How To LA

Episodes

Listen • 50:06

Listen • 50:06

This Old House Radio Hour: Designing for Disaster: How Los Angeles Builds Back Smarter + Saving The Outsider’s House + Four DIY Fixes: Chimneys, Circuits, Ceilings, and Steam

This week on This Old House Radio Hour—what does it mean to rebuild not just homes, but entire communities?

Sunset Magazine editor-in-chief Hugh Garvey joins us to discuss the magazine’s special issue devoted to the rebuilding of Altadena and Pacific Palisades in the wake of January’s devastating wildfires. Sunset, a voice in California architecture for over 125 years, has assembled an extraordinary coalition of architects, planners, artists, and historians. Together, they offer not just a plan, but a call to action—for fire-resilient homes, culturally grounded design, and a West that can weather what’s coming.

Then we travel from the hills of Los Angeles to the streets of Tulsa, where Danny Boy O’Connor—from House of Pain—takes us inside his remarkable second act. After bottoming out, he bought a run-down house for $15,000... and it just happened to be the house from The Outsiders. What followed was a full restoration, a pilgrimage, and a new life. We take a tour of the Outsiders Museum and meet the community that made it possible.

Later, Cheap Old Houses is back—Ethan and Elizabeth Finkelstein spotlight a dreamy 1870s Victorian in Fredonia, Kentucky and an off-the-grid cabin on federal forest land in Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, both for under $100,000.

Plus, another round of House Rules, our listener-powered game that tests your home renovation know-how. And in The Simple Fix, we show you how to find a stud in your baseboard—without breaking the wall.

And as always, we’re taking your calls. Got a house problem, project hurdle, or just need a little advice? Call us at (877) 864-7460.

All that and more, coming up on This Old House Radio Hour.

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Listen • 9:26

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Listen • 9:26

Taking Up Space with Brown Girls Climb

#18: Climbing is a great way to connect with nature, or even just let off steam with friends. But the sport has a reputation of being somewhat exclusive. Today, HTLA newsletter writer Aaricka Washington is back in the studio with Brian De Los Santos. They're talking about Brown Girls Climb, a group that aims to increase representation of women of color in climbing communities. Aaricka learns to climb with them at one of their monthly meet ups in L.A.

Guests: Aaricka Washington, HTLA newsletter writer; Jaya Kang, Indira Orozco, & Shalaka Gole, local chapter leaders for Brown Girls Climb

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Listen • 12:06

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Listen • 12:06

So… What’s The Deal With The LA County Sheriff??

#17: The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department did something unusual last month. It launched a criminal investigation into L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, and others, and got a warrant to search her house. It was unusual because the LASD does not typically investigate other county agencies. California's Attorney General has since taken that investigation over but the actions by the LASD raised some alarms, especially since Sheriff Alex Villanueva is running for re-election in November. It's all sorts of complicated but HTLA host Brian De Los Santos gets into it with this explainer on law enforcement in L.A.

Guest: LAist Civics and Democracy Correspondent Frank Stoltze

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Listen • 10:13

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Listen • 10:13

The Fight To Legalize LA's Street Food Scene

#16: Street vending has been legal in L.A. for a few years now, but state health codes made it almost impossible for smaller vendors - especially food vendors - to get permitted. That process will become easier on January 1, 2023, thanks to a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September. HTLA host Brian De Los Santos and team get a behind the scenes look at how it all happened - the hard work that took place on the ground level - and what this change means for the vendors and for customers.

Guests: Juan Espinoza, lawyer with Public Counsel who works on their Community Development Project; Rosario Meléndez, street food vendor in Koreatown.

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Listen • 14:04

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Listen • 14:04

Navigating The Teen Fentanyl Crisis

#15: Drug use among teens is actually down but overdose deaths have spiked, doubling nationwide in 2020, largely due to the spread of counterfeit pills. In Los Angeles, a 15-year-old girl died after consuming a pill laced with fentanyl. In a surprise move, the Los Angeles Unified School District now says it will distribute Narcan, which reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, to junior and senior high schools. So, how did we get here? How to LA host Brian De Los Santos explores that question and how to talk to kids about this epidemic.

Guests: Joseph Friedman, UCLA researcher and author of a recent JAMA study on teen drug use and overdose deaths; Keegan Hamilton, who covers organized crime and the drug trade at VICE.

Correction: Alberto Carvalho’s name was mispronounced in an earlier version of this episode.

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Listen • 9:11

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Listen • 9:11

Bus Riders Seeking Shade + A Walk In Ascot Hills

#14: There are roughly eight thousand bus stops in Los Angeles but three-quarters of them don’t provide ANY kinda of shade from the sun. And with the inevitable schedule delays, you know Angelenos are sometimes waiting 45 minutes or more for their ride. This has long been recognized as a problem but now the L.A. City Council thinks they have a plan in place that'll make a difference. Will it? Plus, take a stroll through Ascot Hills with an LAist reader who explains why this place is her special place.

Guests: Ryan Fonseca, Associate Editor, Transportation and Mobility for LAist; Jessica Meaney, executive director of Investing in Place; Maria Patiño Gutierrez, LAist reader

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Listen • 10:40

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Listen • 10:40

Discovering The Past and Present of Little Tokyo

#13: How to LA is back at it, exploring the different neighborhoods that make up this beautiful city. Today we’re checking out Little Tokyo, where we’ll learn how its art, food, and community advocacy make it such a special place.

Guests:
Grant Sunoo, director of community building & engagement at Little Tokyo Service Center; Brian Kito, owner of Fugetsu-Do; Sharon Kamegai Cocita, director of development at Little Tokyo Service Center; and LAist reader Ryan Chu-Tachikawa

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Listen • 9:35

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Listen • 9:35

The Bugs are Buggin' at Debs Park

Los Angeles has a lot to offer when it comes to the outdoors. But here's the thing: if hiking or camping wasn't a part of your world growing up, it can feel a little intimidating to make the plunge. HTLA host Brian De Los Santos is one of those Angelenos that didn't grow up exploring the outdoors... But that's all about to change at Debs Park, just east of the 110 near Montecito Heights.

Guest: Maricela (Marci) Rosales, Program Associate Director at the Conservation Lands Foundation

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Listen • 8:58

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Listen • 8:58

Discovering Community at Black Market Flea

Black Market Flea is like a cross between an outdoor bazaar and a party. Sure, you can buy some cool vintage threads but it is definitely a lot more than a flea market and has become something of a community space for Black Angelenos. It's been going on once-a-month for a year now so the How To LA team went to check it out at the Beehive in South Central Los Angeles. More details here.

Guest: Aaricka Washington, Associate Editor, How to LA Newsletter

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