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LAist impact
LAist’s investigative reporting uncovers local wrongdoing and holds power to account. Our team watchdogs taxpayer spending, sheds light on systemic problems and seeks results that improve the lives of Southern Californians.
We’re proud to center our stories around the people and communities of L.A. and Orange counties. Our work is often supported by tips and supporting evidence from readers like you. Have a story tip for us? We’d love to hear from you.
Here are some recent results and highlights from our reporting:
Former OC-supervisor sentenced to 5 years in prison over corruption scheme
An LAist investigation exposed millions in unaccounted-for COVID relief funds former O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do quietly routed to a newly-created nonprofit connected to his daughter. Our reporting ultimately led to a federal law enforcement probe, and Do’s resignation and plea deal. This reporting earned multiple awards, including two national recognitions: first-place in the Dan Rather Medals for News and Guts and a finalist award from Investigative Reporters & Editors. Our work also led to three new state laws .
Governor signs bill clarifying that landlords must clean rental homes covered in fire debris
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new bill into law, stipulating in no uncertain terms that landlords must clean rental homes covered in debris from natural disasters, including fires. The legislation was inspired in part by LAist reporting , which found confusion among many renters grappling with the aftermath of the January fires. Some landlords refused to clean the debris, leaving tenants unable to return home .
Law enforcement agencies in California have to report weapon use during protests. Many don’t
Our investigation found major gaps in enforcement of California’s existing protest laws — including that hundreds of police agencies do not appear to document the use of less-lethal weapons, as required by state law. The Los Angeles Police Department, which was over a month overdue on its weapons report following large ICE protests, posted its report after our story documented the delays.
Outreach campaign launched following gaps in state law compliance
In 2019, California legislators introduced a bill to require all of the state’s 33 public universities to provide the abortion pill on campus. That bill became law, and took effect in 2023. LAist found many universities hadn't told students that the abortion pill is available , including on campus websites. As a result of LAist’s investigation, a state agency agreed to spend $2.3 million in grant money on informational campaigns and student outreach, and many universities added information to their websites about how students can access medication abortion services.
Metro contractor hired a transit ambassador with an open sexual assault case against him
Our reporting uncovered that a Los Angeles Metro contractor hired a man with an open sexual assault case against him to be a transit ambassador, the green-polo wearing personnel that the countywide transportation agency brands as a friendly presence on its trains and buses. The ambassador met his next alleged victim while working on Metro’s system, according to police. The company, which has a $30 million contract with Metro, said it has since adopted a “more comprehensive” background check.
LA County quietly paid $2M settlement to its CEO in ‘confidential’ deal
Our newsroom was the first to uncover that officials approved a settlement deal that paid $2 million to the county’s CEO. The taxpayer money settled her claims that she was harmed by a voter-approved ballot measure that will change the CEO job to an elected position. Proponents of the ballot measure were outraged to learn of the payout, calling it a "blatant misuse of public money. "
Congressional delegation cites LAist reporting after U.S. Department of Homeland Security visits to schools
In April 2025, agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security visited Los Angeles Unified schools to
conduct "wellness checks"
of students "who arrived unaccompanied at the border.” The agents were denied entry, and our reporting on what transpired was
cited by a Congressional delegation
seeking answers from the department's secretary. Our follow up shed light on what a "wellness check" means and found that
the Trump administration’s
approach varied significantly from how checks on immigrant students had been conducted in the past.
Disproportionate number of plants in city of Vernon handle hazardous wastes and other manufacturing
Our review of
state and federal licensing and inspection data
found six slaughterhouses, four companies licensed for rendering, and at least 40 meat processors in the small city of Vernon, or very nearby. Interviews with longtime Southeast L.A. residents and workers, and data obtained through public records requests,
found that
neighbors complained for decades about adverse effects — including putrid odors that burned people’s eyes and led students to want to go home from school.
The Olympics are a multi-billion dollar business. Here's what that means for LA taxpayers
In less than a thousand days — the Olympic and Paralympic Games are coming to Los Angeles in the summer of 2028, and the stakes for the city are high . Our newsroom answered the pressing question about how the city of Los Angeles and California have pledged to cover cost overruns for the games, which could cost over $7 billion. This reporting found that it’ll be L.A. taxpayers picking up the bill when the financial backstops fail. The story has helped our readers and audiences better understand how the money flows and what it means for everyday Angelenos.
State attorney general sues Mike Nijjar, landlord at the center of LAist investigation
The landlord at the center of a sprawling empire of rundown and often dangerous rental properties in Southern California
was sued by California Attorney General Rob Bonta
in June 2025, more than five years after an award-winning LAist investigation. Bonta filed the lawsuit against Mike Nijjar and a constellation of corporate entities linked to him and his family. An
LAist investigation
reported by Aaron Mendelson in 2020 found that Nijjar’s properties were regularly cited for issues, such as bug infestations, rodents, mold, security issues and lack of repairs.