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Yusra Farzan
What I cover
I am a geek for city council meetings — meaning I watch those long local government meetings so you don’t have to. And I keep you informed on how decisions in Orange County’s 34 cities affect your electricity bill, how your taxes are funding the next big project, the resources available at your child's school and if there is a corruption scandal brewing within your local government. Orange County’s food scene excites me too. If you ask me about the foods of my childhood, I will tell you about its Levantine shawarma, Korean bulgogi, Yemeni mandi, Sri Lankan kottu, Indian chicken 65, Pakistani biriyani and Malaysian nasi lemak. And guess what, I can find it all in O.C. I hope to help people connect with the different communities that call O.C. home.
My background
I grew up in the Middle East, but I am of Sri Lankan descent and I can count people from 27 different nationalities as friends. I got my start in entertainment reporting but soon realized local news has my heart. My work can be found in the Orange County Register, The Guardian US, L.A. Times, Teen Vogue, NPR and BuzzFeed.
My goals
I want to help people understand how if they want to see systemic change in housing, policing, education or healthcare — it all starts at the local level.
Best way to reach me
Covering 34 cities can be a lot, so I need your help in being my eyes and ears on the ground. If you have a tip, you can email me at yfarzan@laist.com or on Signal at username: @ yusramf.25
Stories by Yusra Farzan
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The source of the seepage is an abandoned private oil well in a residential area of the Balboa Peninsula.
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A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight.
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The office is requesting a three-year contract to help pay for LAPD’s legal defense in a lawsuit that seeks to restrict officers from use-of-force tactics during protests.
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The move comes ahead of Saturday's No Kings protests.
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Restaurants share resources in the food hall in West Adams as Los Angeles reckons with increasing restaurant closures.
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The police department filed an emergency order ahead of this Saturday's No Kings protest.
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This is the one time you can do this legally!
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Using sidewalks and parking lot started as a way to help restaurants during the pandemic. Two news laws aim to help a still-struggling industry.
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Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain.
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The landslide is not connected to the greater Portuguese Bend landslide, city officials said.
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The funds will go toward first-time homebuying assistance and emergency assistance money to keep people in their homes.
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A gate tax at Disney? It's a possibility.
