Nick Gerda
Why does it often seem like there’s so little progress around homelessness? What can be done to make systems more effective? From the halls of government to the streets, I follow money and policies to examine what’s working, what’s not, and how it’s affecting people in Southern California.
I grew up in L.A. and OC, and previously spent more than a decade at Voice of OC covering the county government in Orange County — often reporting on issues like homelessness, public safety, mental health, and the role of money in politics.
My reporting on corruption in Orange County spurred a federal investigation that led to a powerful O.C. supervisor — Andrew Do — pleading guilty to a federal bribery charge and resigning. That work won the Dan Rather Medal for News and Guts and was a finalist for an Investigative Reporters and Editors award.
If you have a tip, you can reach me on Signal. My username is ngerda.47.
You can follow this link to reach me there or type my username in the search bar after starting a new chat.
For instructions on getting started with Signal, see the app's support page.
And if you're comfortable just reaching out by email, I'm at ngerda@scpr.org.
I’m always eager for story ideas and feedback. Your insights help inform my reporting.
-
Near record-breaking high heat is expected through Tuesday. Here are places to stay cool, from Thousand Oaks to the Coachella Valley. -
Officials focused shelter efforts at people living where the risk was highest – along rivers and flood zones. But only a few hundred emergency shelter beds were launched, despite over 50,000 people living outdoors in L.A. County.
-
The Mayfair Hotel near downtown will become part of L.A. Mayor Karen Bass’ Inside Safe program.
-
An LAist review finds 274 units, partially paid for by the voter-approved bond measure Proposition HHH, have sat empty for more than 60 days.
-
The new waiver removes a key hurdle that Bass and homeless service providers have cited for delays in getting people into available housing meant for them.
-
The ruling means a major lawsuit— seeking more treatment beds for people struggling with mental illness and drug addiction — will head to trial.
-
“I’m at the end of my rope on this,” said Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, who threatened to cut off funding to L.A.’s homeless services agency.
-
The independent report is the result of a nearly year-long investigation the city commissioned from a former police investigator.
-
Up until now, renters have been protected from eviction if they still owe debt from March 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2021. But it’s coming due on Tuesday.
-
“It would be completely unacceptable to me to settle with this pace,” Mayor Karen Bass told LAist. “That will not solve the problem, and our goal is to solve the problem.”
