Topline:
Most renters facing eviction in L.A. go to court without legal representation, facing landlords who almost always have a lawyer.
Why that matters: Tenant advocates say problems in eviction court, some of which are highlighted in a new LAist investigation, show why it’s important for renters to have an attorney.
Keep reading... to find out how you can start looking for a lawyer if you’re facing eviction in L.A.
Unlike criminal court — where defendants get a free public defender if they can’t afford their own attorney — most eviction courts, including in Los Angeles, do not provide tenants with free legal representation. As a result, most renters fighting eviction go to court without a lawyer, facing landlords who almost always have an attorney.
Tenant advocates say this can create an unfair imbalance — making it easier for work by eviction attorneys to go unchecked in a busy court system.
In one recent case, a judge caught a big problem. L.A. County Superior Court Judge Ian Fusselman sanctioned one of the most prolific L.A. eviction law firms — Dennis P. Block and Associates — for submitting fake case law in court. Legal experts told LAist the filing was likely created by misuse of a generative artificial intelligence program such as ChatGPT.
In that particular case the tenant, who prevailed, was represented by an attorney.
Tenant advocates say this case, and other complaints about mishandled evictions, underscore the importance of renters having an attorney. Lawyers can spot problems with a landlord’s case, and they can help tenants navigate an often confusing and fast-paced legal system.
“When tenants are not represented in eviction court, they're significantly more likely to lose,” said Jonathan Jager, a staff attorney with the pro bono law firm Public Counsel.
Landlords file thousands of evictions across L.A. County each month. There are not enough tenant defense attorneys to help every renter. But free attorneys are available in many cases. If you’re a renter facing eviction in L.A., here’s how to start looking for legal help.
Your first stop, according to tenant advocates interviewed for this story, should be StayHousedLA.org.
This program, launched at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and funded by the city and county of L.A., brings together an array of local legal aid nonprofits and tenant advocacy groups focused on helping renters learn their rights and fight to stay in their homes.
“A tenant doesn't need to call eight different nonprofit law firms to try to find one that has capacity for their case,” Jager said. “They can just call StayHousedLA.”
Jager emphasized the need to act fast. Under California law, renters served with an unlawful detainer (the legal term for an eviction lawsuit) have a short time to respond in court.
Evictions are “specially exempt from normal court rules,” Jager said. “If a landlord files an eviction case, the tenant only has five days to file an answer instead of the usual 30.”
StayHousedLA has $20.5 million in funding for legal services, and about 50 full-time attorneys available through different organizations. It has certain eligibility requirements for Angelenos seeking legal representation. Tenants need to earn 80% of the area’s median income or less, which is up to $70,650 for a one-person household or $100,900 for a family of four.
StayHousedLA also prioritizes cases in certain ZIP codes. If you live in any of the ZIP codes listed in this link, you’re more likely to receive free legal representation. Living outside those ZIP codes isn’t necessarily disqualifying. But tenant attorneys said StayHousedLA has chosen to channel limited resources into areas deemed most vulnerable.
“Everyone who signs up should be getting some sort of communication back from the legal services provider they are paired with, even if it is to say, ‘We do not have capacity to take this case on,’” said Amy Tannenbaum, another Public Counsel attorney. “They might be able to provide a vetted list of referrals to private attorneys who may be able to assist.”
L.A. tenants can turn to another potential source for free legal representation: the Shriver Housing Project’s eviction assistance center on the first floor of Downtown L.A.’s Stanley Mosk courthouse. Tannenbaum recommends showing up early to maximize your chances of getting legal help.
The reality, tenant advocates say, is that even if you reach out to these programs, you most likely will not receive a free lawyer. There are simply too many cases and too few attorneys.
“We're working on building that pipeline now for eviction defense,” Tannenbaum said. “It's not there yet.”
But that doesn’t mean you’re completely on your own.
Pablo Estupiñan, director of the Right to Counsel campaign for L.A. tenant rights nonprofit Strategic Actions for a Just Economy, encouraged renters to contact tenant advocacy organizations to learn how to defend themselves in court.
“There can be shame when people are facing eviction,” Estupiñan said. “You're not alone. There are thousands of people right now — across the city, across the county — that are being evicted, or are in court, with no access to legal representation.”
The Eviction Defense Network has videos on their website breaking down the eviction process for tenants who lack attorneys. They also host webinars and classes most days of the week where staffers and other tenants educate each other on how to best approach cases.
Attorneys also recommended reaching out to the L.A. Tenants Union. They said the union includes many members who, while they’re not lawyers, are knowledgeable about eviction.
“I've seen tenants represent themselves in court and win because they have the support of a tenant support organization,” Jager said.
He said tenants can also use TenantPowerToolkit.org to help with filing a response to an eviction lawsuit.
While these policies are unlikely to take effect any time soon, tenants in many parts of L.A. County may one day be given publicly funded attorneys in eviction court.
These “right to counsel” proposals are now under consideration by the L.A. city council and L.A. County’s Board of Supervisors. How exactly the programs would work is not yet clear, but advocates hope L.A. will follow in the footsteps of other cities with right to counsel programs, such as New York and San Francisco.
“Across the country, I think policymakers are seeing that right to counsel is a solution to reducing homelessness and preventing more evictions,” Estupiñan said.
L.A. city council members are waiting for the city’s housing department to deliver a report on the policy before taking an initial vote. That report was due six months ago. The County Board of Supervisors proposal, which would initially only cover tenants in unincorporated parts of L.A. County, is scheduled to be voted on next year.
If you’re hoping to track these right to counsel proposals, read LAist’s guide on how to watchdog your local government.
Topline:
The FBI seized about 15 drones flying near SoFi Stadium and L.A. Memorial Coliseum on Friday and Saturday for violating temporary flight restrictions.
Why it matters: "No Drone Zones" have been put in place by the Federal Aviation Administration on match days at World Cup stadiums and venues hosting official fan festivals.
The restrictions: Drones are prohibited at SoFi within a three-nautical-mile radius and up to 3,000 feet above ground level. They are also banned at the Coliseum for the official fan festival within a one-nautical-mile radius and up to 1,000 feet above ground level.
The FBI seized about 15 drones near SoFi Stadium and L.A. Memorial Coliseum on Friday and Saturday for violating temporary flight restrictions, Amir Ehsaei, special agent in charge of counterterrorism and crisis response at the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office, told LAist. Multiple operators were cited.
Stadiums hosting World Cup games and official fan festival venues are designated as "No Drone Zones" by the Federal Aviation Administration on match days.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to drones violating the temporary flight restrictions," Ehsaei said.
He said drone detection teams are deployed at all SoFi games. "We will be out at other places depending on the nature — the size, the scope — [and] different intelligence that we'll get based on threat assessments."
Drones are prohibited at SoFi within a three-nautical-mile radius and up to 3,000 feet above ground level. They are also banned at the Coliseum for the official fan festival within a one-nautical-mile radius and up to 1,000 feet above ground level.
Violators could face fines of up to $100,000 and federal criminal charges.
Topline:
Residents in East LA are weighing the promise of a new Metro E Line extension with concerns over construction disruptions, small-business impacts and whether more outreach is needed about the project.
What is the project: The 4.7-mile extension of the Metro E Line would connect East Los Angeles to Montebello with four new stations. The project would relocate the existing Atlantic and Pomona station underground, and include a mix of underground, aerial and street-level track transit.
Read on ... for more about the pros and cons locals see for the extension.
Residents in East LA are weighing the promise of a new Metro E Line extension with concerns over construction disruptions, small-business impacts and whether more outreach is needed about the project.
The 4.7-mile extension of the Metro E Line would connect East Los Angeles to Montebello with four new stations. The project would relocate the existing Atlantic and Pomona station underground and include a mix of underground, aerial and street-level track transit.
The $7.9 billion project is expected to open for service between 2035 and 2037, according to Metro.
Construction will begin in 2029 and last approximately eight to 10 years, pending full funding approval. It’s part of a wider plan to connect the E Line to the city of Whittier, though officials say the work will be built in two phases due to funding constraints.
While officials say the project is intended to reduce traffic congestion and ease pressure on local roads, residents at a recent community meeting focused more on the immediate impact and communication.
“Thirty days for comment on a complex issue like this is ridiculous. … We need better outreach,” said East LA resident Clara Solis about a 30-day public comment period ending June 26.
Solis and others also raised concerns about how construction could affect traffic and disrupt local commerce, pointing to past transit projects.
“How is this going to impact the businesses? When the Gold Line went through, a lot of our businesses really suffered economically. We want to see a presentation on that. You should have a presentation just on how it’s going to impact the businesses,” Solis added.
East LA resident Kristie Hernandez said community outreach for the project should also extend to people who do not necessarily live within the immediate 200-foot project radius.
“We need to understand that folks who don’t necessarily live within that close proximity also frequent that area when they drive,” said Hernandez.
Hernandez advocated for a 90-day public comment window and also called for presentations on underground infrastructure, especially in the wake of the East LA pipeline that was punctured during construction work in late May.
“We do not want that to happen again,” she said.
Lucia Martinez spoke favorably about the extension plans, considering that she relies on buses to get around East LA to do her shopping. She said she looks forward to using the Metro to travel to the Citadel as well as to the hospital in Pasadena.
“As an older woman who became aware of this project, I think it is amazing because I am someone who does not drive,” she said.
LA Documenter Rafael Cazzorla contributed reporting for this story. LA Documenters trains and pays LA residents to take notes at local government meetings around Los Angeles. You can find meeting notes and audio at losangeles.documenters.org
Topline:
For the first time in nearly three decades, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new chemical UV filter for use in sunscreens sold in the U.S. And that has many dermatologists cheering.
Why it matters: The new ingredient is called bemotrizinol, and it has several advantages over the chemical sunscreen ingredients previously available in the U.S., says Dr. Heather Rogers, a dermatologist in Seattle and a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology.
The backstory: In the U.S., sunscreens are regulated as over-the-counter drugs rather than cosmetics, as they're classified in Europe. That means ingredients need to undergo rigorous testing for safety and efficacy before they can be approved for use in the U.S.
Read on ... for four key things to know about this coming change.
For the first time in nearly three decades, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new chemical UV filter for use in sunscreens sold in the U.S. And that has many dermatologists cheering.
"This is a very big deal," says Dr. Heather Rogers, a dermatologist in Seattle and a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology.
The new ingredient is called bemotrizinol, and it has several advantages over the chemical sunscreen ingredients previously available in the U.S., Rogers says.
"It hits like really every box for us that we have been waiting for as dermatologists and consumers," Rogers says.
Here's what you need to know about this new ingredient and how it could lead to better sunscreens sold stateside.
Rogers says in general, you want to use sunscreens that are broad spectrum, meaning they protect against both UVA rays — the longer wavelengths that cause premature aging and wrinkles — and UVB rays, which lead to sunburns. Both types of UV rays can cause skin cancer.
She says the sunscreens currently sold in the U.S. do an excellent job of protecting against UVB rays, but the chemical UV filters available in sunscreens in the U.S. until now aren't as good at blocking out UVA rays.
In general, chemical sunscreens sold in the U.S. rely on an ingredient called avobenzone to block out UVA rays, says Kelly Dobos, a cosmetic chemist who teaches at the University of Cincinnati.
But avobenzone by itself isn't photo stable, meaning its protection can start to break down rapidly when exposed to sunlight. And as avobenzone breaks down, it can release molecules that lead to skin irritation, says Alexa Friedman, a senior scientist with the nonprofit Environmental Working Group, or EWG.
By contrast, bemotrizinol offers protection against both UVA and UVB rays all on its own, and it is photo stable, so it breaks down more slowly, offering better protection, Rogers says.
"So if you go a little longer than two hours to reapply your sunscreen, there will be more protection left," Rogers says. However, she says you should still reapply sunscreen every two hours.
Bemotrizinol has been widely used in European and Asian sunscreens for decades. But it has taken 20 years for the FDA to approve its use in this country.
That's because in the U.S., sunscreens are regulated as over-the-counter drugs rather than cosmetics, as they're classified in Europe. That means ingredients need to undergo rigorous testing for safety and efficacy before they can be approved for use in the U.S.
"It's really expensive and time consuming," Dobos says. The European company DSM-Firmenich spent at least $18 million over more than two decades in its push to gain FDA approval for bemotrizinol.
However, all that testing means bemotrizinol has more safety data to back it up than any other chemical sunscreen ingredient currently approved in the U.S., says Friedman of EWG.
"This ingredient is exciting because we have that data to support its safety," Friedman says.
Friedman says animal testing showed bemotrizinol doesn't lead to concerns like reproductive harm, while clinical testing on humans found that it does not irritate the skin, even after repeated application over time, "which is hopefully how people are using sunscreens."
And because bemotrizinol's molecules are larger, it's not readily absorbed by the skin and into the bloodstream, she says.
That's important, because studies have shown that some of the other chemical sunscreen UV filters sold in the U.S. can be absorbed in the bloodstream, prompting calls for more safety data and leading to a backlash against sunscreen on social media fueled by misinformation. Rogers says that trend is concerning because skin cancer is the most common form of cancer.
"We just need to have sunscreen that people will use, that they'll trust," Rogers says. "And this ingredient is going to allow that to happen. And that is very exciting."
And bemotrizinol is also considered to be non-irritating, Friedman says. That should be welcome news to people who've been put off by chemical sunscreens in the past.
Until now, Rogers says, the only sunscreen ingredient available in the U.S. that offered the aforementioned advantages of bemotrizinol — photo stable, non-irritating, minimally absorbed into the skin and with good broad spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays — was zinc oxide.
Both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are mineral UV filters. Both chemical sunscreens and mineral sunscreens work by absorbing UV rays from the sun. Mineral sunscreens also reflect some UV rays. The bigger difference is that mineral sunscreens sit on the surface of the skin, while chemical sunscreens get absorbed into the skin, Rogers says.
The downside of mineral sunscreens is that they can leave an unattractive white cast on the skin — think of lifeguards with white paste on their noses. "Particularly if you're a person of color, zinc is going to make you look pale, white or ashy, which really makes it hard to use on a regular basis," Rogers says.
Bemotrizinol, on the other hand, is transparent on the skin, and because it protects against both UVA and UVB rays on its own, it doesn't have to be mixed with as many other chemical filters and stabilizers to achieve broad spectrum protection, Dobos adds. She says that should lead to more aesthetically pleasing, less greasy sunscreen formulations in the near future.
"I think it's a real win for public health," Dobos says. "If we can make a sunscreen that consumers like to use and want to use and apply in the proper amounts, I think that's something that's really going to be a win for consumers."
DSM-Firmenich has exclusive rights to market bemotrizinol in the U.S. for 18 months. It will be sold under the brand name Parsol Shield. The company says the first sunscreen products containing the ingredient should start hitting American store shelves around September.
Topline:
The Justice Department yesterday approved Paramount's proposed $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery.
How we got here: The decision came after the DOJ concluded its antitrust investigation into the pending merger. The department said in a statement that it found that the deal posed no threat to competition or consumers of film, broadcast television or streaming.
What's next: The decision clears the way for a merger of two rival Hollywood studio titans: Paramount, the owner of CBS, including CBS News, will swallow the much larger Warner, which includes HBO and CNN. But several states, including California, have raised antitrust concerns. The European Union is investigating as well.
The Justice Department on Friday approved Paramount's proposed $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery.
After concluding its antitrust investigation into the pending merger, the department said in a statement that it found that the deal posed no threat to competition or consumers of film, broadcast television or streaming.
The decision clears the way for a merger of two rival Hollywood studio titans: Paramount, the owner of CBS, including CBS News, will swallow the much larger Warner, which includes HBO and CNN.
The DOJ''s Antitrust Division concluded that a union of two studio giants isn't anti-competitive because the streaming market has expanded the competition for conventional Hollywood studios, which includes Netflix, Apple and Amazon, as well as smaller streamers. The Justice Department's view is that, for the same reason, consumers won't lose out because there are plenty of other places to get entertainment.
Several states, including California, have raised antitrust concerns. The European Union is investigating as well.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who has been investigating the deal for antitrust violations, said in a post on social media following the Justice Department's approval: "The merger of Warner Bros and Paramount is not a done deal and remains under investigation by my office."
In a statement following the decision, Paramount described the deal as "pro-competitive," and would result in "a stronger company better positioned to compete against dominant technology platforms in an industry increasingly defined by intense competition for audiences, talent, technology, and investment."
The company said it planned to complete the merger as soon as possible, "delivering its benefits to consumers, creators, and the entertainment industry as a whole."
The consolidation will put media mogul David Ellison — son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison — at the helm of Warner Bros. studio as well as its cable and streaming properties, including CNN and HBO. The Ellison family took over Paramount and CBS last summer.
In the months leading up to the regulatory approval, critics in Hollywood feared the deal would consolidate an already concentrated media landscape and lead to fewer jobs and less creative content.
In April, thousands of directors, actors, writers and other industry talent — including Kristen Stewart, Pedro Pascal and Javier Bardem — signed an open letter opposing the merger.
The elder Ellison is also a financial backer and adviser to President Trump on artificial intelligence. Critics of recent changes at CBS under the Ellisons' control are concerned that, as they say has happened with CBS News, the acquisition would make CNN more friendly to Trump.
NPR's Carrie Johnson and Mandalit del Barco contributed to this story.
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