Editor's note: LAist's ambition to serve Southern California remains strong in face of federal funding cuts

To our readers:

It has been — and continues to be — an extraordinarily difficult year for Southern California. LAist has been there every step of the way, from 24/7 coverage of the devastating January fires to comprehensive stories in recent days on the Trump administration’s immigration crackdowns — and local reaction.

If you’ve opened my note, there’s a high chance that you rely on LAist’s original, on-the-ground reporting.

At a time when many other Southern California newsrooms are retreating and shrinking, LAist’s journalism has never been stronger or more ambitious.

Our ongoing investigation into Orange County corruption has changed state law. In June, disgraced former O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do was sentenced to five years in prison, the maximum allowed under his guilty plea to bribery. The judge in that case cited Do’s failed attempt at intimidating LAist correspondent Nick Gerda as one of the reasons for the maximum penalty. We’re still aggressively pursuing answers to what happened to millions of stolen dollars — and if taxpayers will get their money back.

That’s just one thread in our growing watchdog efforts:

• We obtained 911 recordings made by a man who died in the Eaton Fire with his son to shed light on why and how emergency planning continues to leave people with disabilities behind.
• We got the backstory of a viral video of a man being detained on a downtown street.
• We’re holding homelessness service officials to account, including a deep analysis of issues with the accuracy of the annual L.A. homeless count and pursuing whistleblower documents officials were trying to keep from the public.
• We spent months investigating illegal dumping in the desert — work that’s still underway — and examined what’s happening to all that fire debris.
• We’ve been the first to reveal previously unpublished information, including recommendations to lower L.A. rent hikes, serious questions about effectiveness of encampment sweeps and DMs documenting missteps by government workers that led to a costly fire.

We’re proud that our work has made a meaningful difference in L.A., Orange County and across the state.

That impact is not always instantaneous. Five years after we published an extensive investigation, California Attorney General sued a "notorious" landlord, alleging Mike Nijjar and PAMA Management had violated California housing laws and exploited tenants. Bonta said their investigation took three years. The lawsuit follows LAist's 2020 investigation that untangled complicated records to report on dangerous conditions at Nijjar's properties.

What's at risk

This is the work that Congress has defunded at the request of the White House. The narrow party-line votes this week by the House and Senate claw back $1.1 billion they'd previously approved for public media through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The move is devastating to the nationwide network of local public media newsrooms like ours. Many stations in rural and underserved communities will lose the bulk of their budgets. Many are expected to close.

LAist alone will lose nearly $3.5 million over the next two years.

The good news: Our largest source of revenue is LAist members. The bad news: We operate on very thin margins, making any cutbacks painful and damaging to our ability to do the reporting you rely on.

This defunding comes as my staff is working harder than ever before. As editor in chief, that fact is particularly disheartening. I want to do more — hire more reporters, cover more communities — not make hard calls on cuts.

Some opposition to federal funding for public media has always existed. Still, for nearly 60 years, public media survived and thrived with bipartisan support. Lawmakers who represent urban, suburban and rural communities across all political parties and ideologies approved the funds they've now cut off.

Their decision is being framed as a rebuke of national media, NPR and PBS specifically. The reality is the cuts will hit the reporting that tells you what’s going on with your rent, who’s making decisions at city halls and county governments, even why you should watch out for parking tickets in bus lanes.

I’ve been a journalist and editor in Southern California for more than 25 years. This is my home, and I care deeply about the people and communities that make it an incredible place to live and work. And I know this: LAist is free and excellent because of public funding — donations from our readers and the federal dollars paid for with your taxes. If that support disappears, Southern Californians will lose.

What's next?

I said at the start of this note that if you’ve opened it you’re likely a regular reader of LAist. There’s also a high chance that you’re among the 93% of our readers who have not yet become a supporter of LAist. That’s right, just 7% of our readers give to ensure we can keep doing journalism that matters.

Getting more people to contribute has never been more critical. Original, local journalism takes time, effort and money.

If you find this site useful, if you’ve ever used our Voter Game Plan to cast your ballot, if you follow Food Fridays to find your next place to eat, or get our Best Things to Do newsletter to explore your next adventure, now is the time to help.

• Become a member: Anything you’re able to give, even $10 a month, makes a difference. If you’re already a member, consider increasing your monthly gift.
• Contact your lawmakers: Tell them why public media matters to you.
• Share this message: Spread the word. Forward this note; tell your friends.

Local journalism matters. We’re here to tell your stories, help you understand how to navigate life in Southern California, connect with others, discover new things and even change your life and your communities.

Thanks for reading — and thank you for supporting LAist.