The Brief

This story was originally published by Boyle Heights Beat.

On election night, Ysabel Jurado said bringing back basic city services to the region was among her first orders of business.

One hundred days in, the L.A. councilwoman has taken initial steps to do so.

Jurado — who represents the council's 14th District, which includes Boyle Heights, El Sereno, parts of downtown L.A. and other communities — has introduced motions calling city agencies to look into the district’s unreliable street lights and the closure of a Boyle Heights library plagued by construction delays. While these reports are forthcoming, Jurado has touted these actions as “just getting started.”

“Good things take time, and they take even longer at City Hall,” Jurado said in a statement to Boyle Heights Beat.

A newcomer to city politics, Jurado acknowledged she has faced challenges while learning the ropes of city government.

“This job comes with a steep learning curve, but I’m also reminded the system is not designed for newcomers — people like us — but I am committed to breaking down barriers,” Jurado said.

Sworn into office in early December, Jurado, 35, began her term just before a series of destructive wildfires shut down LAUSD schools, caused power outages, and displaced tens of thousands of people in Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Jurado’s January swearing-in ceremony at Resurrection Church was postponed, and her office hosted a resource center at Boyle Heights City Hall equipped with masks, water and food for those affected by the fires.

Ysabel Jurado speaks at a protest at Mariachi Plaza on Jan. 20.

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Genesis Peña

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Boyle Heights Beat

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Jurado’s start in public coincided with President Donald Trump’s second term, as well, prompting the councilwoman to advocate for legislation that seeks to protect the city’s immigrant communities amid increased threats of deportation. On the day Trump was inaugurated, Jurado attended a demonstration against deportations at Mariachi Plaza.

The councilwoman has found alliances with the council’s progressive block, recently started a newsletter dedicated to District 14, and taken hundreds of votes during council meetings since she took office. She was appointed to six committees, including Housing and Homelessness and Arts, Parks, Libraries and Community Enrichment.

District residents have had a mix of reactions to her time in office so far. Some say Jurado is “still too new” to gauge how she’s representing their needs. Others say she is “visible” in the community and “setting a good pace.” Residents also say that “if she’s working for our interests, we are not hearing about it.”

Here is a look at Jurado’s first 100 days in office:

First City Council motions 

“My first order of business in the first 100 days, we’re looking to light up CD 14,” Jurado told Boyle Heights Beat at her election night party. “Our Sixth Street Bridge has no lighting.”

A month later on Dec. 10 — the day after she was sworn into office — Jurado put forth a motion instructing the Bureau of Street Lighting to produce a report detailing the percentage of streetlight outages in the district, broken down by neighborhood. She also directed the bureau to list recommendations for repairs and strategies to “enhance reliability and sustainability of street lighting.”

The report is expected to be released in April, which would be of special interest to Boyle Heights given that out of the city’s 114 neighborhoods, it ranked second for streetlight outage service requests with 1,907 reports in 2024, according to 311 data.

Another of the councilwoman’s first action items was her motion to assess the renovation delays at Boyle Heights’ Benjamin Franklin Branch Library, which has been shuttered since 2020.

In February, the City Council approved Jurado’s call for the Bureau of Engineering to produce a report listing the reasons for the continued delays and strategies to accelerate construction, as well as interim measures to maintain library services after the bungalow is set to close this year.

This report is also expected in April.

Voting record

On major items affecting the entire city, Jurado has voted in line with the rest of the L.A. City Council.

She voted to deny Kristin Crowley’s bid for her reinstatement as the city’s fire chief after Mayor Karen Bass ousted her.

Jurado also voted with the rest of the council in endorsing the Citywide Housing Incentive Program. This rezoning plan allows the city to meet state goals to build more than 250,000 homes. As the Los Angeles Times reported, it incentivizes developers to build market rate and affordable units, but it largely excludes single-family zones. Jurado noted she voted in favor of a failed amendment calling for more housing in single-family zones.

In the 14th District, Jurado has voted in favor of Rosa’s Place, which recently broke ground and brings 97 units of permanent supportive housing in Skid Row, as well as motions put forth by former Councilman Kevin de León that call for affordable housing for survivors of domestic and sexual violence experiencing homelessness in El Sereno.

She has also vouched for funding for the AltaMed Foundation’s Roosevelt High School Scholars Program and for the ReFresh Spot project that provides the Skid Row community access to restrooms, showers and laundry.

Community outreach

In January, Jurado began implementing what she calls a “co-governance” model, which emphasizes engaging constituents to help shape her leadership.

She’s pledged to demystify city government and make the process more accessible for stakeholders, and recently scheduled budgetary listening sessions for April, aimed at gathering direct input on the community’s priorities.

In a statement shared with Boyle Heights Beat, Jurado acknowledged the fiscal challenges facing Los Angeles and said she wanted to “hear directly from constituents about what we should prioritize in the budget process.”

Since taking office, Jurado has hosted community cleanups with local groups, distributed masks and resources during L.A.’s historic wildfires, and held drop-in office hours at multiple district offices.

Staffing

Jurado spent the first few weeks of her term assembling a core team of staffers, including leaders in anti-poverty campaigns, advocates for the unhoused, former City Council legislative experts and LGBTQ+ advocacy leaders. Her chief of staff, Lauren Hodgins, came to the District 14 team from a lobbying background, a decision that drew criticism when first announced in December.

Since then, more than 20 people have joined team Jurado to manage and serve the district of nearly a quarter million people. Four constituent services deputies, four field deputies and a mix of legislative directors, homeless affairs managers and planning staff are all supporting the councilmember.

District 14 field offices in El Sereno, Boyle Heights and Eagle Rock opened in mid-February. It is unclear when the Lincoln Heights field office is scheduled to open. Jurado told Boyle Heights Beat that one of the feats she’s most proud of was assembling her staff.

“We were very intentional about our hires, wanting to bring fresh eyes and a fresh perspective to city services, and we’re starting to see that pay off in big ways,” Jurado said.

What are community members saying?

A community survey conducted by the Beat garnered dozens of responses from District 14 residents who offered their perspectives on Jurado’s performance.

In the survey, Jurado was lauded for her community clean-up efforts, and the steps she’s taken toward addressing street lighting issues and preventing landlords from evicting tenants during substantial renovations. “Her staff have diligently been meeting with community members,” one resident said. Others said they feel hopeful with Jurado at the helm.

However, one downtown resident noted that Jurado appeared to have more energy while campaigning and hoped she would bring a more fiery leadership style to the City Council.

In the survey, a District 14 resident noted that lights were still out on East First Street and that unhoused people remained on the First Street Bridge. “It looks really bad,” the resident said.

Another downtown resident noted that “it is a bit early to meaningfully judge.”

“There seems to be a bit of hesitancy by the councilmember to actually lead on issues,” the resident said. “In conversations with her staff, they seem open to supporting things for which there is widespread community support, but not necessarily leading to create support for things. And I feel some of the necessary changes and reforms in L.A. require that political courage to lead.”

As another resident put it, “To be honest, the needs are so deep and complex that I don’t think 100 days is even enough time to address them."

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Since 1977, Richard Santillan has been to every Opening Day game at Dodger Stadium. 

“The tradition goes from my father, to me, to my children and grandchildren. Some of my best memories are with my father and children here at Dodger Stadium,” Santillan told The LA Local, smiling under the shade of palm trees near the entrance to the ballpark Wednesday morning. He was there to protest the team less than 24 hours before Opening Day.

Santillan, like countless other loyal Dodgers fans, is grappling with his fan identity over the team’s decision to accept an invitation to the White House and owner Mark Walter’s ties to ICE detention facilities.

More than 30 people joined Santillan on Wednesday morning for a press conference held near 1000 Vin Scully Drive to convey a message directly to the team. 

“We are demanding the Dodgers stop participating in funding of inhumane treatment of families and do not go to the White House to celebrate with the criminal in chief,” Evelyn Escatiola told the crowd. “Together, we have the power to make a change.”

Escatiola, a former dean of East Los Angeles College and longtime community organizer, urged fans to flex their economic power by “letting the Dodgers know that we do not support repression.”

Jorge “Coqui” Rodriguez, a lifelong Dodgers fan, spoke to the crowd and called on Dodgers ownership to divest from immigration detention centers owned and operated by GEO Group and CoreCivic.

Jorge Coqui H Rodriguez speaks at a press conference outside Dodger Stadium on March 25, 2026, to demand the Dodgers not to visit the White House following their 2025 World Series win.

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J.W. Hendricks

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The LA Local

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In a phone interview a day before the protest, Rodriguez told The LA Local he did not want the Dodgers using his “cheve” or beer money to fund detention centers. 

“They can’t take our parking money, our cacahuate money, our cheve money, our Dodger Dog money and invest those funds into corporations that are imprisoning people. It’s wrong,” Rodriguez said. 

Rodriguez considers the Dodgers one of the most racially diverse teams and said the players need to support fans at a time when heightened immigration enforcement has become more common across L.A.

The team’s 2025’s visit to the White House drew ire from the largely Latino fan base, citing the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on immigrants. 

In June, the team came under further scrutiny when rumors swirled online that federal immigration agents were using the stadium’s parking, which immigration authorities later denied in statements posted on social media accounts.

The team again came under fire after not releasing a statement on the impacts of ICE raids on its mostly Latino fan base at the height of immigration enforcement last summer. The team later agreed to invest $1 million to support families affected by immigration enforcement.

When he learned the Dodgers were pledging only $1 million to families in need, Rodriguez called the amount a  “slap in the face.” 

“These guys just bought the Lakers for billions of dollars and they give a million dollars to fight for legal services? That’s a joke,” Rodriguez said. “They need to have a moral backbone and not be investing in those companies.”

According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times, former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershawsaid last week that he is looking forward to the trip.

“I went when President [Joe] Biden was in office. I’m going to go when President [Donald] Trump is in office,” Kershaw said. “To me, it’s just about getting to go to the White House. You don’t get that opportunity every day, so I’m excited to go.”

The Dodgers have yet to announce when their planned visit will take place. 

Santillan sometimes laments his decision to give up his season tickets in protest of the team. His connection to the stadium and the memories he has made there with family and friends will last a lifetime, he said. On Thursday, he will uphold his tradition and be there for the first pitch of the season, but with a heavy heart.

“It’s a family tradition, but the Dodgers have a lot of work to do,” he said.

A local favorite mom-and-pop bookshop in Eagle Rock is facing displacement due to a steep rent hike. The owners say theirs is just one of several small businesses along Eagle Rock Boulevard struggling to keep up with lease increases.

Over the past 19 years, many in the neighborhood have come to love READ Books for its eclectic collection of used titles and shop dog Florence.

Co-owner Jeremy Kaplan said it’s been a delight to grow with the community over the years.

“Like seeing kids come back in, who were in grade school and now they’re in college,” Kaplan said.

But the building where Kaplan and wife Debbie rent was recently sold, and the rent increased by more than 130% to $2,805 a month, Kaplan said. He told LAist it was an increase his small business simply could not absorb.

Kaplan said he originally was given 30 days notice of the rent increase. After some research, assistance from Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s office and some pro-bono legal help, Kaplan said he pushed back and got the 90-day notice he’s afforded by state law.

California Senate Bill 1103 requires landlords to give businesses with five or less employees 90 days’ notice for rent increases exceeding 10%, among other protections.

Systems Real Estate, the property management company, did not immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment.

What can small businesses do? 

Nadia Segura, directing attorney of the Small Business Program at pro bono legal aid non-profit Bet Tzedek said California law does not currently allow for rent control for commercial tenancies.

Outside of the protections under SB 1103, Segura said small businesses like READ Books don’t have much other recourse. And even then, commercial landlords are not required to inform their tenants of their protections under the law.

“There’s still a lot of people that don’t know about SB 1103. And then it’s very sad that they tell them they have these rent increases and within a month they have to leave,” Segura said.

She said her group is seeing steep rent hikes like this for commercial tenants across the city.

“We are seeing this even more with the World Cup coming up, the Olympics coming up. And I will say it was very sad to see that also after the wildfires,” Segura said.

Part of Bet Tzedek’s ongoing work is to advocate for small businesses, working with landlords who are increasing rents to see if they are willing to give business owners longer leases that lock in rents.

What’s next 

After READ Books posted about their situation on social media, commenters chimed in to express their outrage and love for the little shop.

While he looks for a new spot, Kaplan says he’s forming a coalition of local businesses and activist groups to see what can be done to help other small businesses facing similar displacement. He wants to address the displacement issue for businesses like his, which have made Eagle Rock the distinctive neighborhood that it is today.

Owl Talk, a longtime Eagle Rock staple selling clothing and accessories in a unit in the same building as READ Books, is facing a “more than double” rent increase, according to a post on their Instagram account.

Kaplan said he’s been in touch with the office of state Assemblywoman Jessica Caloza and wants to explore the possibility of introducing legislation to set up protections for small businesses like his, including rent-control measures or a vacancy tax for landlords. Kaplan said he also reached out to the office of state Sen. Maria Durazo.

By his count, Kaplan said there are about a dozen businesses within surrounding blocks that are at risk of closing their doors or have shuttered due to rent increases or other struggles.

When READ Books was founded during the Great Recession, Kaplan said he knew it was a longshot to open a bookstore at the same time so many were struggling to stay in business.

“It was kind of interesting to be doing something that neighborhoods needed. That was important to me growing up, that was important to my children, that was important to my wife growing up,” Kaplan said.

“And then somebody comes in and says, ‘We’re gonna over double your rent.”

Topline:

Frozen budget: Most of the city’s Bureau of Street Lighting budget comes from an assessment that people who own property illuminated by lights pay on their county property tax bill. The amount people pay depends on the kind of property they own and how much they benefit from lighting. A typical single-family home currently pays $53 annually, and in total, the assessments bring in about $45 million annually for the city to repair and maintain streetlights. Changing the amount the Bureau of Street Lighting gets from the assessment requires a vote among property owners who benefit from the lights.

Ballots: L.A. City Council’s vote gives city staff the green light to prepare and send out those ballots. Miguel Sangalang, who oversees the bureau, said at a committee meeting earlier this month that he expects to send out ballots by April 17. Notices about the ballots will be sent out prior to the ballots themselves.

Near unanimous vote: L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez was the only “No” vote Tuesday, saying she wanted to see a more current strategic plan for the bureau. Sangalang said the bureau developed a plan in 2022 that lays out how money will be spent. Councilmember Imelda Padilla was absent for the vote.

Vote count: Votes will be weighted according to the assessment amount. Basically, the more you’re asked to pay yearly to maintain streetlights, the more your vote will count. Ballots received before June 2 will be tabulated by the L.A. City Clerk.

How much more money: According to a report, the amount needed in assessments from property owners to meet the repair and maintenance needs of the city’s streetlighting in the next fiscal year is nearly $112 million.

Use of the money: Sangalang said at a March 11 committee meeting that the extra funds would be used to double the number of staff to handle repairs and procure solar streetlights, which don’t face the threat of copper wire theft. That would all potentially reduce the time it takes to repair simple fixes down to a week. Currently, city residents wait for months to see broken streetlights repaired. The assessment would come with a three-year auditing mechanism.