We speak with L.A.'s deputy mayor for city homelessness intiatives to get her reaction to a new city controller report that finds no homeless housing has been built three years after voters approved $1.2 billion in funding through HHH. Plus, the science of the famed Santa Ana winds. And, the ripple effects of California's rent cap bill.
HHH Audit
A new report from L.A. City Controller Ron Galperin says shovels in the ground to build more housing in L.A. are moving too slowly. Galperin looked into the $1.2 billion from Measure HHH. Voters passed that proposition three years ago to pay for the construction of 10,000 housing units for homeless people. But in his report, he says the city can now only afford to build 75 percent of that original goal. And so far, zero have opened.
Guest:
- Christina Miller, L.A. City deputy mayor for city homelessness initiatives
Santa Ana Winds Science
The Santa Ana winds are back. They're forecast to start Thursday and blow through Saturday around Southern California. As always, the arrival of the Santa Anas create an extra layer of anxiety in the fall, as they increase the risk of wildfire.
Guest:
- Jacob Margolis, KPCC science reporter
Del Mar Managed Retreat
The California Coastal Commission and the city of Del Mar are at a stalemate over how aggressively the state's beach cities must plan for sea level rise. The city has decided to stick with plans to protect properties on the coast - replenishing sands and seawalls to protect homes - instead of a strategy called 'managed retreat.' Del Mar is among the first cities in the state to formalize a coastal plan to deal with the effects of climate change. But the agency that oversees land use and public access for state beaches is not having it.
Guest:
- Charles Lester, Director of the Ocean & Coastal Policy Center at UC-Santa Barbara
Rent Caps
If you've been shocked at the high rents in your neighborhood lately, you're not alone. Studies show that more than half of all California renters are "rent burdened." That means they spend over 30 percent of their income on housing. Now, there's a new bill on Governor Newsom's desk that's supposed to provide some relief. It puts a statewide cap on how much landlords can raise the rent each year, and it requires landlords have a "just cause" before evicting someone. Newsom is expected to sign the bill into law today.
Guest:
- David Chiu, California Assemblyman
Italy Homeless Pilot
Permanent solutions to help and house all of L.A. County's nearly 59,000 homeless may seem far off, especially when, according to the L.A. Times, 67 percent struggle with mental illness or substance abuse. But a handful of concerned residents and county officials see a glimmer of hope: a successful model for care that can only be found in Northern Italy. Two weeks ago, a delegation journeyed to the city of Trieste. There, they observed the results of a patient-based program that has taken nearly all people with mental illness off the streets. Now, members of that group hope to bring those practices here, and start a pilot program in Hollywood.
Guest:
- Kerry Morrison
Tubbs Fire 2-Year Anniversary
It was two years ago today (on October 8, 2017) that the Tubbs Fire broke out in the Northern California community of Santa Rosa; 44 people died, almost 37,000 acres were burned and 6,200 homes were destroyed. Brian Fies was one of the many people who lost his home that day. And he chronicled that harrowing experience in the graphic memoir, A Fire Story.
Guest:
- Brian Fies, author of A Fire Story