Yusra Farzan
covers Orange County and its 34 cities, watching those long meetings — boards, councils and more — so you don’t have to.
Published September 15, 2025 3:01 PM
Umar Hakim-Dey, 55, died on Friday. He was a leader in Southern California's Muslim community.
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Courtesy Arbazz Nizami
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Topline:
Umar Hakim-Dey, born and raised in Compton and a pillar in Southern California’s Black and Muslim communities, died Friday, community leaders announced. A staunch advocate for the unhoused, the 55-year-old was the force behind Humanitarian Day, one of the nation’s largest Muslim-led charity days. His cause of death is unknown.
The legacy he leaves behind: Imam Jihad Saafir with Islah LA, a nonprofit serving the innercity community, said Hakim-Dey will be hard to replace. Hakim-Dey, he said, could go from speaking with legislators at City Hall to serving the unhoused in downtown Los Angeles or helping incarcerated people. ”It's gonna be hard to fill that void,” Saafir said. “I don't see people with that same type of work ethic and the willingness to come out of their comfort zones.”
Read on … for more about the man who left behind a legacy of community service, mentorship and interfaith advocacy.
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A pillar of the SoCal Muslim community has died. LAist's Yusra Farzan explains the many ways he made a difference
A pillar of Southern California’s Black and Muslim communities died Friday, community leaders announced.
Umar Hakim-Dey, 55, was born and raised in Compton. He served as board chair for LA Voice, a multi-racial, multi-faith community organization, and was founder of Inkerij (pronounced encourage), a social enterprise that was an advisor for social impact organizations. A staunch advocate for the unhoused, he was the force behind Humanitarian Day, one of the nation’s largest Muslim-led charity days. His cause of death is unknown.
Hakim-Dey grew up on a street that served as the divider between the Bloods and the Crips. Raised by a single Guyanese, Episcopalian mother, Hakim-Dey would join the Crips in 6th grade before eventually leaving the gang at 18. He would often speak of his time at the Crips as giving him insight into the human need for a sense of community and loyalty.
Umar Hakim-Dey at a booth he had for his brand Inkerij at a recent Council on American-Islamic Relations events.
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Courtesy Meem Noon Productions / CAIR-LA
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“One of the things he very consciously said was that, 'I've been in Compton, I see people die over words.' So I really try to deescalate situations and look at things from a different lens because I see how quickly things can escalate,” said Arbazz Nizami, a co-founder of Sahaba Initiative, a nonprofit based in San Bernardino county addressing generational poverty, who met Hakim-Dey when he was in high school.
At 28, Hakim-Dey converted to Islam and soon met Imam Saadiq Saafir, the religious leader of Masjid Ibadillah in South Los Angeles and the founder of ILM Foundation. Masjid Ibadillah was a mosque in South L.A. primarily serving the African-American community, which would evolve into Islah LA, a nonprofit inner-city community center while ILM Foundation is a nonprofit organization.
Hakim-Dey eventually became head of ILM Foundation and, despite its smaller budget, connected and inspired young people from different backgrounds to live a life of service.
Saafir’s son, Imam Jihad Saafir of Islah LA, was set to honor Hakim-Dey at a gala on Sept. 27 before he died.
“ Christian, Jewish, homeless, a person who has membership in the gang, he was able to talk to all of these audiences and engage them,” Saafir said. “When people love their comfort zone, they love being around people who think like them and who believe like them so he was willing to come out of his comfort zone and find comfort in serving the neighbor.”
Mentor to young people
“ He was one of the first people to really inspire us and motivate us to serve the community, and give us a guidance on how to serve,” Nizami said.
On Humanitarian Day, a day during Ramadan where the Muslim community gathers to pack and distribute care packages for the unhoused community, Nizami said Hakim-Dey encouraged people to see beyond just giving people food and personal care products, but “looking at them as a human being.”
Umar Hakim-Dey, as he lead a group of volunteers at Sahaba Initiative, a non-profit addressing generational poverty in San Bernardino County.
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Courtesy Arbazz Nizami
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For Nizami, Hakim-Dey is someone he spoke with almost everyday for the last 15 years. Earlier this year, they went on the Umrah pilgrimage to Makkah during one of the holiest times of the year for Muslims, Ramadan.
And when he was at Umrah, Hakim-Dey sent a text to another community organizer and coach he mentored, Sarah Jawaid.
“ I get a text from him that says, 'Say Ameen, a prayer was made for you at the Prophet's mosque on your behalf,'” Jawaid said. “ He would remember you … he would call. He was just such a model of what it means to be in community.”
When she started working as a community organizer with L.A. Voice, Hakim-Dey was the one who introduced her to others in the space.
“He vouched for me,” Jawaid said.
His role as an activist
Hakim-Dey, she said, had a “powerful vision of change.” He knew what people needed in the moment, but was also thinking of the future.
“ We were really thinking about the long term, like how do we change the condition of people so that they understand that they actually have more power than they think they do to change policies,” she said.
Umar Hakim-Dey speaking at a past Humanitarian Day event.
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Courtesy New Ground a Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change
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Jawaid said Hakim-Dey's voice will continue to ring in her head, as well as his inspiration mantra to keep going when things get tough — Don’t leave your post.
”Anytime you needed a pep talk, he was there to be like, 'Allah is the most merciful, don't leave your post,'" she said. “And so I just imagined him saying that to me now, 'Keep going. Don't be sad. Don't leave your posts.'"
Hill said Hakim-Dey would encourage her to work towards passing the baton to the next generation.
“I guess for now, you know, not until somebody else can step into the post that he put for me, I can't leave my post,” she said.
She called Hakim-Dey a “bridge builder” connecting with Muslims from South Asian, Arab, Black and African descent to advocate for policy changes for affordable housing, police reform and immigrant rights.
And he connected with other religious groups, particularly the Jewish community.
How he showed up as an interfaith advocate
Andrea Hodos, associate director of New Ground a Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change, said Hakim-Dey was known for always showing up when the community needed him.
She had invited him to an event to show support for the Jewish community following the Tree of Life synagogue mass shooting where 11 worshippers were killed in Pittsburg, and when she arrived she found Hakim-Dey was already there.
”He was actually breaking up a brewing fight between an older man with Trump flags, festooned in Trump flags and a younger man who had come wearing a 'Punch Nazis' T-shirt,” Hodos said. “They were about to get into it and he was kinda standing in between and quietly, like very calmly deescalating.”
Umar Hakim-Dey speaks at a New Ground a Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change event at the Skirball Cultural Center.
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Courtesy New Ground a Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change
)
And when interfaith relations soured in 2023, Hodos said that Hakim-Dey was always leading with compassion and clarity.
“ He has the capacity to listen deeply and to stand firmly on his principles, and that is what he has been doing and still being there to help our communities navigate some of the most difficult moments,” she said.
Hard to replace
Imam Jihad Saafir with Islah LA said Hakim-Dey will be hard to replace.
Hakim-Dey, he said, could go from speaking with legislators at City Hall to serving the unhoused in downtown Los Angeles and incarcerated people.
”It's gonna be hard to fill that void,” he said. “I don't see people with that same type of work ethic and the willingness to come out of their comfort zones.”
Funeral arrangements
Janaza (funeral prayer) will be at 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at the Islamic Society of Orange County, 1 Al-Rahman Plaza, Garden Grove. Burial will follow at 3 p.m. at Rosehills Cemetery, Gate 1, 3888 Workman Mill Road, Whittier.
David Wagner
covers housing in Southern California, a place where the lack of affordable housing contributes to homelessness.
Published June 1, 2026 9:00 AM
The L.A. Metro's Wilshire/La Brea stop on the D Line is one of the stations listed on the SB 79 map.
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Kayla Bartkowski
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Topline:
Starting July 1, a new state law will push cities to increase housing development in neighborhoods located near major transit stops. When the law was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year, cities began taking their best guess at where exactly those sites would be.
What’s new: Now, the list is out. On Monday, the Southern California Association of Governments published its official map showing where new housing density will be allowed under Senate Bill 79.
Why it matters: The law’s impact on L.A. neighborhoods near transit lines — including those zoned only for single-family homes — has been heavily debated, especially in the race for Los Angeles mayor. The tallest buildings allowed under SB 79 will be nine stories, as long as they are located within 200 feet of a Metro B or D-line stop. More common will be the “Tier 2” zones around light rail and dedicated bus lane stops, which will allow buildings up to eight stories tall within 200 feet of the stop.
Read on… to learn why Orange County is excluded for now, but will be added to the map soon.
Starting July 1, a new state law will push cities to increase housing development in neighborhoods located near major transit stops.
When the law was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year, Southern California cities began taking their best guess at where exactly those sites would be.
Now, the list is out. On Monday, the Southern California Association of Governments, known as SCAG, published its official map showing where new housing density will be allowed under Senate Bill 79.
Elizabeth Carbajal, SCAG’s deputy director of land use, said local officials sought many clarifications from state leaders in order to be sure that the map would accurately reflect the Legislature’s intent.
“There were a lot of questions after the statute was signed,” Carbajal said. “The clarifications helped further define bus service, as well as pedestrian access points.”
SB 79 has become a political lightning rod
The law’s impact on neighborhoods near transit lines — including those zoned only for single-family homes — has been heavily debated, especially in the race for Los Angeles mayor.
Mayor Karen Bass asked Newsom to veto SB 79, and she continues to oppose adding apartments within the nearly three-quarters of city land reserved for single-family homes.
City councilmember Nithya Raman, who is challenging Bass in the upcoming election, declined to oppose SB 79 and has said some single-family neighborhoods will need to accept more density.
Spencer Pratt, the former reality TV star running for mayor, made waves on social media when he falsely claimed last year that SB 79 would bring high-rises to the Pacific Palisades, where his home burned down. The official SCAG map confirms that SB 79 will have no impact on the neighborhood.
In response to SB 79, housing opponents in some areas have started focusing their efforts on killing plans for expanded public transit. Responding to public pressure, Burbank officials have stalled construction plans for local portions of a rapid bus line from North Hollywood to Pasadena. L.A. Metro is now suing Burbank over that move.
Where will new housing go? And how much will be allowed?
The rules of SB 79 are complex.
The tallest buildings allowed under SB 79 will be nine stories, as long as they are located within 200 feet of a Metro B or D-line stop. These stations qualify as “Tier 1” stops under SB 79, which puts the tallest buildings near heavy rail lines, which in L.A. only applies to the B and D-line subways.
More common will be the “Tier 2” zones around light rail and dedicated bus lane stops, which will allow buildings up to eight stories tall within 200 feet of those stops.
Height limits step down in areas further out from the station. In “Tier 2” zones, buildings up to six stories tall will be allowed within a quarter-mile of the stop, and buildings up to five stories will be allowed within a half-mile.
Neighborhoods near two Metrolink commuter rail stations, in Burbank and Glendale, will also qualify as “Tier 2” zones.
Change won’t necessarily come overnight
New housing won’t necessarily be coming to those zones immediately. Under SB 79, cities have the ability to put off full implementation until 2030 by making their own choices about where to allow more housing.
“Cities can develop alternative plans and delay implementation,” said Philip Law, a SCAG deputy planning director. “The map is not intended to reflect those situations.”
The city of L.A. has taken the delay approach, with the City Council recently voting to allow buildings up to four stories tall around 55 targeted transit stops. This would let the city put off full implementation of SB 79.
The new SCAG map shows no impact in Orange County. The region does not yet qualify as an “urban transit county” under the state law. However, the impending completion of the OC Streetcar through Santa Ana and Garden Grove, expected later this year, will make Orange County eligible for SB 79.
Once the OC Streetcar opens, SCAG plans to update their map to include Orange County, Carbajal said.
Check out Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures to celebrate the movie star's 100th birthday.
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Emily Shur
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Academy Museum Foundation
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In this edition:
Pride Night at Angel Stadium, Marilyn Monroe at 100, Stop Making Sense and more of the best things to do this week.
Highlights:
Celebrate the biggest Hollywood star of all time, Marilyn Monroe, on what would be her 100th birthday: June 1. The special exhibit Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon just opened at the Academy Museum and includes memorabilia, film clips and costumes that explore Monroe’s impact on the studio system, her iconic style and much more.
The Righteous Gemstones actress Edi Patterson brings her bold improv to the Largo for her new show, Playgirl — a full-length play completely improvised right on the spot. Yes, she’s playing all the characters.
Kick off Pride Month with Pride Night at Angel Stadiumas the Angels take on the Colorado Rockies. You’ll score an Angels Pride jersey and can enjoy the pregame Pride Village.
What, you think I’d let you miss an opportunity to see Stop Making Sense on the big screen? And lose all my indie cool cred? Never. Talking Heads’ classic 1984 music film (directed by the late, great Jonathan Demme) will be shown at Vidiots in 4K digital to celebrate 40 years of everyone’s favorite film nerd superstore.
Tuesday is Election Day, so get ready to drop off your ballot or head to your polling place — but not before consulting the LAist Voter Game Plan if you still have some research to do about the most competitive races in your area, whether that’s city council, mayor or even the state-wide governor’s primary.
And happy Pride! We’ll be featuring tons of LGBTQ+ events this month, so stay tuned.
Licorice Pizza’s Lyndsey Parker has your music picks for the week, including: Monday, Las Vegas rockers the Cab will be at the Fonda Theatre, and Scottish indie-pop darlings Camera Obscura will play their first of two shows at Pacific Electric.
Tuesday, new-wave legend Joe Jackson will be looking sharp at the Orpheum Theatre, British-Sudanese R&B artist Elmiene will play the Wiltern and Australian buzz band Vacations will begin their three-night run at the Troubadour.
On Wednesday, alt-country harpist Mikaela Davis is at Sid The Cat Auditorium, and the Grammy Museum hosts a “Reelin’ in the Early Years of Steely Dan” panel featuring Licorice Pizza’s Jeff “Skunk” Baxter.
Thursday’s a big night for new-wave fans with the triple-bill of the Human League, Soft Cell and Alison Moyet at the Hollywood Bowl, while Vince Staples is at the El Rey. Plus, at 4 p.m. Licorice Pizza is hosting a Q&A with legendary rock photographer Henry Diltz at the record store.
Wednesday, June 3, 6:30 p.m. Angel Stadium 2000 E. Gene Autry Way, Anaheim COST: FROM $35; MORE INFO
Catch the Angels as they take on the Rockies for Pride Night.
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Julio Aguilar
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Getty Images
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Kick off Pride Month with Pride Night at Angel Stadium, as the Angels take on the Colorado Rockies. You’ll score an Angels Pride jersey and can enjoy the pregame Pride Village.
Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon
Ongoing Academy Museum 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Miracle Mile COST: INCLUDED WITH GENERAL ADMISSION, $25; MORE INFO
Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon is at the Academy Museum.
(
Emily Shur
/
Academy Museum Foundation
)
She may have sung happy birthday to Mr. President, but it’s Marilyn’s turn now. Celebrate the biggest Hollywood star of all time, Marilyn Monroe, on what would be her 100th birthday: June 1. The special exhibit Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon just opened at the Academy Museum, and it includes memorabilia, film clips and costumes that explore Monroe’s impact on the studio system, her iconic style and much more. From her costumes in Some Like It Hot to the pink dress by William Travilla in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes to letters and personal materials, the exhibit takes a complete look at Norma Jeane’s legacy.
Stop Making Sense
Monday June 1, 7:30 p.m. Vidiots 4884 N. Eagle Rock Blvd., Eagle Rock COST: WALK-UP TICKETS AVAILABLE; MORE INFO
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A24
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FilmGrab
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What, you think I’d let you miss an opportunity to see Stop Making Sense on the big screen? And lose all my indie cool cred? Never. Talking Heads’ classic 1984 music film (directed by the late, great Jonathan Demme) will be shown at Vidiots in 4K digital to celebrate 40 years of everyone’s favorite film nerd superstore.
The Drop: Dogstar
Tuesday, June 2, 7:30 p.m. Grammy Museum 800 W Olympic Blvd., Downtown L.A. COST: SOLD OUT BUT WAITLIST AVAILABLE; MORE INFO
Keanu Reeves will perform with his band, Dogstar, this week.
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Francesco Prandoni
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Getty Images
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Keanu Reeves’s other career — as the rockstar lead singer of Dogstar — has taken shape and developed a loyal fanbase over the years. Join the band for an evening of stories, music and conversation on the Grammy Museum rooftop as they release their latest album, All in Now.
Edi Patterson: Playgirl
Wednesday, June 3, 8 p.m. Largo at the Coronet 366 N. La Cienega Blvd.,Melrose COST: $50; MORE INFO
Edi Patterson will be improvising an entire play.
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Marcus Ingram
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Getty Images
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The Righteous Gemstones actress Edi Patterson brings her bold improv to the Largo for her new show, Playgirl. No, she’s not improvising a pinup; rather, she’s doing something so much bolder — performing a full-length play completely improvised right on the spot. Yes, she’s playing all the characters.
Wet Hot Amusical Summer
Thursday, June 4, and various dates through June, 7:30 p.m. Three Clubs 1123 Vine Street, Hollywood COST: $33; MORE INFO
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Cherry Poppins
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Eventbrite
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A cult film if there ever was one, the 2001 David Wain film Wet Hot American Summer (starring Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler and many, many more) is ripe for a send-up stage treatment — and the folks at Cherry Poppins have delivered with Wet Hot Amusical Summer. The spoof of a spoof is sure to be an over-the-top send-up of what’s already a comedy legend; the show continues through the Hollywood Fringe Festival.
The Big Run
Wednesday, June 3, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Johnny Carson Park 400 S. Bob Hope Drive, Burbank COST: $22.50; MORE INFO
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Miguel A. Amutio
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Unsplash
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Celebrate Global Running Day with friends in Burbank as The Big Run takes over Johnny Carson Park. Hosted by Fleet Feet Burbank in partnership with the Burbank Parks and Recreation Department, run the .4 mile loop as many times as you can in 30 minutes to compete!
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Jill Replogle
covers public corruption, debates over our voting system, culture war battles — and more.
Published June 1, 2026 5:00 AM
The state wants Huntington Beach to make room for more homes, and the city has balked at being told how to do that.
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Allen J. Schaben
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Huntington Beach will consider a citywide plan for more housing at its Tuesday meeting after a years-long battle against the state that resulted in a court order.
The backstory: State law requires California cities and counties to plan for enough housing to meet the expected demand over an eight-year time period, including for low-income housing. They don’t have to actually build the housing, they just have to make sure their local zoning can accommodate it. Huntington Beach was told to make room for some 13,000 new homes. The city fought the allocation all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court — but lost.
The current status: A San Diego court recently told Huntington Beach it needed to come into compliance, or pay $50,000 for each month it fails to do so.
What’s next? The city council is scheduled to vote on the housing plan at its June 2 meeting.
Huntington Beach will consider a citywide plan for more housing at its June 2 (Tuesday) meeting after a yearslong battle against the state that resulted in a court order.
The backstory
State law requires California cities and counties to plan for enough housing to meet the expected demand over an eight-year period, including for low-income housing. They don’t have to actually build the housing, they just have to make sure their local zoning can accommodate it.
Huntington Beach was told to make room for some 13,000 new homes. The city fought the allocation all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to review the case last year.
Mayor Casey McKeon estimates the city would actually have to plan for close to 40,000 new units to meet the state mandate, since most new developments include only a small percentage of affordable homes.
Where things stand now
A San Diego court recently told Huntington Beach it must come into compliance, or pay $50,000 for each month it fails to do so. The city responded by posting a revised housing plan on its website and asking residents for comment.
Wider pushback
The Orange County Grand Jury dropped a new report last week that is highly critical of the state’s methods of forcing cities to plan for housing at all income levels. The report said the state’s efforts have led to “growing tension between state directives and local realities” and had “led to minimal housing being built.”
What’s next?
The City Council is scheduled to vote on the housing plan at its Tuesday meeting. The state could still order the city to make revisions to its current plan. "We await their adopted plan next week," Alicia Murillo, a spokesperson for the California Department of Housing and Community Development, said in an email to LAist.
How to attend Huntington Beach City Council meetings
Huntington Beach holds City Council meetings on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 2000 Main St.
You can also watch City Council meetings remotely on HBTV via Channel 3 or online, or via the city’s website. (You can also find videos of previous council meetings there.)
The public comment period happens toward the beginning of meetings.
The city generally posts agendas for City Council meetings on the previous Friday. You can find the agenda on the city’s calendar or sign up there to have agendas sent to your inbox.
A bald eagle couple has been spotted in Los Angeles County this past week.
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Courtesy L.A. County Dept. of Parks and Recreation
)
Topline:
A pair of nesting bald eagles was spotted in Los Angeles County this past week, according to a social media post from the Department of Parks and Recreation.
Why it matters: Nesting bald eagles are a fairly rare sight in Southern California, since they typically nest along the California-Oregon border.
The backstory: The Department of Parks and Recreation did not disclose the location of the birds, and reminded L.A. residents in their post that bald eagles are a federally protected species and disturbing their nests could “disrupt breeding and impact their success.”
What's next: It takes about 35 days for bald eagle eggs to incubate. If the new visitors lay eggs, Los Angeles could have our very own eaglets as early as next month.
A pair of nesting bald eagles was spotted in Los Angeles County this past week, according to a social media post from the Department of Parks and Recreation. (You can check out the full post and video on Instagram.)
The Department of Parks and Recreation did not disclose the exact location of the birds.
Nesting bald eagles are a fairly rare sight in Southern California, since they're more commonly found close to the California-Oregon border.
A look at where bald eagles typically nest.
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Courtesy California Department of Fish and Wildlife
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Of course, there are notable exceptions, including Southern California's most famous bald eagles: Big Bear's Jackie and Shadow, whose yearly attempts at parenthood have become big national news on occasion.
Park officials are reminding everyone that bald eagles are a federally protected species and disturbing their nests could “disrupt breeding and impact their success.”
The history
Bald eagles were once close to extinction in the lower 48 U.S. states. By the early 1970s, there were fewer than 30 pairs in California, all in the northern part of the state. The species has rebounded since being protected under federal and state laws.
What's next
It takes about 35 days for bald eagle eggs to incubate. If the L.A.'s new eagle residents lay eggs, Los Angeles could have our very own eaglets as early as next month.
