Mariana Dale
explores and explains the forces that shape how and what kids learn from kindergarten to high school.
Updated September 14, 2023 5:25 PM
Published September 14, 2023 5:00 AM
Nigha Robertson and daughter Aniya Heavenly-April Robertson in February. Robertson said the now 8-month-old is thriving, starting to crawl, has two teeth and loves the songs from kids YouTube channel Gracie’s Corner.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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LAist
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Topline:
In the months since a Black woman died in childbirth at an Inglewood hospital, that facility has announced the closure of its maternity ward, been investigated and fined by the state, and now faces a lawsuit from the woman’s partner. Those close to her, and maternal health advocates, say they have not yet seen accountability for her or other families harmed by the Black maternal health crisis.
The backstory: April Valentine died at Centinela Hospital Medical Center on Jan. 10. Her partner and sister say hospital staff didn’t intervene when she complained of pain, numbness and swelling in her legs for hours. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner attributed her death to a blood clot, a preventable and well-known cause of death during pregnancy.
Hospital failings: The California Department of Public Health inspected Centinela after Valentine’s death and found the hospital risked patients’ lives by failing to take preventative measures to reduce the risk of blood clots. Prime Healthcare, which operates the hospital, announced maternity and labor services at Centinela will end in October, citing a decrease in demand.
A maternal health crisis: Black Californians die from pregnancy complications at a rate nearly four times higher than the general population. Research shows the factors that contribute to the disparities in Black maternal health include lack of access to high-quality health care and health conditions stemming from the chronic stress caused by racism.
Listen
4:57
Changes Following Black Woman’s Death At Inglewood Hospital Don’t Add Up To Accountability, Family Says
April Valentine died at Centinela Hospital in January 2023 from a blood clot. Valentine’s family and friends say her doctor and the hospital failed to treat one of the most common and preventable causes of death during pregnancy.
Those who were close to her have called for accountability from state health care regulators and her providers.
“It gives me more hope and it lets me know that my voice didn't go unheard,” said Nigha Robertson, Valentine’s partner. “It lets me know that everybody who played a part in the Justice for April [movement], didn't go unheard.”
Still, Robertson and maternal health advocates say they have not yet seen accountability for Valentine or other families harmed by the Black maternal health crisis.
It gives me more hope and it lets me know that my voice didn't go unheard. It lets me know that everybody who played a part in the Justice for April [movement], didn't go unheard.
— Nigha Robertson, April Valentine’s partner
Black Californians die from pregnancy complications at a rate nearly four times higher than the general population. Research shows the factors that contribute to the disparities in Black maternal health stem from systemic racism, including lack of access to high-quality health care and health conditions stemming from chronic stress.
“Real accountability would look like a fix in this system that is, you know, contributing to these situations,” said Sonya Young Aadam, CEO of the California Black Women’s Health Project.
About this story
This story is a follow-up on an investigation published in February 2023. Read our initial reporting on Valentine’s death and her family's fight for accountability.
Content advisory
This story talks about the death of a pregnant Black woman in childbirth and disparities in maternal and infant health.
If you’d prefer, you can also explore resources about how to navigate pregnancy.
Language
You might notice this story uses the term pregnant or birthing people. That's because our newsroom uses language in reproductive health that includes people of different genders who can give birth.
To see a full explanation of our language choices, check out Dialogue, LAist’s style guide, and give us feedback.
A Centinela Hospital spokesperson told LAist earlier this year in response to questions about Valentine’s death that “despite the highest standards of care, there are certain medically complex and emergent situations that cannot be overcome.”
But multiple state public health investigations show gaps in Centinela Hospital’s care. Valentine is not named in the investigations, but the narrative of one of the anonymous patient’s care matches the story of Valentine’s death, as shared by her family and partner.
Valentine’s partner and sister both say she complained of pain, numbness, and swelling in her legs for hours while at the hospital.
These symptoms can be the sign that blood has clumped together and is blocking the flow of blood. In Valentine’s case, the Medical Examiner found a clot formed in her leg and traveled to her lungs. This is called a pulmonary embolism.
In July, the California Department of Public Health fined Centinela Hospital Medical Center $75,000 — the maximum financial penalty for a first deficiency that “has caused, or is likely to cause, serious injury or death to the patient.”
Symptoms of a blood clot lodged deep in the body can include swelling, skin redness, warmth and tenderness in the area.
Signs that a blood clot has moved to the lungs include shortness of breath, fast or irregular heartbeat, chest pain, coughing up blood and chest pain.
Los Angeles OB-GYN Dr. La Tanya Hines said while some of those symptoms are part of a typical pregnancy, physicians need to take a patient’s claims seriously.
“The customer is always right and so is the patient,” Hines said. “It is our obligation as physicians and providers to address it and work it up to the extent that we believe either this is a problem or not.”
Hines said preventing blood clots starts with identifying factors that may increase a patient’s risk and then intervening with an ultrasound to try and detect a clot, medication that thins the blood, or other treatments.
Building trust is also key.
“I also believe the connection as a physician to the patient is to really listen to what their fears are,” Hines said. “And then to say, ’These are the things that we are willing to do. Can you go with me to make sure that we can have a safe outcome?’”
The hospital created a plan to fix the deficiencies described in the state’s investigations, including re-training staff and implementing measures to help prevent patient blood clots, but declined to provide further details to LAist.
It’s unclear whether the staff who cared for Valentine or other patients described in the investigations faced any discipline. The Medical Board of California is responsible for investigating complaints against licensed physicians.
“Out of respect and due to privacy laws, we do not discuss the treatment of specific employees,” a hospital spokesperson wrote in a statement.
Inglewood loses maternal health care
Prime Healthcare, which operates the hospital, announced maternity and labor services at Centinela will end in October, citing a decrease in demand for labor and delivery care, and an increase in need for other services, including behavioral health.
“As Centinela remains committed to serving evolving patient and community needs, the decision was made to create capacity for services of greatest benefit,” a hospital spokesperson wrote in a statement.
LAist has requested documents from the California Department of Public Health related to the maternity ward’s closure, but has yet to receive those documents.
Centinela Hospital health care workers protested amidst ongoing contract negotiations in August, saying that understaffing “undermines patient care,” reported the Los Angeles Daily News.
The upcoming closure has left maternal health advocates and Valentine’s family with conflicted feelings. Aadam, with the California Black Women’s Health Project, called it an “ugly catch-22.”
“We can't afford to lose more places in the community,” Aadam said. “But on the other hand, as a community, we also don't want to send anyone to a place … they could potentially lose their life or the life of their child.”
Patients who would have gone to Centinela will now be directed to expanded maternity services at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, another hospital in the Prime network that’s 10 miles east of Inglewood.
“Now you're punishing the community along with the hospital,” said Robertson, Valentine’s partner. ”The community did nothing wrong.”
A recent report from the California Department of Public Health found that more than 40% of Black birthing people in the state lived in neighborhoods with the “least health-promoting conditions” such as crowded, unaffordable housing, environmental hazards and low access to health care.
Family's fight for accountability continues
Robertson filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Centinela and Valentine’s health care providers in late August.
“I'm doing it because I lost someone I love and I want her to get justice 'cause it was wrong,” Robertson said.
The suit outlines alleged failures in Valentine’s treatment including:
Nursing staff’s dismissal of multiple complaints of swelling, numbness and heaviness in her legs.
A lack of communication between nursing staff and her physician despite changes in Valentine and her unborn daughter’s vital signs.
Denying hospital entry to Valentine’s doula, a planned member of her support team.
A “stark bare hospital room” did not match the facility’s advertised promise of a “home away from home” birthing suite.
April Valentine's cousin Alexus Alexandria attends a vigil outside of the hospital where Valentine died.
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Mariana Dale
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LAist
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Medical malpractice lawsuits are often expensive to litigate and require expert legal and medical counsel.
For almost 50 years, California has limited the amount of money plaintiffs can gain from a medical malpractice lawsuit to $250,000. A law passed last year raises that cap to $500,000 effective this year, and to $1 million over the next decade.
“Although they've improved somewhat as of this year, they're still well behind the curve when it comes to the type of damages that someone can recover in other personal injury, wrongful death claims in the state,” said Robertson’s attorney, Andrew Marton.
The timeline for civil lawsuits varies, but Marton estimated it could take two to three years before the case concludes. In response to questions about the lawsuit, a Centinela hospital spokesperson wrote the organization disputes the allegations and “due to pending litigation, we cannot comment further.”
In February 2023, Nigha Robertson holds his baby Aniya in the Inglewood home he shared with April Valentine, who died during childbirth.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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LAist
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Robertson is now focused on raising his 8-month-old daughter.
Though Aniya Heavenly-April Robertson was born limp and pale by emergency C-section, she is now thriving, her dad said. She’s starting to crawl, has two teeth, and loves the songs from kids YouTube channel Gracie’s Corner.
“It would melt my heart, like, I walk in the room and it's like she knows,” Robertson said.
Valentine’s cousin Mykesha Mack shares updates about the investigations and media coverage of her death on social media. She hopes to turn Justice for April into a nonprofit that can provide education and resources regarding pregnancy and childbirth.
“So that families, if they do have to go through this, then we can provide them with the resources and the help that they need to navigate this space,” Mack said.
Valentine’s death has also shaped Mack’s work as a life coach focused on helping nurses and health care workers work through trauma and burnout. An upcoming seminar is dedicated to Valentine.
“I hope they walk away feeling refreshed, feeling restored, feeling hopeful again in what they do,” Mack said.
How to take action after a bad pregnancy experience
There’s no one right approach, so it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of each of these strategies, and keep in mind that some come with risks or may not be realistic for everyone.
Talk about what happened. Find someone you trust to talk openly and freely about what happened. This process can help you understand what happened and decide what next steps you want to take.
Write your narrative. It can be helpful to have a record of what happened, from your point of view, written as close to the time of violation as possible. Start by writing freeform, and ask others you trust and who were there to clarify details.
Request your medical records: You have the right to see and get a copy of your medical records. These documents can help you understand what happened from the provider's point of view and could be a key source of evidence.
Give direct feedback. You can write a formal letter to whoever was involved in the violation, which might help the person make a change in how they practice.
File a formal complaint. Submit feedback to the official agency or agencies that oversee your providers. In California, the Medical Board licenses doctors and investigates complaints. The state’s Department of Public Health can investigate complaints against hospitals and other care facilities.
Contact a state representative. Sharing your story with a representative can lead to an investigation by another agency or policy change. Find your California legislator.
Contact the media. Media attention can help raise awareness and lead to others coming forward to help or share their stories.
File a lawsuit. Legal action can bring new details to light and may lead to settlement negotiations and monetary compensation. How to find and afford a lawyer.
Take direct action. Joining with others can bring attention to your issue, help build community, and can sometimes achieve outcomes that litigation cannot.
Work the system, be creative. Understanding the system you’re in, you may have other ideas for how to get your story in front of key decision makers, through informal or artistic means.
Birth and postpartum resources
Birth and Postpartum Resources
These resources were recommended by California birth workers and families. Have a suggestion? Email sritoper@scpr.org.
Postpartum Support International (PSI) - Free, confidential support before, during, and after pregnancy. Responses within a few minutes 24/7 at 800-944-4PPD (4773).
Therapeutic Play Foundation - a Pasadena-based non-profit created by Black mental health professionals that provides mental health services, support for birthing people and community gatherings.
All-Options talkline. Process how you feel or what to do next by talking to a volunteer peer-counselor about abortion, adoption, parenting, infertility or pregnancy loss.
CinnaMoms – Support circles for Black birthing people hosted at WIC centers in the L.A. area, with the goal of breaking down barriers to breastfeeding.
Kellymom – Breastfeeding information site run by international board certified lactation consultant Kelly Bonyata.
National Women’s Health and Breastfeeding Helpline – Run by the US Department of Health’s Office of Women’s Health, breastfeeding peer counselors are available to talk between 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET at 800-994-9662.
Doulas provide expecting and new mothers or birthing people with educational, emotional, and physical support before, during, and after a baby is born. Postpartum doulas’ services can include cooking, help around the house, and various healing modalities. Pro tip: many postpartum doulas are available pro-bono while they are seeking certification.
What Do Doulas Do? – LAist’s guide to doulas, including a list of resources to find a doula in Southern California.
Birthworkers of Color Collective – A collective of birth workers of color providing trainings, workshops, and healing offerings for birthworkers, pregnant people, and their families.
DONA International – Doula certifying organization that includes a search tool to find prenatal and postpartum doulas.
Support Groups
Many support groups and parent and me classes exist throughout Southern California, and the best way to find one is to search online for groups in your area. You might also find these groups through your hospital or places where you find breastfeeding gear. It sometimes helps to look for activities you enjoy (eg. yoga, swimming, dancing) and see if they have “baby and me” classes.
A few places to start:
Kindred Space – A hub for midwifery care, doula support, lactation consulting and support groups.
LOOM – Provides pregnancy, breastfeeding classes, and a doula directory.
Parenting For Liberation – a virtual community founded by an Orange County mom that “connects, inspires, and uplifts Black folks as they navigate and negotiate raising Black children within the social and political context of the U.S.”
Sugar Heal Gang – A collection of Black healers who provides grants through their Black Maternal Health Fund to cover maternity care services.
The Victoria Project – A fund for birth care outside of a hospital setting (home birth & birth center) to families within Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties.
Black Mental Health Task Force— a coalition of California mental health professionals, community organizations and residents focused on supporting “mental health wellness within the African American community.”
Black Women For Wellness— An LA- and Stockton-based nonprofit focused on health education and advocacy
For Partners / Fathers
Black Daddy Dialogues – Support group for dads raising Black children, every second Saturday of the month.
Love Dad – Home visits to fathers and their children throughout L.A. County
The Expecting Fathers Group for Black Dads – Support group for Black soon-to-be fathers and provides education, support and navigation tools for the prenatal, labor and delivery, postpartum, and early parenting.
Sisters in Loss – Doula Erica M. Freeman is dedicated to “replacing silence with storytelling around pregnancy and infant loss and infertility of Black women” and hosts a podcast and a virtual support community.
Social Services
211 – Information and referrals for all health and human services in LA County, including a query for “parent programs.”
Gab Chabrán
covers what's happening in food and culture for LAist.
Published May 14, 2026 5:00 AM
Eight decades in, the original Tommy's stand at Beverly and Rampart still glows.
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Courtesy Original Tommy's
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Topline:
Original Tommy's turns 80 this week. To mark the octogenarian occasion, on Friday, a chili cheeseburger will cost you just 80 cents instead of the regular $5.50 at all locations, noon-8 p.m.
Why it matters: In Los Angeles, you can't get more local than a Tommy's Burger. Consuming the smothered burger — its signature beanless chili dripping through the to-go wrapper — is a rite of passage for many. Eight decades in, the original stand is still standing at Beverly and Rampart.
The details: On Friday, noon to 8 p.m. only, you can get 80-cent chili cheeseburgers (limit three per person) at all Southern California and Nevada locations. The anniversary celebration at the original downtown L.A. location includes the Belmont High School Marching Band, a DJ and a resolution from Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez , who represents the area, honoring 80 years of business in California.
The backstory: Tommy Koulax opened the original stand at Beverly and Rampart in 1946. This week, the iconic SoCal chain, which spawned many competitors, celebrates 80 years across all 32 of its locations — and you're invited. Daughter Cynthia Koulax will be greeting the community Friday, alongside CEO Dawna Bernal and CFO Richard Hicks.
Topline:
Original Tommy's turns 80 this week. To mark the octogenarian occasion, on Friday, a chili cheeseburger will cost you just 80 cents instead of the regular $5.50 at all locations, noon-8 p.m.
Why it matters: In Los Angeles, you can't get more local than a Tommy's Burger. Consuming the smothered burger — its signature beanless chili dripping through the to-go wrapper — is a rite of passage for many. Eight decades in, the original stand is still standing at Beverly and Rampart.
The details: Friday, noon to 8 p.m. only, you can get 80-cent chili cheeseburgers (limit three per person) at all Southern California and Nevada locations. The anniversary celebration at the original downtown L.A. location includes the Belmont High School Marching Band, a DJ and a resolution from Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez , who represents the area, honoring 80 years of business in California.
The backstory: Tommy Koulax opened the original stand at Beverly and Rampart in 1946. This week, the iconic SoCal chain, which spawned many competitors, celebrates 80 years across all 32 of its locations — and you're invited. Daughter Cynthia Koulax will be greeting the community Friday, alongside CEO Dawna Bernal and CFO Richard Hicks.
Aaron Schrank
has been on the ground, reporting on homelessness and other issues in L.A. for more than a decade.
Published May 14, 2026 5:00 AM
Two tents on a sidewalk in Hollywood
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Ethan Ward
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LAist
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Topline:
A group of volunteers in Hollywood say they are conducting their own homeless count in the area next week because they don't trust the results of the official regional one. The effort is organized by Hollywood 4WRD.
Hollywood count: About 60 volunteers, mostly staff from Hollywood service provider organizations, are expected to fan out across 30 census tracts Tuesday. Results will be made public a week later May 27, according to organizers.
Why it matters: The neighborhood count comes amid growing questions about the accuracy of the official regional homeless tally. The city of L.A.'s unhoused population decreased by 5.5% between 2023 and 2025, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. But a2025 analysis by the RAND Corporation found LAHSA had undercounted people living outside in certain areas, including Hollywood.
Since 2021, RAND researchers have conducted their own counts in Hollywood, Skid Row and Venice. That research effort, known as LA LEADS, has since lost funding.
Read on ... for details on the Hollywood count.
A group of volunteers in Hollywood say they are conducting their own homeless count in the area next week because they don't trust the results of the official regional one.
The effort is organized by Hollywood 4WRD, a coalition of nonprofit service providers, businesses and residents. About 60 volunteers, mostly staff from Hollywood service provider organizations, are expected to fan out across 30 census tracts Tuesday.
Results will be made public a week later May 27, according to organizers.
The neighborhood count comes amid growing questions about the accuracy of the official regional homeless tally.
The city of L.A.'s unhoused population decreased by 5.5% between 2023 and 2025, according toofficial estimates from the annual count conducted by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, or LAHSA. But a2025 analysis by the RAND Corporation found that LAHSA undercounted people living outside in certain areas, including Hollywood.
Hollywood 4WRD executive director Brittney Weissman said the organization’s own experience volunteering for the LAHSA count this year raised even more questions about accuracy.
“Our experience was so confounding, perplexing and inefficient that we've been really deeply questioning the value, utility and accuracy of the count for a couple of years now,” Weissman said.
Organizers said the Hollywood count will use methodology developed by RAND researchers, who ran their own professional counts in Hollywood, Skid Row and Venice from 2021 until earlier this year.
That research effort, known as LA LEADS, has since lost funding.
“If LA LEADS was continuously funded into the future, we would not be doing this effort,” Weissman said. "Because it's no longer funded, we felt we needed to take our own initiative to understand the lay of the land here.”
What's at stake?
More than $300 million in federal and county dollars are allocated annually based on homeless count results. That includes $220 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and nearly $100 million from L.A. County's Measure A sales tax.
LAHSA conducted its most recent official homeless count in January. The agency said it hopes to release the results this summer but has not confirmed a release date.
In her reelection campaign, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass takes credit for reducing homelessness in the city. The official count underpinning her claim is the same one RAND found was missing nearly a third of unsheltered people in key neighborhoods.
Weissman said Hollywood service providers need to know now whether more people are living in vehicles or sleeping outside, so they can adjust how they're doing outreach.
Organizers timed the May 27 release to influence budget negotiations still underway at City Hall, according to Weissman.
She noted that Bass' proposed budget does not include funding for Safe Parking LA, a program that allows unhoused Angelenos to live legally in their vehicles within sanctioned parking lots.
"If we find that vehicular homelessness is on the rise here and we need it badly, this gives us evidence with which to petition decisionmakers for that resource in our community," she said.
What RAND found
RAND's LA LEADS project ran bimonthly counts in Hollywood, Skid Row and Venice from 2021 until this January.
Comparing LAHSA’s official counts to its own, a RAND report found the 2025 homeless count captured 68% of the unsheltered population across those three neighborhoods.
RAND found the population of unsheltered people in Hollywood dropped 49% in 2024, a decline it linked to the city’s Inside Safe program. But the official LAHSA count still captured only 81% of what RAND found in the neighborhood.
The people being missed were mostly vehicle dwellers and “rough sleepers” — people living with no shelter, RAND said.
Skid Row's official tally fared worse, capturing 61% of what RAND found there.
Hollywood 4WRD said its methodology follows RAND’s LA LEADS methodology, which the group said is more precise than LAHSA’s approach.
Each census tract will be covered by at least two independent volunteers, a quality-control measure that helps organizers flag areas that might need to be recounted.
Volunteers will also use pens and paper to record their observations, instead of a mobile app. LAHSA has used an app for its count since 2022 and has acknowledged repeated technical problems with it.
The unofficial homeless count this month is limited to Hollywood, unlike LAHSA's countywide effort. Weissman said she hopes the effort will encourage other neighborhoods to check their own local data.
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Yama Sushi Marketplace locations will host a rotating lineup of Asian-owned brands through the end of the month.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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In this edition:
Stroll the Balboa Island Art Walk, play Ryan Adams’ pinball machines, read kids' books to trees and more of the best things to do this weekend.
Highlights:
Is there a more idyllic corner of SoCal than Balboa Island? Stroll the promenade and enjoy the art and the views at the 31st annual Balboa Island Art Walk. There’s live music and more than 90 artists showing their work with an ocean backdrop.
Head down to Anaheim to check out (and maybe bid on) your next game room addition. Ryan Adams — yep, that’s the one, former Mr. Mandy Moore and indie rocker royalty of the early 2000s — is apparently a big arcade collector, and he’s auctioning off much of his collection. There’s a wide range of arcade games and pinball machines on view to the public, plus opportunities to play, meet collectors and see the warehouse.
The John Rowland Mansion is the oldest extant brick building in Southern California, and has a unique history that the House Museum has recently been instrumental in preserving. Spend some time at the Greek revival building with the whole family for The Giving Trees, a reading of children’s books to trees (with gratitude to Shel Silverstein!) in the garden at the permanent installation Let’s Make a Garden From Old Wounds.
So many of us have stories about secret shows, celeb sightings and special guests showing up at the intimate Hotel Cafe over the past 26 years. The venue’s Instagram has a bevy of famous well-wishers popping into the chat. So it’s truly the end of an era as the iconic night spot hosts its final shows at the Cahuenga location, wrapping things up with a party called Last Dance at the Hotel Cafe featuring Sara Bareilles and many more on Friday.
But if you can’t score a ticket, fear not, because there’s plenty more music on the agenda for this weekend. Licorice Pizza’s Lyndsey Parker recommends Friday shows St. Lucia at the Fonda; Santigold at the Bellwether; Alejandro Sanz at the Greek; and Desert Daze’s Microdazing at the Bellwether, featuring various DJs, including KCRW’s Travis Holcombe and Beastie Boys producer Mario C. Saturday, Demi Lovato is at the Forum, friend-of-LAist Flea plays the Fonda and the big Japanese music festival Zipangu is at Brookside at the Rose Bowl, featuring Atarashii Gakko!, Ado and many more. And on Sunday, Echo & the Bunnymen are at the Greek, and Father John Misty plays the Fox Theater in Pomona.
Elsewhere on LAist, you can get a behind-the-scenes look at historic Santa Monica music store and venue McCabe’s Guitar Shop, find out what gets left behind at Metro’s Lost & Found and get tickets for next week’s LAist x Moth StorySlam at Los Globos.
Events
Los Angeles Old Time Social
Friday and Saturday, May 15 and 16 Velaslavasay Panorama 1122 W. 24th Street, University Park COST: SUGGESTED $20; MORE INFO
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Corey Burns
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Los Angeles Old Time Social
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The 16th annual Los Angeles Old Time Social celebrates the vibrant old-time music scene in Southern California. A kickoff concert on Friday is followed by a full day of activities on Saturday, May 16 at The Velaslavasay Panorama in West Adams. Attend workshops and jams for banjo, fiddle, guitar, singing and dancing. The event is capped off on Saturday night with a big square dance and musical cakes from 7:30 to 10 p.m. No experience or partner is needed. The square dance caller walks everyone through the moves before every song, so it’s easy to follow along in a fun and no-pressure environment.
Chocoholics and ice cream fiends will know pastry chef David Lebovitz’s work well. The Paris-based dessert king is in town promoting his cookbooks, The Great Book of Chocolate and Ready for Dessert with a special event at Friends & Family. His ice cream book is the bible for anyone who's tried their hand at making ice cream at home, and his other desserts also stand up to the test. Yum.
The Giving Trees
Saturday, May 16, 3:30 p.m. John Rowland Mansion 15959 E. Gale Ave., City of Industry COST: FREE; MORE INFO
The John Rowland Mansion is the oldest extant brick building in Southern California, and has a unique history that the House Museum has recently been instrumental in preserving. Spend some time at the Greek revival building with the whole family for The Giving Trees, a reading of children’s books to trees (with gratitude to Shel Silverstein!) in the garden at the permanent installation Let’s Make a Garden From Old Wounds.
Celebrity-Owned Private Collection Arcade and Pinball Auction
Sunday, May 17, 9 a.m. preview Captain’s Auction Warehouse 4421 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim COST: FREE TO PERUSE; MORE INFO
File this one under weird and wonderful. Head down to Anaheim to check out (and maybe bid on) your next game room addition. Ryan Adams — yep, that’s the one, former Mr. Mandy Moore and indie rocker royalty of the early 2000s — is apparently a big arcade collector, and he’s auctioning off much of his collection. There’s a wide range of arcade games and pinball machines on view to the public, plus opportunities to play, meet collectors and see the warehouse.
Red Bull Soapbox Race
Saturday, May 16, 11 a.m. Gloria Molina Grand Park 200 N. Grand Ave., Downtown L.A. COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Daredevils will have a field day at Red Bull’s Soapbox Race, which will transform Grand Park into a cinematic racecourse, where 30 teams, selected from more than 400 applicants, will compete with gravity-powered, homemade crafts for ultimate bragging rights.
Black Association of Documentary Filmmakers: Day of Black Docs
Saturday, May 16, 12 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. American Film Institute 2021 North Western Ave., Los Feliz COST: FROM $23; MORE INFO
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Badwest
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Eventbrite
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Check out documentaries from Black filmmakers that “explore themes of social justice, self-determination, and community, highlighting the revolutionary leaders and movements that can help inform our present moment.” The day includes three feature-length films and one short film, with two that focus on L.A. history. Q&As will be moderated by journalist and AirTalk film critic Tim Cogshell.
Balboa Island Art Walk
Sunday, May 17, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. South Bayfront Promenade Newport Beach COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Courtesy Balboa Island Artwalk
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Is there a more idyllic corner of SoCal than Balboa Island? Stroll the promenade and enjoy the art and the views at the 31st annual Balboa Island Art Walk. There’s live music and more than 90 artists showing their work with an ocean backdrop.
AAPI Market at Yama Sushi Marketplace
Through Saturday, May 30 Various locations (West L.A., San Gabriel and Koreatown) COST: VARIES, MORE INFO
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Courtesy Yama Sushi
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A rotating lineup of makers featuring Asian-owned brands is popping up at Yama Sushi Marketplace throughout May. This weekend, Omiso founder Ai Fujimoto will be sampling her yuzu miso paired with Yama’s black cod; also available for purchase as a frozen item. On May 30, DoShop Cookies will be available with baker Thy Do sampling her fan-favorite cookies, debuting new flavors and hosting a raffle.
Henry Wilkinson and Kristina Ross record a makeshift shelter during LAHSA's homeless count Jan. 20.
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Jordan Rynning
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LAist
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Topline:
Every December, the federal government releases a report that reveals the number of homeless residents in each state and across the country. It’s now May and the report, which compiles data from a homeless census known as the “point-in-time count,” is nowhere to be found.
Point in time count: For the past two decades, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has required local regions to take a census of their homeless populations every other year in a massive undertaking called the point-in-time count. Volunteers go out on foot over a day or two in January and count every person they see living outside. People sleeping in shelters are tallied as well. Counters also conduct surveys of a sample of unhoused people, collecting extra data on people’s race, age, gender, time spent homeless, medical and mental health conditions, and more. Each jurisdiction must submit their count to HUD by the spring. They also release their local data to the public. Meanwhile, HUD verifies the data, tallies the total count for each state and for the country as a whole, submits a public report to Congress and uploads more detailed data on its website.
Why it matters: While there’s no legal deadline, that report usually comes out in December of the year of the count. It’s unclear why the 2025 report still isn’t out. The delay is a problem because the report dictates how funding is allocated in California and beyond. It also shapes policy decisions and provides the country’s main barometer for how the homelessness crisis is being managed. The five-month delay is leaving public officials, policymakers and advocates scratching their heads. California has filled the gap by tallying its own data, showing a 9% drop in the number of people sleeping outside. But unlike the official federal report, California’s analysis leaves out information such as the race, age and mental health status of the people who are counted. And without the full federal report, there’s no way to tell where California stands compared to other states.
Every December, the federal government releases a report that reveals the number of homeless residents in each state and across the country.
It’s now May and the report, which compiles data from a homeless census known as the “point-in-time count,” is nowhere to be found.
That’s a problem because the report dictates how funding is allocated in California and beyond. It also shapes policy decisions and provides the country’s main barometer for how the homelessness crisis is being managed.
The five-month delay is leaving public officials, policymakers and advocates scratching their heads. California has filled the gap by tallying its own data, showing a 9% drop in the number of people sleeping outside. But unlike the official federal report, California’s analysis leaves out information such as the race, age and mental health status of the people who are counted. And without the full federal report, there’s no way to tell where California stands compared to other states.
“It’s a big deal,” said Jesse Rabinowitz, spokesperson for the National Homelessness Law Center. “This is, by what I can tell, the latest any point-in-time count has ever come out, including the years where it was delayed during COVID.”
'Point-in-time' count
For the past two decades, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has required local regions to take a census of their homeless populations every other year in a massive undertaking called the point-in-time count. Volunteers go out on foot over a day or two in January and count every person they see living outside. People sleeping in shelters are tallied as well. Counters also conduct surveys of a sample of unhoused people, collecting extra data on people’s race, age, gender, time spent homeless, medical and mental health conditions and more.
The count isn’t perfect (volunteers can easily miss people, and different counties use different methods), but it’s a key tool policy makers use to measure changes in the population.
Each jurisdiction (which is known in HUD parlance as a “continuum of care” and typically is made up of a county and the cities within it) must submit their count to HUD by the spring. They also release their local data to the public. Meanwhile, HUD verifies the data, tallies the total count for each state and for the country as a whole, submits a public report to Congress and uploads more detailed data on its website.
While there’s no legal deadline, that report usually comes out in December of the year of the count. In 2021 and 2020, when COVID disrupted counts, the reports came out the following February and March, respectively.
It’s unclear why the 2025 report still isn’t out. The report is so much later than usual that some counties, including San Francisco, already released their 2026 count data.
HUD refused to comment.
“It is perplexing that HUD has not released this information,” Tara Gallegos, a spokesperson for Gov. Gavin Newsom, said in a statement to CalMatters. “Perhaps the Trump administration is afraid to release clear data that demonstrates California’s strategies for addressing this issue are actually extremely effective.”
What California's data show
California’s data does point to a reduction in homelessness, suggesting the state’s methods are starting to work. Data provided by the Newsom administration, and echoed by an independent analysis, show a 4% overall decrease between 2024 and 2025, and a 9% drop in people sleeping in tents, on the sidewalk, in cars or in other places not meant for habitation.
That data comes from the 30 California continuums of care that counted their street homeless populations last year. The remaining 14 that counted this year instead (they’re only required to count at least every other year) are not included.
“I think it shows that the headwinds in California continue to be very strong and continue to push more people into homelessness,” said Alex Visotzky, senior California policy fellow for the National Alliance to End Homelessness, “but the investments to build up the response to homelessness have made a really big difference and are moving people out of homelessness faster than ever before.”
That runs counter to President Donald Trump’s platform, which holds California up as an example of failed homelessness policy. California follows a principle called “housing first,” which prioritizes getting people into housing immediately and then addressing their other needs (such as mental health and substance use help). The Trump administration wants to end housing first, which it says isn’t working, and instead withhold housing until people enroll in addiction treatment or other programs.
California also uses most of its federal funds to pay for permanent housing, which experts say is the most effective way to end someone’s homelessness. The Trump administration recently tried to divert that money to temporary shelters where people stay for a limited time.
California's homelessness strategy
California is one of 19 states suing the Trump administration over that change. That case is ongoing, but, in a win for the states, a federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s changes.
A drop in homelessness in California would have a significant impact on the country’s overall homeless population. Nearly a quarter of all unhoused Americans lived in California as of 2024 — a total of more than 187,000 people, according to the most recent HUD report.
The New York Times found homelessness also dropped in other places around the country last year, including Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., Minnesota, Florida and Maine, which it found points to a nationwide reduction.
If homelessness dropped nationwide in 2025, it would be the first time in eight years. In 2024, the national count hit 771,480 — an 18% increase from the year before.
