Josie Huang
is a reporter and Weekend Edition host who spotlights the people and places at the heart of our region.
Published November 2, 2025 5:00 AM
Timothy Mason was one of the first residents to move into the Umeya building on the edge of Little Tokyo and Skid Row.
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Josie Huang
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LAist
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Topline:
The old factory site of a beloved Japanese cracker brand has found new life as supportive housing for Angelenos rebuilding their lives. The Umeya aims to be a bridge between Little Tokyo and Skid Row.
Why it matters: The 175-unit affordable and permanent supportive housing complex opened this fall. About 130 units of the white gleaming building are already occupied, with residents continuing to move in.
The background: The redevelopment has deep roots in Little Tokyo’s story. The family representative of the Hamano family, which ran the Umeya business since the 1920s, approached LTSC in 2016 — prior to its shutdown in 2017.
For nearly a century, the name Umeya was synonymous with celebration in Japanese American households — the go-to brand for crisp, soy sauce-glazed rice crackers shared with loved ones.
One of the most popular Umeya snacks were senbei crackers cut in the shape of sakura
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JANM.org
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Now the same factory site in downtown L.A. where tiny crackers shaped like cherry blossoms used to come off the line has been redeveloped into affordable housing for hundreds, many of whom used to be unhoused.
The Little Tokyo Service Center has transformed the site on Towne Avenue into The Umeya, a 175-unit affordable and permanent supportive housing complex that opened this fall. About 130 units of the white gleaming building on the edge of Little Tokyo and Skid Row are already occupied, with residents continuing to move in.
Listen
2:35
Former LA factory of famed Japanese cracker brand has a new life
Timothy Mason was among the first arrivals. After nine years of living outside — in tents, abandoned homes and RVs — he remembers the first night he spent in his studio on the fourth floor.
“I sat on this bed and I damn near cried for like two hours,” Mason said. “I couldn’t believe that this is mine.”
The former Umeya factory has been replaced by 175 units of affordable housing.
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Google Street
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The Umeya sits on the edge of Little Tokyo and Skid Row.
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Little Tokyo Service Center
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Inside his furnished studio, a small table doubles as a study desk. Mason is back in school at East Los Angeles College, working toward degrees in addiction studies and psychology.
“I don’t have to worry if the city’s going to come and take my tent, or where I’m gonna get my next meal, or my next shower,” Mason said. “The only worry now is am I gonna study for this exam today or not?"
When fully occupied, the building will house around 250 to 300 people, a mix of working adults, retirees and families.
Tenants typically pay no more than 30% of their income, whether from work or public assistance, according to the non-profit. Apartments for formerly unhoused residents getting on-site support services rent in the range of $700-800.
A family legacy
The redevelopment has deep roots in Little Tokyo’s story. The family representative of the Hamanos who ran the Umeya Rice Cake Co., approached LTSC in 2016 — about a year before its shutdown.
“Rex Hamano said his family wanted to remain connected to Little Tokyo, even though the neighborhood had changed,” said Takao Suzuki, the nonprofit’s co-executive director. “He also thought that LTSC would be good stewards to carry on the Little Tokyo tradition.”
Members of the Hamano family that founded the Umeya brand pose in an undated portrait.
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Japanese American National Museum (Gift of the Hamano Family)
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Suzuki said the family could have fetched more for the property from a market-rate developer but chose to sell to the nonprofit for about $8 million.
The residential complex, which cost about $106 million in total, is the first brand-new multifamily affordable housing development LTSC has built since 1996 in the Little Tokyo area, Suzuki said.
Bridging the gap
Beyond honoring the past, Suzuki said the project has strengthened ties between Little Tokyo and Skid Row. Historically, he said, there's been tensions between the neighborhoods, with Little Tokyo business owners worried about the effects of homelessness and public safety on their neighborhood.
“We kind of felt like it was our moral obligation to try to not just build affordable housing, but to use the space as a way to bridge the two communities further,” Suzuki said.
LTSC has located most of its homeless services team at Umeya and forged partnerships with local Skid Row artists through the Los Angeles Poverty Department as well as with nearby service providers like Downtown Women's Center.
A little girl poses in an undated photo with gift boxes of Umeya rice snacks.
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Japanese American National Museum
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Gift of the Hamano Family, courtesy of the Japanese American National Museum
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To remember the site’s Little Tokyo ties, Umeya signage salvaged by construction crews after the factory was razed with all but the original footings will be featured in a timeline exhibit in the building’s lobby.
The Japanese American National Museum, which was gifted artifacts from the Hamano family, will collaborate with the service center on the exhibit.
Building more than housing
The opening of the Umeya marks a period of growth for LTSC. The organization currently manages 26 residential properties, nearly all affordable, with about 500 more units under construction across Los Angeles — from Chinatown to Boyle Heights to Long Beach.
“It’s definitely a busy time for us,” said Suzuki, who became co–executive director just two months ago. “Housing is harder and harder to build, but projects like Umeya show what’s possible when community and legacy come together.”
Timothy Mason has started cooking again in his new studio apartment at the Umeya in downtown L.A.
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Josie Huang
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LAist
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Mason said having a yearlong lease at Umeya has not only given him stability, but has him thinking of life beyond it.
“Life is about evolving, elevating, pushing yourself to higher limits,” he said. “I want a house one day.”
On his refrigerator are certificates he earned while in rehab and outpatient treatment for years of crystal meth and PCP use.
Timothy Mason uses his studio apartment as a place to study toward becoming an addiction counselor.
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Josie Huang
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LAist
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He now has a custodial license and is a registered alcohol and drug technician. Walking around the ground floor of the building, he points to a community room that isn’t open yet. When it is, he has a plan.
“I’m going to start a Narcotics Anonymous meeting here,” he said. “To see another person recover like I did — you’re saving a life.”
Angelenos cast their ballot at the Arroyo Seco Regional Library in Los Angeles, California on Nov. 5, 2024.
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Zaydee Sanchez
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LAist
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Topline:
Large support from Latino voters helped President Donald Trump win the 2024 election. But according to recent numbers from the Associated Press, about 6 in 10 Hispanic voters disapprove of Trump’s handling of the presidency and more than 7 in 10 disapprove of his performance on the economy.
The economy: Latino support for Trump in 2024 was largely driven by economic concerns. That's still the case now, according to Mike Madrid, Republican political consultant and author of The Latino Century: How America's Largest Minority is Transforming Democracy. He joined AirTalk, LAist 89.3's daily news show, to discuss what's driving voting behavior this time around.
“ One hundred percent of Latinos are affected by the economic crisis that's afflicting everybody right now, especially working-class people, of which Latinos make up the largest share,” he said.
Party dealignment: The Latino shift away from Trump and the Republican Party does not mean a shift towards Democrats. “Latinos really do not have confidence in either party, and it's manifesting in wider and wider swings in how they're voting,” Madrid said. “They're rejecting the parties in power, they're rejecting establishment politics, and we're witnessing the rise of an emergent Latino populism."
Immigration enforcement isn't a top priority: Madrid pointed out that even with increased ICE raids, immigration only comes in as the fifth most concerning issue for Latino voters, and a third of those Latino voters are in favor of deportations.
Listen to the full conversation:
Listen
10:54
Latino voters helped put Trump back in the White House. What’s their next move?
Nicolas Perez
is one of the producers for AirTalk and FilmWeek, hosted by Larry Mantle.
Published October 19, 2026 3:44 PM
Installation photo from "Home of the Future, 1925–1985: Designing Domestic Utopias"
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Jonathan J. Urban
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Courtesy LACMA
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The exhibit:
LACMA’s new exhibit, "Home of the Future, 1925–1985: Designing Domestic Utopias," explores visions of how designers imagined technologies would transform life in American homes. Some of these predictions, like rooms centered around television sets, would come to pass while ideas like self-cleaning kitchens remain tantalizingly out of reach.
Why it's interesting: “For the past 30 years, I've been inspired by a quote from the historian Marshall Berman, who defined modernity as a struggle to make ourselves at home in a constantly changing world,” curator Wendy Kaplan said during a conversation on AirTalk, LAist 89.3's daily news show. "The reason our exhibition starts in 1925 is that you have this post-World War I optimism and also a need to apply the technologies that were developed during World War I by the military."
Don’t miss: the Kohler electric sink from 1926 on display, which promised better living through electric dishwashing but did not catch on at the time.
When to see it: The exhibit runs through March 14, 2027, in LACMA's Resnick Pavilion, located at 5905 Wilshire Blvd.
Listen to the conversation with the curator:
Listen
10:06
New LACMA exhibit looks at past visions of the future homes
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Kavish Harjai
writes about how people get around L.A.
Published October 19, 2026 2:27 PM
The protected bike lanes are just one part of a longer-term project to increase mobility on Fountain Avenue, including sidewalk widening.
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The city of West Hollywood
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Topline:
The West Hollywood City Council will consider a motion Monday evening that thwarts long-planned and nearly shovel-ready protected bike lanes along Fountain Avenue out of concerns that the cyclist improvements will eliminate too much street parking.
The motion: The motion was introduced by West Hollywood City Councilmember Lauren Meister. If passed, it would direct city staff to evaluate an alternative design for Fountain Avenue, one that maintains the road’s existing parking capacity and adds a center turn lane — but doesn’t include protected bike lanes.
Participate in Monday's meeting: The West Hollywood City Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. October 19. The meeting will be held in the City Council Chambers located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. You can also watch online at www.weho.org/wehotv. The agenda, which includes instructions on in-person and remote public comment, is available here.
Read on ... to learn more about the plan West Hollywood City Council approved last year.
The West Hollywood City Council will consider a motion Monday evening that thwarts long-planned and nearly shovel-ready protected bike lanes along Fountain Avenue out of concerns that the cyclist improvements will eliminate too much street parking.
The motion was introduced by West Hollywood City Councilmember Lauren Meister. If passed, it would direct staff to evaluate an alternative design for Fountain Avenue, one that maintains the road’s existing parking capacity, reduces the road to one travel lane in each direction and adds a center turn lane — but doesn’t include protected bike lanes.
“Continued investment in bicycle infrastructure elsewhere would remain a separate consideration,” according to a copy of the motion.
Meister did not respond to LAist’s requests for comment about her motion.
How to participate on Monday
When: The West Hollywood City Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. October 19. Where: City Council Chambers, 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. Watch online: www.weho.org/wehotv. Agenda: The agenda, which includes instructions on in-person and remote public comment, is available here.
The project
Introducing protected bike lanes to Fountain Avenue was approved by City Council in 2025 as part of the first phase of the Fountain Avenue Streetscape Project.
The approved designs include reducing the road to one travel lane in each direction, installing pedestrian improvements and creating a bike lane separated from vehicular traffic by concrete curbs.
The goal of the road redesign is to increase safety. Between 2013 and 2024, there were 35 collisions resulting in severe injuries and five fatal collisions, according to the city. Last year, Blake Ackerman, a 27-year-old attorney, died while biking on Fountain Avenue in a hit-and-run collision.
But to make room for the reimagined Fountain Avenue, city staff said they would need to remove 60% of the road’s street parking. To mitigate that loss, city staff has suggested allowing residents with parking permits to use nearby parking lots.
Although it was ultimately approved, the issue caused disagreement among the five members of the City Council. Two voted against it — Meister and West Hollywood Mayor John Heilman.
The election
The future of Fountain Avenue has been a political issue at play in recent city elections, and this year is no different.
Meister and Heilman are termed out, and there are three seats on West Hollywood City Council up for grabs. 14 candidates are vying for a spot, and their views on the bike lane debate are front and center.
Incumbent Chelsea Byers, who is an advocate for the protected bike lanes, is running to retain her seat.
Several candidates have spoken out against Fountain Avenue’s planned bike lanes, including Kyle Brazeal.
Brazeal has earned the endorsements of Meister and Heilman. He told LAist he isn’t against bike lanes and believes there are other West Hollywood streets that are better candidates for cycling infrastructure.
The timeline
West Hollywood officials said construction for the first phase, including the protected bike lanes, is scheduled to begin before the end of 2026. That schedule would change if the City Council decides to pursue an alternative design.
Officials said in a report that changing the project’s scope could “jeopardize” the nearly $5 million in state grant funding it’s planned to use for construction.
City staff said in the report that if the motion is approved, it would seek clarity on how any design changes would impact grant funding and if the city would need to find alternative funding sources.
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Faheem Khan
is an Associate Producer for AirTalk and FilmWeek, assisting with live radio production and in-person events.
Published October 19, 2026 2:04 PM
West Hollywood has been a hub of the LGBTQ+ community in Los Angeles for decades.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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LAist
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Topline:
Over the last century, Southern California’s gay and lesbian bar scene has helped build cultural hubs throughout the region. From the Coast Inn’s historic Boom Boom Room in Laguna Beach to The Boulevard in Pasadena, many historic venues have since shut down due to a sharp decline in standalone gay and lesbian bars.
Joseph Hawkins, former director of ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, the largest LGBTQ+ repository, joined AirTalk, LAist’s daily news program, to talk about the legacy and current state of these spaces.
Economic woes: As the story goes with a lot of local businesses right now, gay and lesbian bars are suffering the same economic challenges due to rising costs and a decline in alcohol consumption.
“Masses of people who can go to a bar and sustain it over a long period of time has become more and more difficult,” Hawkins said. "Some bars don't have the clientele that they used to because of the internet.
Tony in Anaheim called into AirTalk and shared a funny story about showing up embarrassingly early (8 p.m.) for a night out at the Abbey in West Hollywood, but ultimately remembered it as a safe place to make friends after moving to Los Angeles.
Jeff in Palm Springs called in to say bars in his city seem to be thriving thanks to an older population and tourists.
Hawkins said there may be a silver lining in the shift we're seeing.
"Maybe we're not losing gay bars; what we're doing is opening up other spaces where gay people can be included," he said.
Listen to the full conversation for more history and insight.
Listen
20:25
The economic downfall of gay and lesbian bars
Topline:
Over the last century, Southern California’s gay and lesbian bar scene has helped build cultural hubs throughout the region. From the Coast Inn’s historic Boom Boom Room in Laguna Beach to The Boulevard in Pasadena, many historic venues have since shut down due to a sharp decline in standalone gay and lesbian bars.
Joseph Hawkins, former director of ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, the largest LGBTQ+ repository, joined AirTalk, LAist’s daily news program, to talk about the legacy and current state of these spaces.
Economic woes: As the story goes with a lot of local businesses right now, gay and lesbian bars are suffering the same economic challenges due to rising costs and a decline in alcohol consumption.
“Masses of people who can go to a bar and sustain it over a long period of time has become more and more difficult,” Hawkins said. "Some bars don't have the clientele that they used to because of the internet."
Tony in Anaheim called into AirTalk and shared a funny story about showing up embarrassingly early (8 p.m.) for a night out at the Abbey in West Hollywood, but ultimately remembered it as a safe place to make friends after moving to Los Angeles.
Jeff in Palm Springs called in to say bars in his city seem to be thriving thanks to an older population and tourists.
Hawkins said there may be a silver lining in the shift we're seeing.
"Maybe we're not losing gay bars; what we're doing is opening up other spaces where gay people can be included," he said.
Listen to the full conversation above for more history and insight.
