosion and other damage. An El Niño-driven Kelvin wave is further exacerbating conditions along the coast. And Tropical Storm Rachel could bring rain across the region this weekend.
But all of this is probably just the beginning of a very wet Southern California rainy season.
Authorities have been sounding the alarm.
“ Residents need to hear this information, and they need to hear it repeatedly, enough times so that they too can act,” L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis said during a recent presentation about El Niño preparations.
Heavy rain, flooding and debris flows can pose serious threats to homes and infrastructure. Officials and climate scientists say the best way to protect yourself and your property is to make preparations now, well before peak El Niño conditions arrive.
Here’s what you can do to prepare your home.
Preparing your property
One of the first steps to getting your home ready for El Niño is to understand how vulnerable it is to flooding when heavy rain or surging surf hits your neighborhood.
“It really is incumbent upon people to pause, evaluate where they live, where they travel and to really think about what would happen if those areas were flooded out,” said Kerjon Lee, spokesperson for the L.A. County Department of Public Works. “ Knowing your community, your neighborhood, where mud and debris flow might occur — is really critical.”
You can review your risks using California’s MyHazard tool, which allows you to input your address and cycle through potential risks.
Floodwaters and the landscape
Knowing if your property or neighborhood has flooded in the past can be helpful, and you can learn a lot from simply looking at the landscape in and around your home.
If your house is at the bottom of a hillside, for example, it’s probably more susceptible to debris flows, especially if the slope burned in a wildfire in the last several years. Burn scars are especially vulnerable to landslides and flooding because they lack the established vegetation that helps hold soil in place and absorbs water during heavy rain.
Other landmarks to look out for near your property are creeks, canals, drainage channels, debris basins and even low-lying roadways.
It’s also a good idea to understand how rainwater flows onto your property, where it collects and how it leaves. The goal should be for water to flow through your property safely and efficiently, without causing damage to neighbors.
That means clearing debris and overgrowth from gutters and drains now, before extreme weather hits.
Officials are also urging residents to report clogged or blocked storm drains to their local public works department.
If your property is at high risk of flooding, consider stockpiling sandbags. Many fire departments and public works departments offer sandbags to their local communities.
You can check sandbag distribution locations and availability here:
Be prepared to fill the sandbags yourself, as most places only offer empty ones. Never fill sandbags with beach sand or empty used ones onto the beach.
Once you have sandbags, make sure you know how to use them properly.
Here are a few tips:
Only fill sandbags half-full, not all the way full.
Do not place sandbags directly against the outer wall of a building as wet bags can create added pressure on the foundation.
Sandbags should be placed parallel to the direction of water flow.
The open ends of sandbags should be folded underneath and face upstream so they aren’t forced open as water flows around them.
Sandbags should be used to redirect floodwater rather than create a dam or block its path.
Sandbags can be used to protect doorways, but to do so, they should have a waterproof layer like heavy plastic or waterproof canvas placed behind them.
This diagram shows the proper way to place sandbags so that they are parallel to the flow of water or debris and redirect it away from structures.
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Los Angeles County Department of Public Works
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Local agencies offer thorough instructions on how to use sandbags online. L.A. County Public Works offers a breakdown in its Homeowners Guide.
Sandbags and other materials for protecting your home, including plywood, lumber or plastic sheeting, should be stored in a dry location away from potential flooding.
More resources
Here are some other helpful resources for preparing your home for possible flooding.
If valuables could be damaged or destroyed by floodwaters, consider moving them away from the ground or, if possible, to upper floors. Keep important documents in waterproof containers or sealed bags, and make sure to create digital copies.
Another recommendation is to check trees on your property for dead branches, cracks or other issues that might make them unstable, especially those that hang over structures. If you’re unsure or concerned about your trees, you can hire an arborist to inspect them. To trim or remove them, you will likely have to hire a professional. Cities and counties generally do not handle tree maintenance on private property.
Standard homeowners insurance policies typically do not cover flood damage, and new flood insurance plans can take at least 30 days to kick in. If you want to consider signing up for a plan, the National Flood Insurance Program is a good place to start.
If floodwaters do enter your home, public health officials recommend drying wet areas as quickly as possible, as saturation can lead to mold. If mold does take hold, clean the area using a disinfectant. Also, wear gloves and a mask to protect your skin and lungs and throw away moldy items that can’t be cleaned.
