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Rise of LA homelessness, bringing back grizzly bears, neighborhood fruit trees and more
Tents for unhoused people are seen on August 16, 2023 on a Skid Row sidewalk in Los Angeles, California.
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Frederic J. Brown
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Getty Images
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Today's show: AirTalk guest host Josie Huang discusses rising homelessness in L.A., bringing back grizzly bears to the state, the pros and cons of automating daily tasks, PetTalk and SoCal's fruit tree history. Josie also hosts LAist's Weekend Edition.
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People living on LA’s streets rose nearly 8% this year
The topic:
Homelessness went up in Los Angeles this year following two previous years of declines, according to official homeless count findings released Friday. Unsheltered homelessness rose 7.9% in the city and overall homelessness, including those in shelters, increased by 3.4%.
Why it matters: The findings are a setback for the region — especially for L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, who is campaigning for reelection against City Councilmember Nithya Raman and frequently touts prior declines in the homeless counts as evidence her approach is working. Last year, the city and county’s homeless populations dropped by 3.4% and 4%, respectively. The 2024 count also showed a decline — those numbers were smaller and within the count’s margin of error.
Official explanations: LAHSA says the number of newly unhoused people seeking services each year has grown 30% between 2022 and 2025. For every person housed by the homeless services system over the past year, about 2.3 newly unhoused people sought out services, according to LAHSA. LAHSA said state funding cuts to a local rental subsidy program reduced permanent housing placements, leading to increased homelessness. Local officials also blamed the Trump administration for policies they say worsened the affordability crisis.
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With files from LAist
Guest:
- Aaron Schrank, LAist health and housing reporter
What if we brought the grizzly bear back to California?
A grizzly at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone.
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Claire Harbage
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NPR
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The topic:
Grizzly bears haven't been spotted in California for more than 100 years, but what if humans brought them back? Researchers think it's possible and politicians are backing the idea. Funding could be a challenge though.
Background: It’s estimated there were more than 10,000 grizzly bears roaming California in 1850. Aggressive hunting and human migration dwindled the bear’s population to zero in just 75 years. Besides the ecological impacts of losing a major predator, the bear is a huge part of history and culture for many Indigenous tribes in the region and is an iconic symbol of California as a state.
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Chances of a comeback: Proposed Senate Bill 1305 would task the California Department of Fish and Wildlife with creating a roadmap to bring back the grizzly bear. However, the measure provides no funding to carry out the study and even if it did, the federal government would have to support the effort.
Guest:
- Peter Alagona, professor of Environmental Studies at UC Santa Barbara
Are ‘convenience technologies’ making life less satisfying?
What's a small task you enjoy doing everyday?
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Jovan Mirkovic
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iStockphoto
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The topic:
We’ve all heard the phrase, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” But maybe the small stuff is actually what we should be focusing on, particularly when it comes to the sensory connections in our everyday lives. So how do we do that?
The book’s argument: It’s a little more complicated than you’d think, but essentially — modern “convenience technologies” might be making us less connected and less satisfied. Ian Bogost, author of The Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life (Atria Books, 2026), joins AirTalk to talk about how we can reclaim gratification in our everyday lives.
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Join the conversation: What’s the small, physical, every day task you still do and do you get enjoyment out of it? Would you miss it if it disappeared? Call us at (866) 893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
Guest:
- Ian Bogost, tech and culture columnist for The Atlantic and professor at Washington University in St. Louis, his new book The Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life (Atria Books, 2026)
PetTalk: New World screwworm, pet prescriptions and more
A view inside the Texas Division of Emergency Management State Operations Center as they respond to the New World Screwworm threat on June 5, 2026 in Austin, Texas.
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Joel Angel Juarez
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Getty Images
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The topic:
Why is Fido barking at 3 a.m.? Why has Mr. Whiskers’ palette suddenly shifted away from his favorite wet food? Why is Fido STILL barking at 4 a.m.? These are all valid questions, but also maybe ones not worth an entire trip to the vet. So today on AirTalk, we’re bringing the vet to you!
Join the Conversation: What are some burning pet care questions you have about your family’s furriest member? Give us a call at (866) 893-5722 or you can email us at atcomments@laist.com. Joining to help answer your questions is John Tegzes, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and professor of Health Systems Sciences at Western University of Health Sciences.
Guest:
- Dr. John Tegzes, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and professor of Health Systems Sciences at Western University of Health Sciences; he is also a board-certified specialist in toxicology
SoCal History: LA’s many, many neighborhood fruit trees
A postcard of a train rolling through Southern California orange groves.
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Courtesy Benjamin Jenkins
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The topic:
Take a walk through most L.A. neighborhoods and you’re bound to see a fruit tree or two. Today on AirTalk, we look at why our region’s unique history has led to so many mini-fruit orchards.
Background: The citrus boom in Southern California in the late 1800s and early 1900s saw the region dotted with groves of fruit trees. But after World War II, the land became more valuable as housing, and the fruit trees in yards are what remains from these vast orchards.
Join the conversation: Do you have a fruit tree on your property and have questions about how to care for it? Give us a call at (866) 893-5722 and have your question answered by a UC Master Gardener.
Guest:
- Adam Armit, head farmer at Culinary Farmhouse, which provides small-scale farm consulting, and a University of California Master Gardener of Los Angeles County
-
Owner of Chaiwale & Co. talks about how he’s preserving the traditions around sipping chai. -
The beloved bald eagles, Jackie and Shadow, have been a fixture of Big Bear Lake for years. But if Jackie's receiving medical care in a rehab center, will Shadow move on? -
Today on AirTalk: Big Bear bald eagles, cheap date ideas, Chaiwale & Co, FilmWeek and a new Watts documentary.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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