Morning Brief: Inglewood’s Stadiums, California’s Colleges, And Strawberry Cake

Good morning, L.A. It’s Sept. 27.

Folks in Inglewood are seeing a lot of change. The SoFi Stadium opened in September 2020, and The Intuit Dome, which will be home to the LA Clippers, recently broke ground.

When I first heard about The Intuit Dome, I had to wonder how residents felt about it. Inglewood is a big city, but three major stadiums — the two newest developments join the longstanding Forum — will take up a lot of space, physically and culturally. 

I wasn’t alone in puzzling about the news. On our newsroom’s AirTalk program, callers squared off with Inglewood Mayor James Butts over the city’s plans.

Butts said that the new developments will benefit both residents and businesses in the area.

"The city of Inglewood has more affordable housing units per capita and in whole numbers than anywhere in the South Bay," he said. "The reality is if you own a house in Inglewood, and have owned it for at least five years, your property value has increased in the area of 200 to 300 percent."

Kim, a caller who identified herself as a member of the housing activist group Here to Stay, disagreed.

"We're just seeing massive displacement of, primarily, the low-income and working class community of Inglewood that's been there for decades," she said. "That includes homeowners that are being preyed upon by bad mortgage companies ... as well as people that are being displaced due to increasing rents."

The Intuit Dome is expected to open for the 2024/25 NBA season.

Keep reading for more on what’s happening in L.A., and stay safe out there.

What Else You Need To Know Today

• Got questions about how to get into college in California? Check out our comprehensive guide, updated for 2021. 
• L.A. County's Department of Public Health announced Sunday that the region topped 26,000 coronavirus-related deaths.
• Many Asian American businesses are still reeling from pandemic-related setbacks. 
• Community college and K-12 students in L.A. will soon have access to free public transit.

Before You Go ... This Chinatown Bakery's Strawberry Cake Is Legendary

The famous strawberry cake at Phoenix Bakery in L.A.'s Chinatown. (Photo via Phoenix Bakery's website)

Chinatown's Phoenix Bakery began making and selling traditional wintermelon pastries, seasonal moon cakes, almond cookies and more in the late 1930s. Within a few years, they developed a recipe for a light, fluffy strawberry cake, and the rest is history.