In the midst of a loneliness epidemic, many Americans are lonely. But men — though hard for them to admit it — tend to be the loneliest.
(
Lukas Rychvalsky
/
Via Unsplash
)
Topline:
In a nation in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, many Americans are lonely. But men — though hard for them to admit it — tend to be the loneliest. We explore some underlying reasons why, and how men are finding ways to deal with by forging new friendships.
Why it matters: A 2023 report from the organization Equimondo found that two-thirds of surveyed men between ages 18 and 23 say “no one really knows me.” According to a 2021 report by the Survey Center on American Life, one in seven men say they have no close friends. For comparison, 30 years ago, more than half of men surveyed reported having at least six close friends. (Some have called it a “friendship recession.”)
This isn’t limited to one subgroup of men either. While the root causes may differ, these feelings of loneliness are felt across different age groups as well as racial, ethnic, cultural and sexual identities: Black men report feelings of isolation as do Latino men and men who identify as LGBTQ. And fifteen percent of young men under the age of 30 say they don’t have a single close friend.
Such feelings can lead to other mental, psychological and physical challenges: alcohol and/or drug abuse; depression. Men are four times more likely to take their own lives compared to women, according to the Centers for Disease Control. (Elderly men over the age of 85 are 17 times more likely to take their own lives than women of a similar age).
#244: For the next installment of our series on How to Not Be Lonely in LA, we're honing in on one demographic: Men. In all the conversations we’ve been having with people about loneliness and human connection...be it with experts or every day Angelenos …this theme kept coming up: In a nation in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, A LOT of people are lonely. But men, typically, are the loneliest. How To LA producer Megan Botel speaks to experts in the male experience to unpack the reasons why men tend to be lonelier than women, the importance of male friendships, and how men can create meaningful connections. If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs immediate help, call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or visit the 988 website for online chat.
Why Are Men So Lonely These Days?
#244: For the next installment of our series on How to Not Be Lonely in LA, we're honing in on one demographic: Men. In all the conversations we’ve been having with people about loneliness and human connection...be it with experts or every day Angelenos …this theme kept coming up: In a nation in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, A LOT of people are lonely. But men, typically, are the loneliest. How To LA producer Megan Botel speaks to experts in the male experience to unpack the reasons why men tend to be lonelier than women, the importance of male friendships, and how men can create meaningful connections. If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs immediate help, call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or visit the 988 website for online chat.
#244: For the next installment of our series on How to Not Be Lonely in LA, we're honing in on one demographic: Men. In all the conversations we’ve been having with people about loneliness and human connection...be it with experts or every day Angelenos …this theme kept coming up: In a nation in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, A LOT of people are lonely. But men, typically, are the loneliest. How To LA producer Megan Botel unpacks the reasons why men tend to be lonelier than women, the importance of male friendships, and how men can create meaningful connections.
Listen to the How to LA episode
#244: For the next installment of our series on How to Not Be Lonely in LA, we're honing in on one demographic: Men. In all the conversations we’ve been having with people about loneliness and human connection...be it with experts or every day Angelenos …this theme kept coming up: In a nation in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, A LOT of people are lonely. But men, typically, are the loneliest. How To LA producer Megan Botel unpacks the reasons why men tend to be lonelier than women, the importance of male friendships, and how men can create meaningful connections.
When Dave Pidancet's third son was born early last year, he knew something had to change.
With now three children under 6, he struggled with feelings of isolation and loneliness as a stay-at-home dad in Mar Vista. He found himself going long stretches of time surrounded by kids, not interacting with another adult.
“For men especially, it's a little embarrassing to admit that we're lonely or that we need a friend,” Pidancet says. “We might invent some reasons for why we're not reaching out and getting out of the house, like we’re too busy, our kids need us, the house is falling apart.”
But as research about the nationwide loneliness epidemic mounted, he decided to take action and “push through the awkwardness,” as he put it. He attempted to talk about these feelings with other dads.
It was within these conversations that he realized nearly every man he spoke to was, to some extent, in the same pain.
“It's almost like an unspoken ache that we might have,” he says. “Men really value their independence and their ability to take care of other people. In general, men are reluctant to ask for help.”
How, and to what extent, are men struggling?
In the midst of a loneliness epidemic, many Americans are lonely. But men — though hard for them to admit it — tend to be the loneliest.
“Many men, and especially younger men, feel disconnected and very often uncertain of their purpose in life,” said Richard Reeves, writer, professor and president of the American Institute for Boys and Men. “They have fewer friends, they're less likely to be in a romantic relationship, and they're unclear about their path.”
A 2023 report from the organization Equimondo found that two-thirds of surveyed men between ages 18 and 23 say “no one really knows me.” According to a 2021 report by the Survey Center on American Life, one in seven men say they have no close friends. For comparison, 30 years ago, more than half of men surveyed reported having at least six close friends. (Some have called it a “friendship recession.”)
This isn’t limited to one subgroup of men either. While the root causes may differ, these feelings of loneliness are felt across different age groups as well as racial, ethnic, cultural and sexual identities: Black men report feelings of isolation as do Latino men and men who identify as LGBTQ. And 15% of young men under the age of 30 say they don’t have a single close friend.
Such feelings can lead to other mental, psychological and physical challenges: alcohol and/or drug abuse; depression. Men are four times more likely to take their own lives compared to women, according to the Centers for Disease Control. (Men over the age of 85 are 17 times more likely to take their own lives than women of a similar age).
“Although a lot of men will put a brave face on it when you really talk to them about it, what you'll find is that face is very often masking a lot of uncertainty and isolation,” Reeves says. “Which put together can lead to a real loss of purpose.”
What's underneath male loneliness
So why are men so lonely these days?
The answer is complex and somewhat amorphous. But some point to one simple trend: The dwindling number of places for men to make friends with other men.
“A lot of those places we used to hang out or congregate at have kind of eroded,” says Shannon Carpenter, author of The Ultimate Stay-At-Home Dad.
As a stay-at-home dad of three, Carpenter struggled to find advice for fathers of all walks of life who wanted to be more involved with their families. After joining a local dads group — which he’s now been a part of for 16 years — he saw that fathers were all yearning for some direction and companionship in a new era of gender dynamics.
As women have become more independent and social norms have changed — “which is a good thing,” Carpenter emphasizes — some men have been left feeling adrift, unsure of how they now fit in, he says.
“And this is not a problem for women to fix,” he says. “It’s a problem for men to fix.”
Over the past several decades, the spaces that once anchored men’s lives — church, work, male-only social clubs, etc. — have become less central, or in some cases, obsolete. Disconnected from these institutions that once provided naturally borne friendships with other men, many men are now struggling to find connections.
“We have underestimated the extent to which the institutions of the workplace and the family, maybe even some religious institutions have actually provided spaces where male friendships were formed almost automatically,” Reeves says. “To some extent the male loneliness crisis is a reflection of a kind of broader institutional crisis that faces many men.”
Research shows that men do in fact have a harder time making friends and deep connections compared to women. Reeves adds that historically, friendships have been seen as “women’s work,” with women traditionally acting as a sort of social organizer for the family.
“As that's becoming less and less true, that has exposed the fact that maybe many men lack the skills or the institutions or the habits that are required to sustain those friendships,” he says. “What you're seeing is just this whole period in which men are having to figure this out for themselves in a way that we just haven't in previous generations.”
Rise of men's groups
In the midst of this epidemic within an epidemic, one thing is clear: Men need other men.
Given the troubled, sexist history of some places where men have historically fraternized, it’s easy to scoff at the idea that men need more spaces to gather to be around other men, Reeves warns.
But men really do need help. “We have to address the root causes or things don’t change,” Carpenter says. “And that’s a hard thing to do, because then you have to convince men to be vulnerable.”
For many, help looks like joining a men’s support group.
Pidancet, who is now co-organizer of L.A. Dads Group, which meets several times a month for outings with other local dads like museums, movies, play dates at a park with the kids or a “guy’s night out,” says the group has helped him feel less isolated in his role as a stay-at-home dad.
“Getting involved with the dad group helps me realize that I have something to offer the fellow parents in my life, going beyond just providing for my family,” he says. “It's brought kind of an extra layer of purpose.”
For dads and other men out there who may be struggling, Pidancet encourages them to be intentional — and “a bit bolder than you’re comfortable with” — about building relationships.
Members of L.A. Dads Group out with their kids.
(
David Pidancet
/
L.A. Dads Group
)
“Actually reach out to send that text message to your friend you haven't heard from in a long time, or to strike up a conversation with that dad that you saw at the pickup,” he urges. “That other person is probably looking for the same thing that you are. He's also looking for connection.”
Beyond making a point to reach out to others, men must also be careful to not hyperfocus their lives on work, Carpenter says, “which is easy for them to do.”
“Work is honorable, it gets you where you want to be, but you cannot neglect yourself when you do it,” he adds. “Carve out time for yourself and go find your people.
The importance of fostering male friendships goes beyond just benefitting the men involved, Reeves says. These connections are where men can learn the emotional skills to be good partners, parents, employers and thrive in other roles that are crucial for a healthy society.
“There's a real danger that we're missing some of the fragile beauty of male friendship,” he says. “Male friendships perhaps require a little bit more work and a little bit more support, but by God, is it worth it.”
Other stories in this series
Loneliness In Cities Is Real. Four Ways To Work Through It.
Dating In LA Can Suck. Ever Try Speed Dating? Here Are Some Tips
From A ‘Lonely Road’ To An Artist Haven: How This Music Community Helps Angelenos Feel Less Alone
Dwight Yoakam will take his Bakersfield sound to Pacific Amphitheatre.
(
Matt Winkelmeyer
/
Getty Images for the Recording Academy
)
In this edition:
Sign up for a Graffiti Towers walking tour, eat out with Dine LA Restaurant Week deals and check out some Route 66-themed films at the Norton Simon.
Highlights:
When graffiti artists took over the abandoned luxury building project Oceanwide Plaza in 2024, the subversive move became an instant skyline icon for anyone driving east on the 10. The group Rent Brigade has started offering tours of the site, looking at the design of nearby L.A. Live, and the “history of speculation, displacement, and resistance in DTLA.” A debrief over drinks follows. This week is sold out, but check back as they are adding more dates.
Dine LA Restaurant Week is here again, so make your reservations now, because hot tables go fast. Ranging from $35 to $65, deals include tasting menus and specials at some of the most popular new spots and old favorites.
The Norton Simon is celebrating historic Route 66 with a themed film series. Saturday’s pick: The 1940 classic The Grapes of Wrath. Based on the John Steinbeck novel, the Oscar-winning John Ford film stars Henry Fonda as Tom Joad, who heads west from the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression.
I have family in town this week, and since they’ve been to L.A. many times over the years, I was trying to think of some new places for us to check out this trip.
Our first stop was sister dreamer, Lauren Halsey’s “architectural ode to tha surge n splurge of south central los angeles” — and I can’t recommend it enough. The perfect detour on your way to or from picking up or dropping off someone at LAX (truly SoCal’s highest form of saying you love someone), the installation creates an oasis in the heart of South Central. Halsey’s portrait of the neighborhood is a feat of carving work that is part Getty, part street mural and part ancient Egypt, honoring both her neighborhood and artistic ancestors. Head to the corner of Western Avenue and 76th Street to check it out; the site is hosting regular events like jazz jams, yoga sessions and more. Plus, Halsey will join Erykah Badu at the Bowl for a show this September.
Sunday, Aug, 16, 5 p.m. 1101 Flower St., Downtown L.A. COST: SOLD OUT BUT MORE DATES TBD; MORE INFO
The so-called Graffiti Towers in 2024.
(
Mario Tama
/
Getty Images
)
When graffiti artists took over the abandoned luxury building project Oceanwide Plaza in 2024, the subversive move became an instant skyline icon for anyone driving east on the 10. The group Rent Brigade has started offering tours of the site, looking at the design of nearby L.A. Live, and the “history of speculation, displacement, and resistance in DTLA.” A debrief over drinks follows. This week is sold out, but check back as they are adding more dates.
CHIMAC-FEST 2026
Friday, Aug. 14 through Sunday, Aug. 16 Great Park Live 8000 Great Park Blvd., Irvine COST: FROM $17; MORE INFO
(
Courtesy Great Park Live
)
You had me at fried chicken and beer. CHIMAC-FEST takes the popular Korean pairing and raises it to the next level, while showcasing a wide range of Korean food, culture, live entertainment and more at Great Park Live in Irvine.
SkyFest Big Bear
Friday, August 14 through Sunday, Aug. 16, 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. Various locations in Big Bear COST: FROM $15; MORE INFO
(
Courtesy Big Bear
)
Allow me a little leeway to share something beyond our usual L.A. and Orange County limits this week and encourage you to take a ride to Big Bear. The mountain town hosts SkyFest, a three-day celebration of science and discovery, featuring NASA and Caltech astrophysicists and DarkSky experts. You’ll learn about black holes, NASA’s next space telescope and the search for life in the universe. The festival features shows at the immersive AstroDome, rides to stargaze from the mountain summit, guided night hikes, a mountaintop forest sound bath and special events for kids.
Dine LA Restaurant Week
Friday, Aug. 14 through Friday, Aug. 28 COST: VARIES; MORE INFO
(
Courtesy Redbird
)
Dine LA Restaurant Week is here again, so make your reservations now, because hot tables go fast. Ranging from $35 to $65, deals include tasting menus and specials at some of the most popular new spots and old favorites. A few that caught food editor Gab Chabrán’s eye:
Saturday, Aug. 15, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Last Bookstore 453 S. Spring St., Ground Floor, Downtown L.A. COST: $5; MORE INFO
The Last Bookstore in DTLA is just one of the many places to purchase and get lost a book that can be found throughout the city.
(
Jonathan Hoffman
/
LAist
)
There’s never a bad time to make a pilgrimage to The Last Bookstore, but this weekend you can see much more than books as the whole Spring Arts Tower is getting in on the action. There will be a pop-up market featuring hundreds of vendors across all 12 floors of the historic downtown building.
Route 66 Film Series: The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
Saturday, August 15, 4:30 p.m. Norton Simon Museum 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena COST: FREE WITH MUSEUM ADMISSION; MORE INFO
(
Courtesy 20th Century Fox
)
The Norton Simon is celebrating historic Route 66 with a themed film series. Saturday’s pick: The 1940 classic The Grapes of Wrath. Based on the John Steinbeck novel, the Oscar-winning John Ford film stars Henry Fonda as Tom Joad, who heads west from the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression.
Fool in the Pool
Monday, Aug 17, 8 p.m. El Cóndor 3701 Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake COST: GA $25, VIP $40; MORE INFO
(
Kay DeMuco
/
Eventbrite
)
Fool in the Pool is an immersive karaoke play at El Cóndor. There's a live band, the audience sings as part of the narrative, and VIP ticket-holders perform on stage with the band. The story follows a washed-up child star turned karaoke host across one unraveling night — it opens as comedy and turns darker. No two performances are the same, and the night ends with open karaoke for everyone.
Soul Jazz Sessions
Thursdays, 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. State Social House 8782 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Soul Jazz Sessions is a new weekly live-music event on Thursdays. While the Sunset Strip may be better known for loud rock acts, check out this new — and decidedly more chill — jazz jam session at State Social House on Sunset Boulevard. There’s no cover (rare for a jazz set in this town!).
Netflix's BEEF wellness-themed giveaways
Through Friday, Aug. 14 Various locations COST: FREE; MORE INFO
(
Courtesy Netflix
)
We’re deep into FYC season, and that means only one thing for us normies: free stuff. Netflix’s series BEEF is taking the show’s calm-down lesson to the masses by offering free wellness treats and experiences. From a limited-edition “Yogi” smoothie at SunLife Organics to a sound bath in partnership with the Den at the London in West Hollywood, get in line early for your free dose of chill.
Elizabeth Mitchell performances
Garden Concerts for Kids: Elizabeth Mitchell Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 15 and 16, 4 p.m. The Getty Center 1200 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood COST: FREE with reservation; MORE INFO
Ida at Lodge Room Monday, August 17, 8 p.m. Lodge Room 104 N. Ave. 56, 2nd floor, Highland Park COST: $32.50; MORE INFO
(
Courtesy Lodge Room
)
This week brings three opportunities to catch Elizabeth Mitchell’s varied talent. Bring the kids to the Getty this Saturday and Sunday afternoon for family concerts celebrating the 20th anniversary of her Smithsonian Folkways children’s music album, You Are My Little Bird. Joined by her husband Daniel Littleton and daughter Storey, Mitchell will put on performances that are true family gatherings, covering traditional songs and favorites ranging from Woody Guthrie to Bob Marley.
On Monday, you can see Elizabeth and Daniel perform at the Lodge Room with Ida, the thoughtful and spare indie group they formed in 1991. Fun fact: While at Brown University, Elizabeth Mitchell played in a duo with Lisa Loeb, and she and Daniel later sang backup vocals on her hit “Stay (I Missed You).” — Roy Lenn
LAPD officer makes secret recordings of colleagues
Frank Stoltze
is a veteran reporter who covers local politics and examines how democracy is and, at times, is not working.
Published August 12, 2026 5:00 AM
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman faces criticism for prosecuting a police officer who secretly recorded colleagues making what the officer describes as racist, sexist and homophobic remarks.
(
Robert Gauthier
/
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
)
Topline
The L.A. County district attorney’s decision to file criminal charges against an LAPD officer who recorded colleagues has sparked controversy, with critics saying the charges will create a chilling effect on people who want to report misconduct at the department. The officer says the recordings capture colleagues making racist, sexist and homophobic remarks.
The backstory: Officer Daniel Flores made 122 recordings of colleagues in the department's Recruitment and Employment Division.
The details: District Attorney Nathan Hochman alleges Flores violated California privacy laws and that he should be prosecuted regardless of his motives to root out bigotry.
Backlash: L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and others have denounced the prosecution, saying it could "send the wrong message that calling out egregious behavior could land you in prison."
Read on ... for details about the case.
Los Angeles Police Officer Daniel Flores thought he was doing the right thing.
Colleagues in the department’s Recruitment and Employment Division were making what he said were racist, sexist and homophobic remarks in the office, and he wanted to report them to superiors.
So he started secretly recording them.
In June, Flores, 43, sued the department, claiming the LAPD had created a hostile workplace. In his lawsuit, he said he made the recordings in what he believed was part of a “lawful investigation as a police officer.''
Now, the tables have turned. It's Flores who is the target.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has filed 16 felony counts of eavesdropping or recording confidential communications against Flores.
“We are going to enforce the laws to prevent police officers from using illegal means to achieve their goals, even if that goal in that individual’s mind is to root out bigotry,” Hochman said during a news conference last week.
Flores could face up to 13 years in state prison if convicted. On Monday, he pleaded not guilty in Superior Court.
Reaction to the charges
The district attorney’s decision to file criminal charges against Flores has sparked a firestorm of controversy, with some saying the charges will create a chilling effect on people who want to report misconduct at the Police Department.
“While I understand that it is inappropriate and a crime to record colleagues without their consent, these charges certainly send the wrong message that calling out egregious behavior could land you in prison,” Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement. “I am worried that this will deter whistleblowers and discourage officers from using the appropriate reporting channels in the future."
Los Angeles City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez introduced a resolution Tuesday condemning Hochman for his decision to charge Flores.
Police abuse activists also weighed in.
“I think that’s Nathan Hochman’s intention — is to make sure he maintains that blue wall of silence,” said Melina Abdullah of Black Lives Matter L.A. “DA Hochman is continuing to show whose side he’s on — that he’s not on the people’s side.”
Hochman has said his decision to file the criminal case is appropriate, and that Flores had other legal ways to report alleged misconduct by fellow officers.
“He had a number of legitimate avenues to go through,” Hochman said.
Police Chief Jim McDonnell said Friday that Flores’ complaint triggered an internal investigation into 18 other officers. Seventeen faced disciplinary complaints, he said.
The chief declined to say what discipline, if any, the officers received.
About the 122 recordings
California has one of the most restrictive recording laws in the nation, prohibiting someone from recording anyone without their consent. The law requires all parties to a conversation to agree to be recorded before a recording can begin, unless somebody has a court order allowing them to record.
“These laws do, I think, interfere with people's ability to gather information, including information that might be seen as misconduct by the people that they are recording,” said UCLA Law School Professor Eugene Volokh. “This is what I sometimes call the dark side of privacy."
But there are exceptions for police officers who are engaging in official investigations.
In his lawsuit, Flores claims co-workers made various racist, dehumanizing, misogynistic and homophobic comments.
He said it all started when a new supervisor took over the Police Department’s recruitment division and “repeatedly made derogatory statements and fostered an environment in which other employees were encouraged to do the same.''
The lawsuit said Flores submitted his complaints about his co-workers to LAPD Internal Affairs and the Los Angeles Police Commission in January 2025. That’s what triggered the internal investigation.
Flores turned over 122 recordings in all.
The District Attorney’s Office charged Flores on July 31.
In a 27-page brief filed Monday, prosecutors suggested Flores’ motives were not altruistic. The filing alleges Flores “manipulated conversations by initiating or participating in discussions about a particular topic before activating the recording device, then ceasing his own participation.”
Hochman’s brief referred to some of the officers’ comments as “locker room talk.” Prosecutors also accuse Flores of editing the recordings to hide his own racist, sexist and homophobic remarks.
The district attorney based that claim largely on what the officers — the alleged victims in the criminal case — told detectives. According to prosecutors, the officers said Flores often talked about wanting to win the “LAPD lottery,” meaning he wanted a big payout from his civil lawsuit.
LAist reached out to Flores’ attorney, but did not receive a response. However, the defense has argued Flores is protected by the California Invasion of Privacy Act, which allows secret recordings by police officers.
Volokh, from UCLA, said the law allows police officers to make some kinds of recordings in secret.
“Obviously, we know that there are recordings done by police officers in various kinds of investigations,” Volokh said. “But it's not unlimited latitude. It’s not enough that the police officer be well motivated. He has to be acting within his scope of his authority as a police officer.”
For that reason, Hochman said, Flores stepped over the line.
“In our all-party consent state, where California has been one of the nation's leaders in protecting privacy and deterring illegal eavesdropping for over a half a century, one cannot simply choose to break the law because one wants to pursue a personal agenda,” Hochman said Friday.
Holding the line
Soto-Martínez said Tuesday that Hochman should drop the charges immediately.
“The District Attorney is sending a chilling message: If you report misconduct through the appropriate channels, you could be prosecuted,” said Soto-Martínez. “Beyond that, dismissing racist, misogynistic and homophobic behavior as ‘locker room talk’ is unacceptable.”
But Hochman said at the Friday news conference that he believes allowing a police officer to secretly record colleagues would signal to fellow officers that other misconduct would be acceptable, too.
“If we don’t hold the line there, where does it next take us?” he said.
Hochman used the example of an officer using illegal means to arrest a drug dealer by planting evidence. He said that there are implications for non-police officers as well.
“We want to make sure nobody cuts corners and decides they want to go ahead and record a conversation when they come over to your home, when they come over to your workplace, when they come over to a social setting.”
Flores remains free on his own recognizance while the case is pending.
Keep up with LAist.
If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.
Mariana Dale
explores and explains the forces that shape how and what kids learn from kindergarten to high school.
Published August 11, 2026 4:44 PM
An aerial view of the clean-up process at the Lineage warehouse on Friday, July 31, 2026. LAUSD reports there are dozens of schools within a three-mile radius of the fire.
(
Allen J. Schaben
/
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
)
Topline:
Los Angeles Unified School District officials said environmental tests have concluded the Boyle Heights warehouse fire did not result in widespread contamination at nearby schools. However, on Tuesday they reported lead levels in the soil at two elementary school campuses that exceeded California’s acceptable threshold.
Why it matters: Officials announced the results one day before classes resume at dozens of schools within a three-mile radius of the Lineage warehouse. The school district promised to give families advance notice of testing results ahead of the start of school on Wednesday. Those results were posted in a 561-page document uploaded to a district website Tuesday morning.
The district’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety concluded that schools near the disaster “remain safe for occupancy and that the Lineage fire did not result in widespread residual contamination or conditions at LAUSD campuses posing a health hazard to students or staff.”
The two campuses with high levels of lead: Officialssaid they found elevated levels of lead in soil samples from two schools. City Terrace Elementary School had 170 milligrams of lead per kilogram of soil, while Christopher Dena Elementary School had 120 milligrams. Both exceeded the 80 milligram threshold considered “acceptable” by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control.
What district officials are saying: Carlos Torres, director of LAUSD’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety, told LAist the district doesn’t believe the lead is tied to the warehouse fire. “Most likely this could be from things like lead-based paints from use in the past. It could be from agricultural use,” Torres said. “There isn't such a thing as clean soil anywhere.”
What's next: Torres said the front lawn at City Terrace and the tree wells at Dena, where elevated levels of lead were detected, have been fenced off. He said district staff are reviewing the lab results and could decide to conduct more testing, remove or otherwise remediate the soil, for example, by laying down mulch.
How families can learn more: The district plans to hold another virtual meeting for East L.A. parents on Monday, August 17 at 6 p.m.
This is a developing story. LAist will update this post as more information is available.
Los Angeles Unified School District officials said environmental tests have concluded the Boyle Heights warehouse fire did not result in widespread contamination at nearby schools.
However, on Tuesday they reported lead levels in the soil at two elementary school campuses that exceeded California’s acceptable threshold. Officials announced the results one day before classes resume at dozens of schools within a three-mile radius of the Lineage warehouse.
The district promised to give families advance notice of testing results ahead of the start of school on Wednesday. Those results were posted in a 561-page document uploaded to a district website Tuesday morning.
The district’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety concluded that schools near the disaster “remain safe for occupancy and that the Lineage fire did not result in widespread residual contamination or conditions at LAUSD campuses posing a health hazard to students or staff.”
District officials said indoor and outdoor testing found the presence of ammonia, formaldehyde and manganese, but at low levels that did not raise concern about fire-related contamination that could harm the health of students or school staff.
While some parents have told LAist they feel safe sending their children to schools in the area, others have said they’re worried about potential health impacts from the fire, which covered the neighborhood in smoke for more than a week and left tons of food to rot in the sun.
Two campuses with elevated lead levels
Officialssaid they found elevated levels of lead in soil samples from two elementary schools. City Terrace Elementary School had 170 milligrams of lead per kilogram of soil, while Christopher Dena Elementary School had 120 milligrams. Both exceeded the 80 milligram threshold considered “acceptable” by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control.
Carlos Torres, director of LAUSD’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety, told LAist the district doesn’t believe the lead is tied to the warehouse fire.
“Most likely this could be from things like lead-based paints from use in the past. It could be from agricultural use,” Torres said. “There isn't such a thing as clean soil anywhere.”
How the testing works
LAUSD tested 10 schools out of the more than 50 campuses located within a three-mile radius of the Lineage warehouse.
The report said the schools were selected based on their proximity to the warehouse and in relation to wind patterns that may have influenced where the fire smoke deposited contaminants. The district also tested one school farther from the fire, but similar to those near the warehouse because of its proximity to other industrial sites and a freeway.
The tests were conducted from July 28 to August 7.
The district collected:
Dust wipe samples from indoor and outdoor spaces including desks, drinking fountains, tables, and playgrounds
Soil samples from unpaved areas and gardens
Air samples from indoor and outdoor areas including athletic fields, classrooms and gyms
The district tested for substances that included metals identified as potential contaminants from the fire, including arsenic, lead, lithium and manganese, as well as ammonia, formaldehyde and hydrogen fluoride in the air.
The report said the district consulted with an industrial hygienist, a UCLA researcher, a geologist and a third-party environmental consulting firm to create the testing plan.
District officials have described their response to the warehouse fire in several virtual meetings, including:
Inspecting and twice replacing air-conditioning filters with those rated MERV-13, an indicator of the filter’s ability to trap small particles
Deep cleaning, including by washing walls and furniture, waxing floors and pressure-washing outdoor areas and playground equipment
Placing air purifiers with carbon charcoal filters in all classrooms
What's next
Torres said the front lawn at City Terrace and the tree wells at Dena, where elevated levels of lead were detected, have been fenced off. He said district staff are reviewing the lab results and could decide to conduct more testing that could lead to the removal or remediation of the soil, for example, by laying down mulch.
Julia Barajas
is following the impact of President Trump's immigration policies on Southern California communities.
Published August 11, 2026 3:22 PM
An ad inside Alexandra Lozano Kennedy's office in Commerce.
(
Julia Barajas
/
LAist
)
Topline:
Alexandra Lozano Kennedy, a former immigration attorney who made wide use of social media and Latino religious iconography to attract clientele — had offices across the country, including one in the city of Commerce in Southeast L.A. Because she has been suspended from practicing due to alleged misconduct, immigrant advocates have provided guidance on what former clients can do to track and manage their cases.
Why it matters: Lozano Kennedy, who had tens of thousands of clients, is accused of falsifying stories of trafficking and abuse without her clients’ knowledge, according to lawsuits and immigrant advocates. She is also accused of using nonlawyers to perform client consultations and provide legal advice.
What do advocates recommend? If you were represented by Lozano Kennedy and have petitions or applications pending before USCIS, the Immigrant Legal Resource Center and Loyola Law School’s Immigrant Justice Clinic have provided guidance for former clients. M. Lucero Ortiz, the supervising attorney at the clinic, stressed that these are all steps community members can take for themselves, without the help of an attorney.
Read on... for more on how this fraud has affected Angelenos.
Alexandra Lozano Kennedy — a former immigration attorney who made wide use of social media and Latino religious iconography to attract clientele — had offices across the U.S., including one in the city of Commerce in Southeast L.A.
Lozano Kennedy was licensed by the Washington State Bar Association, which enabled her to represent clients nationwide. In May, she resigned in lieu of discipline for misconduct and is permanently barred from practicing law in that state. As of June 2026, she is also suspended from practicing before the Department of Homeland Security, including U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; immigration courts; and the Board of Immigration Appeals.
Lozano Kennedy, who had tens of thousands of clients, is accused of falsifying stories of trafficking and abuse without her clients’ knowledge, according to lawsuits and immigrant advocates.
At her office in Los Angeles County, clients were met with a large image of the Virgin of Guadalupe in the reception area, flanked by flowers and votive candles, much like a scene inside a local Catholic church. This holy image was also on business cards distributed at the locale. Lozano Kennedy’s use of this iconography as a business strategy harmed community members, said M. Lucero Ortiz, supervising attorney at Loyola Law School’s Immigrant Justice Clinic.
“A lot of them are questioning their own faith," Ortiz said.
“Her fraud really only had a shelf life of about five to six years, because that's how long these cases take to be processed,” Ortiz added.
The clinic she supervises is using social media to help Lozano Kennedy’s former clients navigate the fallout amid the Trump administration’s ongoing mass deportation campaign.
Lozano Kennedy billed herself as a miracle worker, Ortiz said. The work permits clients received as their applications made their way through the immigration process bolstered this belief.
"Clients would think: ‘Oh, my gosh! Everybody else told me that my case was too complex, but this woman got me a work permit in six to nine months,’" Ortiz said. “But what they didn't know is that, five years later, that case would be denied. And they would be in removal proceedings.”
What is Lozano Kennedy accused of?
According to the Washington State Bar Association, Lozano Kennedy's alleged misconduct includes:
directing staff to use a script that contained false and/or misleading information when communicating with prospective clients
filing applications for immigration benefits with USCIS when she knew the clients were ineligible for those benefits
using nonlawyers to perform legal functions on behalf of clients, and/or delegating legal functions to non-lawyer staff, such as performing client consultations and providing legal advice
Find a full list of her alleged misconduct here. Lozano Kennedy has denied any wrongdoing.
What do advocates recommend?
If you were represented by Lozano Kennedy and have petitions or applications pending before USCIS, the Immigrant Legal Resource Center and Loyola Law School’s Immigrant Justice Clinic have provided guidance for former clients. The latter recommends former clients take the following steps:
Open an account online at my.uscis.gov. This allows people with pending immigration cases to manage and track their status in real time, including filing applications, receiving digital notices, uploading evidence and communicating securely with USCIS officers.
Submit a change of address (USCIS Form AR-11) request. Be sure to file online and mail the request.
Cases with a receipt number starting with EAC should mail the request to the Vermont Service Center, USCIS Service Center Operations, Attn: Humanitarian Division, 38 River Rd., Essex Junction, VT 05479-0001.
Cases with a receipt number starting with LIN, should mail the request forms to the Nebraska Service Center, USCIS Service Center Operations, P.O. Box 87918, Lincoln, NE 68501-7918.
Send USCIS a revocation of legal representation letter expressing that you no longer want the attorney of record to represent you and that you will be representing yourself (pro se) while you hire another attorney.
Request a copy of your case file online at USCIS FOIA and through email from Luz Legal.
Check your case status at USCIS and immigration court.
Submit a request to the victims’ compensation fund with the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA).
After you receive a copy of your case file, consult a licensed and experienced attorney about the strategy in your case.
Ortiz, the supervising attorney at the clinic, stressed that these are all steps community members can take for themselves, without the help of an attorney. You can find details for each step here.
The Immigrant Justice Clinic also addressed these frequently asked questions:
Should all of Lozano Kennedy’s former clients withdraw their pending USCIS application?
No, if a pending case is withdrawn, it can lead to a notice to appear (NTA)/deportation process. Consult with a licensed and experienced attorney before making any decision regarding your case.
Are all former clients eligible to join the two pending civil lawsuits against Lozano Kennedy?
No, not all former clients will be able to join the pending lawsuits.
