How To LA

Episodes

Listen 50:06

Apple

Spotify

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.

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.
Listen 24:30

Apple

Spotify

Hey there! After 317 new episodes, the How to LA team is turning the page. We won't be producing weekly episodes anymore, but you'll hear our reporting on LAist 89.3 FM, on our website and on social media. Before we exited the party, we wanted to hang out with our homies, comadres and contributors one last time.

Thank you for lettings us in your homes, speakers and communities. Follow along at LAist.com/newsletters and Instagram.

Guests:
Gab Chabrán, LAist food editor

Cato Hernández, LAist reporter

Joshua Letona, LAist social media producer

Erin Stone, LAist reporter

Antonia Cereijido, LAist Studios host

Monica Bushman, LAist Studios producer

Victoria Alejandro, LAist Studios producer

Hasta luego, friends ❤️

Hey there! After 317 new episodes, the How to LA team is turning the page. We won't be producing weekly episodes anymore, but you'll hear our reporting on LAist 89.3 FM, on our website and on social media. Before we exited the party, we wanted to hang out with our homies, comadres and contributors one last time.

Thank you for lettings us in your homes, speakers and communities. Follow along at LAist.com/newsletters and Instagram.

Guests:
Gab Chabrán, LAist food editor

Cato Hernández, LAist reporter

Joshua Letona, LAist social media producer

Erin Stone, LAist reporter

Antonia Cereijido, LAist Studios host

Monica Bushman, LAist Studios producer

Victoria Alejandro, LAist Studios producer

Listen 18:38

Apple

Spotify

#107 In March the city of LA wrapped up its year-long guaranteed income program, Big: Leap. It's an acronym for Basic Income Guaranteed: L.A. Economic Assistance Pilot and it provided $1000 a month to 3,200 low-income families for a year, no strings attached.

It modeled itself after other guaranteed income pilot programs — sometimes called Universal Basic Income, or UBI — in cities like Stockton, Oakland and San Francisco. The idea of UBI is to provide extra income without any kind of work requirement or other conditions to, ideally, improve people’s lives.

Our producers followed five of its participants over the course of the year. In this episode we hear from two of them. Plus, Brian talks to an leading expert in guaranteed income programs about how Big: Leap worked and how, in general, such programs can benefit people.

Guests:

Juan Sernas and Amalia Mendez, Big: Leap participants; Ashley Davis, Big: Leap participant; L.A. City Councilmember Curren Price; and Natalie Foster, the president of the Economic Security Project, an organization that advocates for public programs that reduce income inequality.

LA Gave People $1000 A Month, No Strings Attached. How Did It Go?

#107 In March the city of LA wrapped up its year-long guaranteed income program, Big: Leap. It's an acronym for Basic Income Guaranteed: L.A. Economic Assistance Pilot and it provided $1000 a month to 3,200 low-income families for a year, no strings attached.

It modeled itself after other guaranteed income pilot programs — sometimes called Universal Basic Income, or UBI — in cities like Stockton, Oakland and San Francisco. The idea of UBI is to provide extra income without any kind of work requirement or other conditions to, ideally, improve people’s lives.

Our producers followed five of its participants over the course of the year. In this episode we hear from two of them. Plus, Brian talks to an leading expert in guaranteed income programs about how Big: Leap worked and how, in general, such programs can benefit people.

Guests:

Juan Sernas and Amalia Mendez, Big: Leap participants; Ashley Davis, Big: Leap participant; L.A. City Councilmember Curren Price; and Natalie Foster, the president of the Economic Security Project, an organization that advocates for public programs that reduce income inequality.
Listen 12:26

Apple

Spotify

#39: We're ringing in Memorial Day Weekend by getting outside. This episode first aired on November 25, 2022.

On this podcast, we love to discover new places and things …and that includes checking out outdoor spaces in LA. We know how some of you love to hike and bike and just hang out in nature so we asked YOU to recommend your favorite spots to break away and enjoy the outdoors. We got some good suggestions, too. LISTEN!

Where To Get Outside (And Play, Hike, Be) in LA: REDUX

#39: We're ringing in Memorial Day Weekend by getting outside. This episode first aired on November 25, 2022.

On this podcast, we love to discover new places and things …and that includes checking out outdoor spaces in LA. We know how some of you love to hike and bike and just hang out in nature so we asked YOU to recommend your favorite spots to break away and enjoy the outdoors. We got some good suggestions, too. LISTEN!
Listen 15:30

Apple

Spotify

#106: We're back on our neighborhood grind! This time, HTLA host Brian De Los Santos is hanging out with a Downey pro – AND fellow LAist Studios host – Erick Galindo. Erick is the host of Wild, now in its second season with a fictional rom com based on his life growing up in Downey.

Together he and Brian dive into the history of this gateway city... from its beginnings as an aerospace center to its more recent identity, according to some, as the "Mexican Beverly Hills" and explore what the city represents in greater South East LA.

Guest: Erick Galindo, host, Wild

Exploring Downey, Beyond The ‘Mexican Beverly Hills’

#106: We're back on our neighborhood grind! This time, HTLA host Brian De Los Santos is hanging out with a Downey pro – AND fellow LAist Studios host – Erick Galindo. Erick is the host of Wild, now in its second season with a fictional rom com based on his life growing up in Downey.

Together he and Brian dive into the history of this gateway city... from its beginnings as an aerospace center to its more recent identity, according to some, as the "Mexican Beverly Hills" and explore what the city represents in greater South East LA.

Guest: Erick Galindo, host, Wild
Listen 15:46

Apple

Spotify

#105: You've probably seen those "We Buy Ugly Houses" signs all around LA...and the country. They're part of an elaborate advertising strategy for a pretty ugly business: Patriot Holdings. It's a franchise of the real estate investment company, HomeVestors of America.

A recent investigation by the non profit newsroom ProPublica found that a number of company’s franchisees ….including ones right here in LA…have taken advantage of people, oftentimes the elderly, to make a deal. Today, we chat with one of the reporters on the story should you – or your abuelita – ever have to deal with a house flipper.

Guest: Anjeanette Damon, reporter for ProPublica

For more, check out and her team's story here.

Those 'We Buy Ugly Houses' Signs Are Part Of An Ugly Franchise

#105: You've probably seen those "We Buy Ugly Houses" signs all around LA...and the country. They're part of an elaborate advertising strategy for a pretty ugly business: Patriot Holdings. It's a franchise of the real estate investment company, HomeVestors of America.

A recent investigation by the non profit newsroom ProPublica found that a number of company’s franchisees ….including ones right here in LA…have taken advantage of people, oftentimes the elderly, to make a deal. Today, we chat with one of the reporters on the story should you – or your abuelita – ever have to deal with a house flipper.

Guest: Anjeanette Damon, reporter for ProPublica

For more, check out and her team's story here.
Listen 12:49

Apple

Spotify

#104: Gloria Molina was a trailblazing political figure and advocate for social justice. She made history as the first Latina to be elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and she represented so much for the Latino community, and for Los Angeles as a whole. She spent her career fighting for environmental injustice in East LA, for women who underwent unauthorized sterilization at the county hospital, or to ensure the construction of the Gold Line for East LA.

But she was also an artist, a quilter… and the stitching group she founded in East LA has achieved international recognition.

She passed away earlier this week. Today, we remember Gloria at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, which she helped found.

Remembering Gloria Molina: LA Supervisor, Community Leader, Quilter

#104: Gloria Molina was a trailblazing political figure and advocate for social justice. She made history as the first Latina to be elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and she represented so much for the Latino community, and for Los Angeles as a whole. She spent her career fighting for environmental injustice in East LA, for women who underwent unauthorized sterilization at the county hospital, or to ensure the construction of the Gold Line for East LA.

But she was also an artist, a quilter… and the stitching group she founded in East LA has achieved international recognition.

She passed away earlier this week. Today, we remember Gloria at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, which she helped found.
Listen 20:10

Apple

Spotify

#103: Rafael Agustín wears a whole lotta hats in Hollywood.

He's the CEO of the Latino Film Institute and oversees the Youth Cinema Project. He writes for TV and wrote a memoir, Illegally Yours, about growing up in L.A. and learning as a teenager that he was undocumented.

Rafael got into theater at community college and then UCLA, where he wrote a play with his friends that toured the U.S. Then he hit the big time: he landed a job on a sitcom, Jane the Virgin.

We talked to him about the writer's strike a few weeks ago (ep. 97) but he's got such an interesting story about how he got started in the biz, we had to bring him back.

How I Got Started is a regular segment on this podcast where we feature different Angelenos who are shaking things up and doing cool things in the city. Check out the other installments.

Guest: TV writer Rafael Augustín

How I Got Started: TV Writer Rafael Agustín

#103: Rafael Agustín wears a whole lotta hats in Hollywood.

He's the CEO of the Latino Film Institute and oversees the Youth Cinema Project. He writes for TV and wrote a memoir, Illegally Yours, about growing up in L.A. and learning as a teenager that he was undocumented.

Rafael got into theater at community college and then UCLA, where he wrote a play with his friends that toured the U.S. Then he hit the big time: he landed a job on a sitcom, Jane the Virgin.

We talked to him about the writer's strike a few weeks ago (ep. 97) but he's got such an interesting story about how he got started in the biz, we had to bring him back.

How I Got Started is a regular segment on this podcast where we feature different Angelenos who are shaking things up and doing cool things in the city. Check out the other installments.

Guest: TV writer Rafael Augustín
Listen 16:09

Apple

Spotify

#102: The federal COVID-19 emergency officially ended last week, but California still has another 6 months of protections. So... What does that mean, and what happens next? And are we really ready for this emergency declaration to sunset?

To find out more, we're talking to LAist's senior health reporter, Jackie Fortier. She's got several guides on what all this means for you:

The Federal COVID Health Emergency Is Over. What Happens Now?

The Historic Federal COVID Health Emergency Is Over, But The Pandemic’s Effects Are Here To Stay

Where Things Stand With COVID-19 In LA And California

The Federal COVID Emergency Is Officially Over. What Now?

#102: The federal COVID-19 emergency officially ended last week, but California still has another 6 months of protections. So... What does that mean, and what happens next? And are we really ready for this emergency declaration to sunset?

To find out more, we're talking to LAist's senior health reporter, Jackie Fortier. She's got several guides on what all this means for you:

The Federal COVID Health Emergency Is Over. What Happens Now?

The Historic Federal COVID Health Emergency Is Over, But The Pandemic’s Effects Are Here To Stay

Where Things Stand With COVID-19 In LA And California
Listen 17:29

Apple

Spotify

#101: We've all heard everyone's hot takes in recent months about AI, ChatGPT and other developments in machine learning.

AI has also been a key point in negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. AND one of the many reasons writers have been on strike since the start of May.

But can AI really write the next critical hit?

Today, we explore what artificial intelligence really is, how technology like ChatGPT is changing the game and how this currently does -- and does NOT -- impact creative writing jobs.

Guests: Meredith Broussard, data journalism professor at New York University; Mike Ananny, associate professor of communication and journalism at University of Southern California

AI Explained: It's Not Coming For Your Writing Job...Yet

#101: We've all heard everyone's hot takes in recent months about AI, ChatGPT and other developments in machine learning.

AI has also been a key point in negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. AND one of the many reasons writers have been on strike since the start of May.

But can AI really write the next critical hit?

Today, we explore what artificial intelligence really is, how technology like ChatGPT is changing the game and how this currently does -- and does NOT -- impact creative writing jobs.

Guests: Meredith Broussard, data journalism professor at New York University; Mike Ananny, associate professor of communication and journalism at University of Southern California

Brian De Los Santos, Host
Victoria Alejandro, Producer
Megan Botel, Producer
Monica Bushman, Producer
Evan Jacoby, Producer
Aaricka Washington, Associate Editor
Megan Larson, Executive Producer

How To LA

Support How To LA today

Support & Credits

Hey, LA listener!

How To LA

Support How To LA today

Support & Credits