The Brief

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to approve an $843 million homelessness spending plan that includes nearly $200 million in reductions to programs and services in the next budget year.

Among those programs is Pathway Home, which helps move people from encampments into temporary housing. The county reduced funding for that program by $92 million, which will shrink it from 20 project sites to seven, officials said.

Supervisors also approved $105 million in reductions to other programs, including large cuts to street outreach teams, homelessness prevention programs and other supportive services.

County officials said they had to reduce spending in order to cover the rising costs of operating shelter beds and the loss of tens of millions in temporary state and federal funding, including some COVID-19 relief dollars.

“With federal neglect and state cuts, we have to do more with less,” Supervisor Lindsey Horvath told LAist. “And we will.”

The county’s new Department of Homeless Services and Housing has been warning about the looming shortfall since July. County officials solicited input on how to fill an initial $303 million gap.

Since then, the department adjusted the county’s homelessness spending plan, after finding some one-time state grants and cost-saving measures.

The budget year starts July 1.

Some funding restored

Last month, local homeless service providers urged county officials to restore all of the more than $200 million in proposed reductions to programs and services. Some supervisors raised concerns about specific cuts.

Since then, new revenue projections show the county stands to bring in $21 million more through Measure A than originally anticipated.

Measure A is a sales tax ordinance, approved by L.A. County voters in 2024, that funds homeless services and affordable housing initiatives. It is expected to generate about $1 billion annually, but exact revenues fluctuate with consumer spending.

The county’s slightly rosier revenue projections allowed the homeless department to roll back a fraction of the proposed reductions.

“It’s not a windfall and it doesn’t solve every challenge, but it does give us the ability to restore important programs that were on the chopping block,” Supervisor Janice Hahn said.

The board voted to use much of that $21 million to restore funding for two dozen full-time outreach workers and about 100 shelter beds that were previously on the chopping block.

The plan approved Tuesday also calls for $5 million in Measure A revenue to partially restore funding for interim housing in Long Beach, Pasadena and Glendale. It restored more than $1 million to operate family solution centers — hubs to connect unhoused families with services — and about $500,000 for a program that helps military veterans access government benefits.

Supervisor Holly Mitchell said she wishes Pathway Home funding could be maintained. She said it’s been crucial for helping people living in RV encampments in her district, which spans from Koreatown to much of the South Bay.

"These restorations don't expand encampment resolution operations,” Mitchell said Tuesday. “The services with the greatest impact in the Second District remain reduced, and the current plan does not replace what was cut."

County homelessness officials told supervisors the 100 shelter beds they saved will be prioritized for people living in encampments and will help make up for cuts to Pathway Home.

"The reduction to Pathway Home is not a reduced commitment to encampment resolution,” L.A. County Department of Homeless Services and Housing director Sarah Mahin said Tuesday. “It’s a recognition that it was built on one-time funding and we need to expand strategies to include more cost-effective resolution solutions."

New oversight push

The supervisors also voted 5-0 Tuesday to approve a new motion focused on accountability in homeless service contracting. The motion by Horvath and Kathryn Barger directs the homelessness department to work with the county auditor-controller to create strict oversight procedures for contracts, including random site visits, performance monitoring and provisions for termination.

They said the goal is to prevent the mismanagement that has plagued the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, and the fraud that has resulted in recent arrests. Last month, federal authorities arrested Alex Soofer, director of a nonprofit called Abundant Blessings, on suspicion of embezzling tens of millions in dollars meant to serve unhoused Angelenos. Soofer pleaded not guilty to the charges this week.

"Public dollars intended to address homelessness have gone unaccounted for under LAHSA," Horvath said. “That is unacceptable and it ends now with the county.”

Last year, the board voted to divert more than $300 million in county homelessness dollars away from LAHSA and administer the funds itself with a new homelessness department.

“As the department launches, every contract, every dollar, and every outcome must withstand scrutiny,” Horvath told LAist in a statement. “We don’t have resources to waste or time to lose in addressing the homelessness crisis.”

Barger described instances of fraud within the homeless services sector as “moral failures” that cannot be tolerated.

“They represent theft from the most vulnerable people in our community,” she said.

She also argued that ethical service providers “should not have their reputations destroyed by the criminal actions of a few bad actors.”

Barger told fellow supervisors at Tuesday’s meeting it’s their responsibility to monitor how county homelessness dollars are being spent — and to defund programs that aren’t generating results.

“Setting the budget is the easy part,” Barger said. “We have to see results. And if we don’t, we have to have a debate at this board: is that the best use of these resources?”

The department must report back to the board in 60 days with their full plan for monitoring contractors and preventing fraud and misuse of public funds.

Auditor-Controller Oscar Valdez told supervisors his office would submit a plan to county homelessness officials Tuesday.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning effective from 10 a.m. Tuesday to 8 p.m. Thursday.

Temperatures are expected to reach 110 degrees across much of inland L.A. County through Thursday, with the hottest conditions forecast Wednesday, according to the weather service.

Here are some things you can do to prepare ahead of time:

• Start hydrating now and throughout the day — experts recommend drinking two to four glasses of water per hour during extreme heat to stay hydrated. 
• The UV rays are the strongest between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., so plan to be indoors unless you absolutely have to be outdoors. 
• Know the warning signs of heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, skin problems, dehydration, and respiratory problems.
• Check-in on those at high risk like older adults, outdoor workers, pregnant women, young children and those who live alone.
• Make sure children and pets have everything they need in order to remain indoors during peak heart hours. 
• Sign-up for power outage alerts and know where the nearest cool down center is to you. 
• Avoid hot cars and remember to never leave children or pets unattended in a vehicle.

As we all prep for this heat wave, here are ways and places to cool down: 

Pools

• Algin Sutton Swimming Pool: 8800 S. Hoover St.
• Celes King III Aquatic Center: 5001 Obama Blvd.
• LA84 Foundation/John C. Argue Swim Stadium: 3980 Bill Robertson Lane
• South Park Pool: 345 E. 51st St.
• Van Ness Aquatic Center: 5720 2nd Ave.
• Jackie Tatum/Harvard Pool: 6120 Denker Ave.
• Jesse Owens Swimming Pool: 9835 S. Western Ave.
• Edward Vincent Jr. Pool: 826 E. 67th St., Inglewood, CA

Cooling centers

Here are cooling centers in Inglewood:

• Inglewood Main Library: 101 W. Manchester Blvd. 
• Inglewood Senior Center: 111 N. Locust St. 
• Darby Park: 3400 W. Arbor Vitae St. 
• Rogers Park: 400 W. Beach Ave.
• District 2 Community Center: 1201 N. La Tijera Blvd.

Here are cooling centers in South LA:

• Algin Sutton Recreation Center: 8800 S. Hoover St.
• South Los Angeles Senior Activity Center: 7020 S. Figueroa St.
• Jim Gilliam Recreation Center: 4000 S. La Brea Ave.
• Angeles Mesa Branch Library: 2700 W. 52nd St.
• Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Regional Branch Library: 3900 S. Western Ave.
• Hyde Park Miriam Matthews Branch Library: 2205 W. Florence Ave.
• John Muir Branch Library: 1005 W. 64th St.
• Mark Twain Branch Library: 9621 S. Figueroa St.

Note: Most of these locations welcome pets, but it is always best to call ahead if you are bringing an animal.

Sign up for power outage alerts

Visit your power company’s website or contact them by phone to determine if you are scheduled for a rolling power outage.

For example, Southern California Edison may turn off power in high fire risk areas to reduce the threat of wildfires, what’s known as public safety power shutoff (PSPS). Sign up or update your contact information on the SCE website to receive emails, texts or phone calls about public safety power shut off events and other outages in your area.

If you do not have an SCE account, you can sign up for ZIP Code Alert, these alerts are helpful when you want to stay informed about a location where you are not a customer.

Here’s how to sign up for ZIP code alerts:

• Text alerts: To sign up zip code text alerts, text “ENROLL” 28954.
• Voice alerts: To sign up for ZIP code voice alerts, call 1-855-549-3800.
• Email alerts: To sign up for ZIP code email alerts, click here.

SCE also offers its Medical Baseline Program for those whose households require the regular use of electrically powered medical equipment.

The program provides an additional 16.5 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per day and helps offset the cost of operating the medical equipment. Those interested can dial 2-1-1 to learn more.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Los Angeles County is asking residents whether streets, parks, buildings and other public property named after former labor leader César E. Chávez should be renamed.

The county launched a six-question, anonymous survey seeking public input on a potential renaming process after sexual abuse allegations against Chávez published earlier this year prompted officials to reconsider how the leader is commemorated.

In March, a New York Times investigation alleged that Chávez sexually assaulted women and underage girls within the United Farm Workers movement, including fellow labor leader Dolores Huerta. The allegations sparked reevaluation over Chávez’s legacy across the nation. In Los Angeles County, including Boyle Heights and East L.A., Chávez’s name appears on streets, schools, parks and murals.

Following the investigation, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors approved a motion by supervisors Hilda Solis and Lindsey Horvath directing the county Chief Executive Office and County Counsel to develop a “community-driven process for the renaming parks, streets, County facilities, real property, monuments, and other County programs that bear the name of César Chávez.”

The survey asks residents what concerns they have about renaming streets or properties across L.A. County and what matters most to them in a renaming process. 

“We want to ensure our process continues to reflect our community’s vibrant history, diverse cultures, and shared values,” the survey reads.

The survey also suggests that local residents, historians, indigenous groups, labor organizations and other community stakeholders could help guide the renaming process.

How to weigh in

Take the survey here. (You can toggle between English and Spanish on the top right corner)

Deadline: Residents have until July 25 to complete the survey.

Hundreds of people in the city of Carpinteria joined a miles-long march Saturday against the Trump administration's mass deportation effort and to mark one year since scores of community members were detained during large-scale raids there and in Ventura County.

Last year, federal immigration agents descended on two licensed cannabis facilities in California’s Central Coast.

In one day, agents detained more than 300 people.

This included a lecturer at CSU Channel Islands, who subsequently faced nearly 20 years in prison for allegedly throwing a tear gas canister back at a Border Patrol agent.

George Retes — a father, U.S. citizen and veteran who worked as a security guard at one of the facilities — was also detained and held incommunicado for days, before getting released without charges.

Jaime Alanís García, a father and farmworker, died from injuries he sustained after falling from a greenhouse roof. On Saturday, marchers carried posters with the deceased man’s image that read “REST IN POWER.” Several others carried signs that read “ABOLISH ICE.”

Multiple marchers told LAist they went to the facility in Carpinteria in solidarity with family members who raced to the area when they heard about the raids last summer.

Mitch Lillie, a member of grassroots organization VC Defensa, said the day is seared into his memory. More than anything, he recalls the sound of community members frantically trying to reach their loved ones on the phone. “They were just bawling,” he said.

Some marchers danced in prayer as they made their way through the city.

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Julia Barajas

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LAist

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From the beach to the field  

The marchers first gathered at Carpinteria State Beach, just steps away from the Pacific Ocean. Then, under the scorching summer sun, they headed toward Glass House Farms, one of the cannabis facilities targeted by the federal government.

One man shouted “Viva Trump!” from inside his car as the marchers crossed a residential street. Elsewhere, dozens of drivers jovially honked at the marchers in support.

Along the way, the marchers made brief stops at shopping plazas. At each site, Bianca Perez used a staple gun to affix signs on trees and utility poles. She’d decorated each sign with faux monarch butterflies – a symbol honoring multi-generational migration across North America. At each of those sites, she explained, federal immigration agents have detained other community members, including on this year’s Father’s Day.

Perez is part of grassroots organization Carpinteria Sin Fronteras. Like VC Defensa, the group sends out alerts about the presence of federal immigration agents in the area. Perez and other volunteers also help community members locate loved ones when they fail to come home.

“We hold their stories super close to our hearts, with a lot of respect and love,” she said. “It is hard not to take all that in . . . A lot of the time, we are the first call when one of their family members has been taken.”

Bianca Perez posted signs in places where community members have been detained.

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Julia Barajas

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LAist

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The day that changed everything

Outside of Glass House Farms, local leaders and U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal made short speeches before a sun-worn crowd. Many recalled where they were when they first heard about the raids on July 10, 2025.

Teresa Alvarez, executive director of the Carpinteria Children's Project, was giving a tour of the nonprofit’s facilities when the news came down. Without vacillating, she and her team ran out the door, she said. But when they got to the field and saw rows of armed federal immigration agents, fear almost overtook her.

“I knew I needed to be here. But as a mom and an immigrant myself, I was terrified — especially when I realized I had no cell service and wasn't sure what would happen if things happened to escalate,” she added.

Alvarez and the other speakers underscored that although the federal government has not carried out large-scale raids in recent months, community members should not dial down on their advocacy.

“People are dying at detention centers and on the street on their way to work,” she added, reminding marchers about Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a builder who was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Houston, Texas earlier this month.

“That could have been my dad,” she said. “That could have been your dad.”

Mitch Lillie speaks to community members outside of Glass House Farms in Carpinteria.

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Julia Barajas

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LAist

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VC Defensa’s Lillie said that, although July 10 is now a “day of mourning,” it’s also a day of resistance. He recalled tear gas and pepper bullets raining down on him and fellow protesters. He also remembered perfect strangers helping each other.

On Saturday, he encouraged the marchers to join a grassroots organization of their choice and help their immigrant neighbors any way they can — whether it’s by giving them a ride to a court appointment or by helping those who’ve lost their breadwinners pay rent.

“That is how we transform a tragedy,” he said.

The 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Los Angeles are officially two years away, and applications are now open to volunteer at the Games.

Organizers are seeking 60,000 people for roles like providing translation or guiding guests and athletes. They want volunteers for job categories including communications, driving, ceremonies and technology.

The bulk of volunteer positions will be in Los Angeles, with some opportunities in Oklahoma City, which will host a handful of competitions, and the Olympic soccer tournament sites, too.

Volunteering presents a potential way for some locals who balked at high ticket prices to participate in the summer Games, but they're a substantial commitment. Volunteers need to be available for 10 eight-hour shifts during either the Olympics or Paralympics if they want to participate.

A large volunteer program is a regular facet of the Olympics. In 1984, the last time L.A. hosted, nearly 29,000 people volunteered during the event.

To volunteer this time around, applicants need to be at least 18 years old and be proficient in English. Volunteers don't need to be local to Los Angeles or live in the U.S.

The first step is applying through LA28. Selected applicants will then have a chance to be interviewed in person in Los Angeles or online.