Traffic moves through the section of 10 Freeway Monday after repair crews worked around the clock to get the fire-damaged section of road reopen ahead of schedule.
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Jae C. Hong
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AP
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Topline:
After eight days of being closed, traffic is once again flowing in both directions of the 10 Freeway through downtown Los Angeles.
What happened: The fire started at a pallet yard just north of the 10 Freeway near the intersection of East 14th Street and South Alameda Street just after midnight on Saturday and quickly spread to a second pallet yard. It wasn't knocked down until Sunday morning.
Keep reading... to learn more about why there's no timeline yet for reopening, why this is being compared to damage to the 10 Freeway in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, and what advice authorities have now that a road that handles 300,000 cars a day is out of commission.
Need to figure out how to commute? We have that, too.
After eight days of being closed, traffic is once again flowing in both directions of the 10 Freeway through downtown Los Angeles.
The 10 Freeway from Alameda Street to the East L.A. interchange reopened Sunday evening, far ahead of schedule. Last week, officials announced that repairs could take up to five weeks.
At a news conference Sunday, Mayor Karen Bass, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Vice-President Kamala Harris and Senator Alex Padilla offered thanks for a speedy reopening of a key artery which typically handles 300,000 vehicles a day.
Some surface street and on-ramp closures were expected to linger as longer term repairs remained ongoing.
The 10 Freeway opened lanes to vehicles Sunday night ahead of a Monday morning commute.
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Yusra Farzan
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LAist
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Vice President Kamala Harris, right, walks on the 10 Freeway Sunday morning with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass before a news conference announcing the freeway was just hours away from opening.
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Alex Gallardo
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AP
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Local businesses that have had to deal with the closure are welcoming its reopening.
Edgar Jimenez’s Mexican food truck, Quesadillas Ja Ja Ja on 8th and Alameda streets, is close to where the fire erupted and said his otherwise regular customers were reluctant to stand in line or brave the traffic, which also affected his operations.
“Even if it's around the corner it will take half an hour to get back to where I am,” he said. “It impacted me, like, really bad.”
The Shell gas station on Alameda and 14th streets that provides a vantage point to the repair work saw an 80% drop in gasoline sales last week, said morning manager Alexander Shenouda.
“We just relied on the construction workers coming to our market,” he said.
A resource center for businesses also opened Monday on Central Avenue, where people can learn about city and county programs, including grants, that can help offset some of the financial effects of the closure.
According to the Downtown Industrial Business Improvement District, some businesses lost 40% to 50% of their revenue during the shut down.
How we got here
After initial fears that the bridge near downtown L.A. would need to be demolished and rebuilt — a process which would have taken months — structural testing instead pointed toward repairs. Still, that work was thought would take three to five weeks.
Instead, Sunday morning, authorities said the freeway would open within hours, in time for the Monday morning commute.
In all, that means the freeway was back in operation eight days after a devastating fire began last Saturday, burning through pallets, vehicles and other flammable material store under the roadway.
"The good news is there was more good news," said Gov. Gavin Newsom at an early morning news conference.
Vice President Kamala Harris joined the group making the announcement. Harris said she was "acutely aware" of how serious the shutdown of the 10 Freeway was for the city and region.
"The work that happened here was extraordinary," she said praising the union contractors who worked around the clock. "Tomorrow the commute is back on."
Where things stand
The Alameda Street off-ramp, as well as Lawrence Street between 10th Street and 14th Street, will still be closed.
Newsom said on Sunday that permanent repairs will continue, during episodic closures that will take place likely at night.
Bass said Metro ridership jumped 10% during the closure.
Authorities are seeking a person of interest in connection to the arson investigation.
Newsom said Thursday that the fire damaged 10 Freeway was “in better shape than anticipated” and will open no later than Nov. 21, far sooner than initially expected and before the busy Thanksgiving holiday.
“What a gift for Los Angeles to have right before a holiday to know that your commute will be better," said Bass, who joined Newsom at the burn site to make the announcement.
On Thursday, the L.A. Department of Transportation added an additional left turn lane in each direction along the Alameda corridor to improve traffic flow.
Additional white-glove traffic officers continue to be stationed throughout the closure area. And With rain expected through the end of the week, Bass directed the Department of Transportation to increase the amount of white-glove traffic officers in the downtown area so commuters can get through intersections faster.
The Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration made $3 million of emergency relief funding immediately available to Caltrans on Wednesday to help repair the freeway. The “quick release” federal funding will go towards traffic control, removing hazardous waste, and temporary shoring of the damaged structure.
On Wednesday, Metro added additional buses to Line 66, which runs along Olympic Boulevard, and Line 251 along Soto Street. These lines saw the most delays Tuesday.
LAFD is now inspecting all state property under freeways for fire hazard material to make sure they’re safe and that the 10 Freeway “tragedy will not be repeated,” Bass said.
Newsom also said crew would install cameras so that the public can monitor the project's progress, on fixthe10.ca.gov (which currently appears to have photos and a highlight-reel video of repairs.)
The following reporting preceded the reopening.
Why drivers were asked to stay off surface streets
Bass and other top officials had pleaded with drivers to stay off surface streets if they’re trying to get around the 10 Freeway closure.
After taking a helicopter ride over the damaged freeway, Bass said all the surface streets around downtown look like parking lots as people try to find their own detours. Officials are still encouraging commuters to stay on the freeways, or take public transit whenever possible.
Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley added that fire trucks and ambulances have been having trouble getting through the congestion.
“Every second counts when it comes to our emergency responders,” she said. “So please keep that in mind when you are trying to make that decision of where you're going to go.”
What we know so far
We learned Monday that the fire was likely started by arson. Newsom said CalFire — which finished its investigation 12 hours early — made a preliminary determination that there was malice intent. “That it was arson, and that it was done and set intentionally," Newsom said. "That determination of who is responsible is an investigation that is ongoing.”
While the fire remains under investigation, Mayor Bass told LAist 89.3’s AirTalk earlier this week that speculation on social media and elsewhere is not helpful.
"There's a lot of accusations against the homeless people that were in the area,” she said. “There is no reason, at this point in time, to associate the encampment with the fire that took place there.”
The company that leased the space under the freeway from CalTrans, Apex Development Inc., is facing lawsuits for subleasing the site to at least five other tenants without authorization, according to Newsom. Officials are now checking to see if the Calabasas-based company is out of compliance with the other leases it holds in the area.
"So to say the whole thing is a mess is an understatement," Bass said Tuesday, "but this company is going to have its date in court at the beginning of the year."
As for why flammable material was stored under a major freeway in the first place, Bass said: "It's not just flammable materials, it's materials, period and it's also oversight and accountability and all of that I think is going to come the question now because — just in our city alone — you were talking about miles and miles of property underneath the freeways that the state leases out.
"And so all of that needs to be scrutinized and the governor has assured us that it will be, I mean, especially pallet storage of all things, given the number of pallet fires we have in pallet yards each year in Southern California."
The backstory
An aerial view of cleanup crews working beneath the closed 10 Freeway Monday.
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Mario Tama
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Getty Images
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The massive fire that shut down both directions of the 10 Freeway between the East L.A. connector and Alameda Street was sparked over the weekend.
Los Angeles city leaders immediately warned of major traffic congestion after "extensive damage" to the bridge near downtown. Before this shutdown, the key regional connector handled about 300,000 vehicles a day — a number that underscores the dramatic effect of the closure.
Crews have been shoring the bridge — adding in temporary supports — and determined by Tuesday that the bridge could be repaired, rather than demolished and rebuilt. That's a major relief to authorities and the commuting public, with more relief coming Thursday when the reopening timeline was greatly accelerated.
Initial timeline on reopening was 3 to 5 weeks
Authorities say work will continue 24/7 until repairs allow the reopening of the stretch of the 10 Freeway that typically handles 300,000 vehicles a day.
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Mario Tama
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Getty Images
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On Sunday, Bass called for patience from Los Angeles drivers — a call she made again Monday and Tuesday. The mayor invoked the Northridge earthquake in 1994 in terms of the severity and consequences of Saturday's damage.
"For those of you that remember the 1994 Northridge earthquake, Caltrans worked around the clock to complete emergency repairs to the freeways," said Bass. "And this structural damage calls for the same level of urgency and effort."
"Unfortunately, there's no reason to think that this is going to be over in a couple of days," she said.
Newsom said Tuesday that with 24/7 work on repairs, the timeline to reopening would be three to five weeks. Officials were greatly relieved that it wasn't longer — and even more pleased when word came that the major freeway would be opened before the Thanksgiving holiday.
When the 10 Freeway was damaged in the Northridge earthquake, a private construction firm — operating with generous incentives in place — was able to rebuild two bridges in just over two months — 74 days earlier than projected.
Newsom, who declared a state of emergency on Saturday to help with cleanup and repairs, had said Sunday that incentives could come into play.
“The state is mobilizing resources and taking steps to ensure any necessary repairs are completed as soon as possible to minimize the impact on those traveling in and around Los Angeles,” Newsom said.
"We are approaching this issue with absolute urgency," Bass said.
How Caltrans assessed damage
This photo provided by the California Department of Transportation shows an early morning fire along Interstate 10 near downtown Los Angeles, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.
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Richard Vogel
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Caltrans District 7 via AP
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Damage under the I-10 overpass after a huge fire on Saturday morning in downtown.
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Courtesy Caltrans
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An emergency contract to begin restoration of the structure has been secured by Caltrans, according to Toks Omishakin, California's secretary of transportation.
What we know about the assessment so far:
Crews took hazardous material samples for lab analysis and then removed debris from under the overpass.
At that point, structural engineers from the department were able perform a thorough assessment.
"I want to emphasize that our efforts on this are going to have to be 24/7 to get this roadway back open. But I'm not going to understate the challenge here. It is significant," Omishakin said.
About the fire
The fire started at a pallet yard just north of the 10 Freeway near the intersection of East 14th Street and South Alameda Street at around 12:22 a.m. Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The blaze quickly spread to a second pallet yard, affecting nearly eight acres of the area at one point.
More than 164 firefighters fought the blaze, which was largely contained within three hours. But some hotspots remained in hard-to-reach areas underneath the freeway and robotic equipment was brought in. The fire was fully knocked down later Sunday.
On Monday, officials provided more detail about the damaged infrastructure: About 450 feet of the freeway was affected by the fire, said John Yang, deputy district director for construction for Caltrans District 7. He said that includes more than 90 concrete support columns, each 3 feet in diameter and nearly 16 feet tall.
“We’re inspecting every aspect of it,” he said.
Omishakin said inspectors had been able to take concrete and rebar samples from the underside of the bridge and columns, which they then analyzed.
“Once we analyze these samples, we will get a clearer idea of our repair strategy,” he said.
There were no reported injuries to firefighters — or to others. The cause of the fire is under active investigation.
Officials at Sunday's news conference described treacherous conditions that made getting the fire under control a challenge. At one point, after electrical lines were knocked down by the fire, authorities at the scene were concerned that the water being used to knock down flames could be electrified. That forced them to pull firefighters back and turn to heavy equipment.
Newsom said that the state has begun litigation with the lessee of the pallet yard where the fire started.
"In fact, our inspectors have been out there on a consistent basis with citations," Newsom said at the press conference. "Their lease has expired, they're in arrears, we believe they've been subleasing the space, and we actually have a court date in the early part of the new calendar year."
Newsom said that he could not provide further details on any violations the lessees of the lot may have incurred, but that more updates would be forthcoming.
How to commute
Traffic backed up along a closed Interstate 10 after a fire that severely damaged the freeway in downtown Los Angeles.
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Richard Vogel
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AP
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California Highway Patrol warns that traffic diverted from the 10 Freeway closure will impact the 5 Freeway, the 60, and the 101.
Drivers
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation said it is working to establish dedicated detours on surface streets.
"If you are driving on the freeway through downtown, we ask that you do not exit the freeway onto surface streets to bypass the affected area," said Laura Rubio-Cornejo, general manager of LADOT, adding that drivers should stay on the freeway and transfer to the 5, 110, or the 101.
The city has more information on alternate routes here.
Public transportation
The LADOT announced Tuesday that commuter express buses are now free. Commuter express buses connect areas like Northeast Valley, Thousand Oaks, the South Bay and Long Beach with downtown Los Angeles. DASH buses that provide short local trips continue to be free. Riders do not need a tap card.
Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins said public transit users can take the E line from Santa Monica through downtown Los Angeles to the San Gabriel Valley. The J line parallels a portion of the 110 Freeway completely avoiding the closure area. Another option is the A line from Long Beach all the way to downtown Los Angeles.
“There will now be 30-minute service all day, additional trips, six round trips in total that Metrolink has added starting this morning to give people more choices to ride,” she said.
Remote work
Transportation and city officials also asked anyone who works in downtown L.A. to work from home if at all possible — at least for now.
City officials are also hoping businesses in downtown L.A. will lean into work from home policies for the time being to help alleviate traffic.
“I know we've spent this time trying to encourage people to come back downtown, back into their offices,” Bass said at a news conference. “But while we are going through this crisis, we would like for employers who can have their staff work remotely to do so.”
Schools impact
All LAUSD schools were open Monday, but Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said parents and employees should expect delays. Carvalho said in a statement that families who have questions about district transportation should call (800) 522-8737 (1-800-LA-BUSES).
The district said the following schools may be “significantly impacted” by the closure:
Para Los Niños Elementary
9th Street/Para Los Niños Middle
Inner City Arts
St. Turibius Catholic
Metropolitan High
20th Street Elementary
28th Street Elementary
Carvalho said Monday that about 42 bus routes felt the impact, out of 1,300; the average delay was anywhere between 10 to 15 minutes. The delays affected 13 schools.
St. Turibius Catholic School is blocks away from the now-closed section of the 10 Freeway. Principal Audrey Blanchette said her commute from Montebello tripled from 15 to 45 minutes.
“There's just a lot of big rigs on the regular streets that we usually see on the freeway,” Blanchette said. She got off the 60 at Whittier Boulevard and crossed the 6th Street Bridge to get to Central Avenue.
Blanchette said most of the school’s nearly 100 students live nearby and walk or take public transportation. Most of her staff and students made it to school on time Monday, but she’s bracing herself and staff to expect delays for weeks to come.
How we're reporting on this
Reporter Yusra Farzan is reporting from Union Station on commuter experiences. Susanne Whatley, who hosts Morning Edition for LAist 89.3, interviewed Mayor Karen Bass Monday morning and Karina Gacad is our AM Editor. Our AirTalk show has a number of experts on Monday morning's show that will be added as that information becomes available. Over the weekend, Associate Producer Kevin Tidmarsh and Weekend Host Julia Paskin anchored coverage with contributions from Weekend Editor Fiona Ng, PM Editor Tiffany Ujiiye Reporter Makenna Sieverston and Nick Roman, who hosted special coverage Sunday afternoon. Additional reporting Monday by Mariana Dale and Frank Stoltze. Additional editing by Ross Brenneman, Redmond Carolipio, Megan Garvey, Jason Wells and Tony Marcano.
This is a developing story. We fact check everything and rely only on information from credible sources (think fire, police, government officials and reporters on the ground). Sometimes, however, we make mistakes and/or initial reports turn out to be wrong. In all cases, we strive to bring you the most accurate information in real time and will update this story as new information becomes available.
What questions we asked
What is the timeline for rebuilding?
Can the freeway segment be repaired or do we need to demolish and start over?
How does this compare to the damage and rebuilding efforts following the 1994 Northridge earthquake?
What are the environmental impacts of the smoke and debris?
Suzanne Levy
is a senior editor on the Explore LA team, where she oversees food, LA Explained and other feature stories.
Published April 21, 2026 5:31 PM
The iconic King Taco sign at the original Cypress Park location, which opened in 1974 and is now being considered for Historic-Cultural Monument designation.
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Suzanne Levy
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LAist
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Topline:
The original King Taco restaurant in Cypress Park will become a Historic-Cultural Monument after the L.A. City Council voted 10-0 on Tuesday. Raul Martinez launched the business in 1974, when it started out as a food truck.
Why it matters: King Taco helped establish the template for the modern L.A. taqueria — shifting the city's understanding of tacos from the hard-shell, Americanized version to soft tortillas filled with carne asada, carnitas and tacos al pastor. It's now one of the few designated restaurant landmarks recognizing Latino culinary contributions.
The backstory: Founder Raul Martinez launched King Taco from a converted ice cream truck in 1974, eventually opening the Cypress Park brick-and-mortar location that became the chain's flagship. The business grew to 24 locations across Southern California.
Adolfo Guzman-Lopez
is an arts and general assignment reporter on LAist's Explore LA team.
Published April 21, 2026 4:49 PM
One of the many "personal delivery devices" bots in cities across the U.S.
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Courtesy Serve Robotics
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Topline:
They may be cute, but cities are now deciding how to regulate them — and charge them for their use of public infrastructure. Glendale and Long Beach are in the process of creating new rules and fees for personal delivery devices, as they're called, while L.A. is looking at overhauling existing regulations to increase city revenue.
Why it matters: There’s significant growth projected for companies that create and run delivery bots. City officials see that as a source of revenue and are thinking about how to increase it as the bots become more prevalent, potentially charging a fee per trip rather than a flat fee as is current practice.
Why now: Delivery bots perform an essential service delivering products from Domino’s pizza to Walmart purchases. Companies that create the bots say their tech cuts down on the number of car trips making such deliveries.
What's next: Officials in the cities of L.A., Long Beach and Glendale say staff will submit their recommendations for delivery bot regulations in the next several months.
Companies that create and manufacture personal delivery devices, those cute bots you see on public sidewalks, have been working on growth plans for years.
Cities, on whose public sidewalks the delivery bots travel, are only now catching up to regulating them and charging the companies fees.
That's what's happening in Glendale, where, City Councilman Dan Brotman says, “[The delivery bots] just appeared out of nowhere. The company that operates [them] never reached out and talked to us."
He and other council members, he said, want to know if the delivery devices make it harder for Glendale residents using wheelchairs to use public sidewalks.
“I also am curious who is getting the financial benefit from these,” he said.
Glendale’s City Council asked city staff last month to draft two proposals, one with regulations and fees and the other pausing the operation of delivery bots while the council studies their impact. Brotman said staff may deliver those proposals to him and his colleagues in the months to come.
The two largest cities in LA County, at two different stages
The City of Los Angeles approved rules for personal delivery devices a few years ago, including flat permit fees. The City Council has since asked staff in the Department of Transportation to revaluate those rules and make suggestions.
One idea being considered — charging companies for every bot trip instead of the flat fee.
A delivery robot sits next to the bike path by the beach
“[The companies are] starting to put movie ads or show ads, and if they're generating revenue off that, we want to know what that looks like but also be able to have a fee for them,” Hernandez said.
That report should be presented to the City Council later this year, she said.
She’s also keen to hear from the public about their views on delivery bots.
Tell city officials what you think about delivery bots
L.A. residents can give the city their opinion at this link.
Glendale residents can email: CityCouncil@GlendaleCA.gov
Companies that make the devices argue they’re providing an essential delivery service to residents while cutting down on the number of vehicles on the road making the deliveries.
“We currently pay fees in Los Angeles, Chicago and West Hollywood as part of their permit programs and are open to similar models in other cities,” said Vignesh Ram, vice president of policy at Serve Robotics, by email.
Starship Technologies' delivery robot exits the elevator in the company's office.
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Meg Kelly
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NPR
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The company is now operating in Long Beach; Ram says it notified the city before beginning to operate there.
A City of Long Beach spokesperson told LAist its business licensing, planning and public works teams are currently working on recommendations for regulations. Those should be presented to the City Council early this summer.
Keep up with LAist.
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CSULA receives money to expand social work program
By Laura Anaya-Morga | The LA Local
Published April 21, 2026 4:00 PM
When Hermila Melero trains future therapists at Cal State LA, she emphasizes something she learned over nearly two decades working on the Eastside: It matters where you’re from.
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Courtesy CSULA
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Topline:
A $48 million grant to California State University, Los Angeles, will expand the university’s social work and counseling programs, training 1,000 new students to support youth mental health in Eastside communities and other underserved areas of Los Angeles.
How the money will be used: The five-year investment by the Ballmer Group will significantly grow Cal State LA’s Master of Social Work program. Its one-year MSW program will double in size, the two‑year program will increase by 50%, and the School-Based Family Counseling program will also double. The bulk of the funding will support scholarships, new faculty and the expansion of clinical placements.
Why it matters: The need for more mental health workers comes at a time when many Eastside families are facing more barriers to care. Stigma around mental health combined with fear tied to immigration raids have discouraged some people from seeking services. At the same time, financial challenges are making it harder for students to enter the profession. In January, the U.S. Department of Education updated its definition of a “professional degree” and excluded social work, which will affect graduate students’ eligibility for federal student loans.
When Hermila Melero trains future therapists at Cal State LA, she emphasizes something she learned over nearly two decades working on the Eastside: It matters where you’re from.
“When you know the difference between East LA and Boyle Heights … they appreciate that on a really fundamental level,” Melero, director of field education at CSULA’s School of Social Work, said. “You feel a sense of safety and being seen when the person reflects what you look like, has a foundational understanding of where you come from.”
Now, a $48 million grant to California State University, Los Angeles, will open new opportunities for students to serve the communities they come from. The funding will expand the university’s social work and counseling programs, training 1,000 new students to support youth mental health in Eastside communities and other underserved areas of Los Angeles.
What will the funding do?
The five-year investment by the Ballmer Group — the largest grant in the university’s history — will significantly grow Cal State LA’s Master of Social Work program.
Its one-year MSW program will double in size, the two‑year program will increase by 50%, and the School-Based Family Counseling program will also double. The bulk of the funding will support scholarships, new faculty and the expansion of clinical placements.
Cal State LA already partners with organizations across the Eastside, including El Centro De Ayuda, AltaMed, Survivor Justice Center and schools across LAUSD. The new funding will allow more students to work directly with these groups, serving families who often lack access to care.
“This speaks to the amazing work our social work and counseling programs are doing within our schools and with LA’s agencies serving youth and families,” said CSULA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes in a statement to Boyle Heights Beat. “With more clinical placements and greater numbers of master’s alumni, we will make real strides in meeting a critical shortage of qualified social workers and counselors.”
In addition to CSULA, CSU Dominguez Hills received $29 million to expand mental health resources in South LA and UCLA will use part of its $33 million grant to develop a minor in youth behavioral health. The three universities have received a total of $110 million.
When Hermila Melero trains future therapists at Cal State LA, she emphasizes something she learned over nearly two decades working on the Eastside: It matters where you’re from.
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Courtesy CSULA
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Why representation matters
For Melero, who was born and raised in East LA, the expansion is personal.
Melero spent 17 years of her professional career as a social worker in her own community and the surrounding areas. She witnessed firsthand how much her patients appreciated it when she spoke to them in Spanish or told them where she grew up.
“You don’t have to explain yourself, you don’t have to explain what it’s like, you know, to grow up here,” she said.
Now as director of field education, she helps place students in organizations, clinics and schools across the region, many of them serving the neighborhood they call home.
Barriers to access
The need for more mental health workers comes at a time when many Eastside families are facing more barriers to care.
Stigma around mental health combined with fear tied to immigration raids have discouraged some people from seeking services, Melero said.
At the same time, financial challenges are making it harder for students to enter the profession.
In January, the U.S. Department of Education updated its definition of a “professional degree” and excluded social work, which will affect graduate students’ eligibility for federal student loans, creating a significant financial barrier, according to the Council on Social Work Education.
Students hope to give back
For students like Silvia Perez, 41, financial assistance would be a great help.
The Cal State LA undergraduate student is pursuing her master’s degree after she graduates in May, all while raising two teenagers and a 23-year-old. Perez has been paying for her education by selling shoes and perfume outside of her home in East LA.
Her decision to pursue a career in social work came after seeing her sister navigate the Department of Children and Family Services system with her children and witnessing how young people in her community struggled with substance abuse and homelessness.
After graduating, Perez hopes to work in East LA to help the people she encounters every day. She believes that level of understanding can create trust with an already vulnerable population.
“I would like to help the people in my community first…I live the daily life that everyone else in my community faces,” she said.
For more information on CSULA’s MSW programs, click here.
Editor’s Note: The LA Local also receives support from the Ballmer Group.
People walk past a homeless encampment near the waterfront in downtown Stockton on March 26.
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Larry Valenzuela
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CalMatters
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Topline:
California for now has prevented the Trump administration from changing priorities in homelessness funding to favor temporary shelters rather than long-term housing.
More details: California scored a legal victory Monday that, for now, undermines the Trump administration’s efforts to drastically cut funding for homeless housing. Changes that would have diverted huge chunks of federal funds away from permanent housing and funneled them instead into temporary shelters and sober living programs will remain suspended after the Trump administration dropped its appeal of an earlier court loss. While the broader case is still being litigated, the new development could provide some reassurance to California counties waiting for the federal funds.
The backstory: In November, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development attempted to change the way it doles out money for homeless services via its Continuum of Care program. It decreed that jurisdictions applying for a piece of about $4 billion in federal homelessness funds can’t spend more than 30% of that money on permanent housing — a move that would result in a significant cut to the type of long-term housing that can resolve someone’s homelessness.
Read on... for more on the new development.
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.
Changes that would have diverted huge chunks of federal funds away from permanent housing and funneled them instead into temporary shelters and sober living programs will remain suspended after the Trump administration dropped its appeal of an earlier court loss. While the broader case is still being litigated, the new development could provide some reassurance to California counties waiting for the federal funds.
“We continue to fight for Californians and the rule of law, and we continue to win,” Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a news release. “People experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness need the federal government’s continued support — not a rollback of assistance.”
In November, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development attempted to change the way it doles out money for homeless services via its Continuum of Care program. It decreed that jurisdictions applying for a piece of about $4 billion in federal homelessness funds can’t spend more than 30% of that money on permanent housing — a move that would result in a significant cut to the type of long-term housing that can resolve someone’s homelessness.
Last year, California communities spent about 90% of their federal Continuum of Care funds on permanent housing.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration quickly joined 19 other states and the District of Columbia in suing to stop the Trump administration’s changes. In December, a federal judge in Rhode Island temporarily blocked the changes and ordered HUD to process funding applications under the original rules. The Trump administration appealed that ruling, leaving local governments and homeless service providers unsure of what they would be awarded funding for, and when.
The federal government on Monday dropped its appeal. While the rest of the lawsuit will move forward, and could take months to resolve, counties should be able to access permanent housing funds in the meantime.
Instead of prioritizing permanent housing, as has been the rule in the past, the Trump administration wants to focus more on shelters that get people off the streets quickly and temporarily, and on programs that require residents to be sober. HUD also attempted to ban the use of federal homelessness funds for diversity and inclusion efforts, support of transgender clients, and use of “harm reduction” strategies that seek to reduce overdose deaths by helping people in active addiction use drugs more safely.
A HUD spokesperson said the agency stood by its funding reforms.
“HUD remains committed to reforming the failed ‘Housing First’ approach and restoring the Continuum of Care program to its core objectives; reducing homelessness and promoting self-sufficiency for all vulnerable Americans, ensuring taxpayer dollars are directed towards those goals,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
HUD experienced another legal setback last month when a federal judge in Rhode Island shot down the agency’s attempt to upend another, smaller, source of federal homelessness funding. At issue in that case was a program called the Continuum of Care Builds grant, which funds the construction of new homeless housing. HUD last year made grantees reapply under a very different set of criteria, which seemed to disqualify organizations that support trans clients, use “harm reduction” to prevent drug overdose deaths or operate in a “sanctuary city.”
About $75 million in federal funds had been frozen as that case moved forward.
In March, the court found HUD violated the law through its “slapdash imposition of political whims.”
“This ruling is a victory for people across this nation who have overcome homelessness and stabilized in HUD’s permanent housing programs,” Ann Oliva, chief executive of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, which filed the lawsuit, wrote in a statement. “Today’s news reinforces a fundamental truth: that the work to end homelessness is not partisan, and never should be interfered with for political means.”
