LA Podcast

Alissa, Mike, and Marco commemorate major progressive victories at the federal, state, and city level, including the election of Nithya Raman as LA mayor. Big winners: LA’s new city attorney Marissa Roy, renters, socialism, a young and energized electorate. Big losers: Airbnb, the LA Police Protective League, the establishment, and people who don’t believe in a better tomorrow.First things first, we’d like to point out that this podcast has covered mayor-elect Nithya Raman from the very beginning. (Thanks to a loyal Bluesky-er for highlighting!) Keep listening so you too can have your finger on the pulse of LA politicsAnd while you’re in the archives, revisit Mike’s interviews with winning candidates Nithya Raman, Jane Kim, Marissa Roy, and Sara HernandezAs votes continue to be counted, you can track election results and see some excellent data viz and preliminary maps here (tag yourself: are you a Multiracial Urban Professional or part of Commie Corridor?)The Basin is also making excellent charts and maps!Take a moment to rewind and revisit the scene of election night: Mayor Karen Bass’s speech, Raman’s speech, Alissa’s analysis of their respective party venues, Nancy Pelosi’s last-minute plea to vote for Bass, L.A. Material’s discussion of the after parties… Early Thursday morning, Bass conceded the race so Raman will be the next mayor (second woman!) of Los Angeles. Her first remarks as mayor-elect: “I love this city!”Welcome to the holy Raman Empire (California Post trying their best?)Commentators have clocked in and are working overtime at the take factory. Here are Liam Dillon and Melanie Mason for Politico; Jim Newton for CalMatters. Hear more analysis from David on KPFK and Spectrum News with frequent co-host Kate Cagle, and over at The Intercept with MikeLA Times writers examine Bass’s allies turning on her, how Raman might remake City Hall, and the boldness of Raman’s victory Even SNL deigned to look westward, commenting: “LA is always a year behind us on everything”Airbnb was one of the night’s biggest losers: over $7 million bought them few electoral victories. Can the city charge them late fees and make them take out their trash?How did your city councilmember react to Raman’s win? And what did Rick Caruso think?With Raman’s win, there will likely be a special election to fill the seat — but Council President will “discuss an appointment” with her in the meantimeA new era for the city attorney’s office will begin under Marissa Roy, who has already received the most votes of any LA elected, ever, with more to come as she approaches winning nearly 70% of the total voteCD9 had their highest voter turnout in at least 25 years! We can look forward to more park funding, a comprehensive infrastructure plan, and much more, as all city ballot measures passedAnd looking around the county: Burbank City Council has a socialist majority! Inglewood mayor James Butts and Councilmember Gloria Gray will face off in a runoff election next March. Alhambra becomes the second LA County city to ban data centers. And Jimmy Gomez will not return to CongressA reminder you can find us on YouTube, Bluesky, LinkedIn, Threads, and InstagramThank you to Sophie Bridges for producing and to digital producer Bianca CockrellThe reporting and analysis you hear in the show is put together by our rotating cast of producers and co-hosts every week. All opinions expressed on the show are solely those of co-hosts and may not represent the views of LA ForwardAlissa Walker writes the newsletter Torched, tracking LA’s megaevent progress. Find her at @awalkerinla on Instagram and @awalkerinla.bsky.social on BlueskyMike Bonin is the executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at CalState LA, and can be found at @mikebonin on Instagram and @mikebonin.bsky.social on BlueskyMarco Santana brings over a decade of leadership to the LA homelessness services sector and is a former candidate and active leader within local Democratic party politics. He’s at @Marco4LA on Instagram

Scott, Alissa, and David consider the challenges ahead for whomever is lucky (?) enough to be the next mayor of Los Angeles. Airbnb continues to pour millions of dollars into the city ahead of 2028. Alt-center PAC Thrive LA paid for an AI Nithya Raman hotline that’s almost certainly illegal. And do you have to pay your exorbitant DWP bill?Our subscriber pledge drive is also ending this week and we only need five people to reach our goal! You’ve heard so many good reasons to subscribe over the past few weeks so procrastinators, it’s your time to shine: www.lapodcast.org  Vanity Fair, The Guardian, and The New York Times recently profiled Mayor Karen Bass and the election as the world closely watches to learn who will become the next mayor of Los AngelesChristmas in October? The city has recently been gifted some functionality vis-à-vis Bass’s plethora of executive directives, reminiscent of a night of cramming before a testAn al fresco dining directive was issued the day after Nithya Raman stumped at Los Feliz’s Ye Rustic Inn’s circle of hope and unityWe do know that the sometimes-exploding LAX People Mover will not be under any Christmas trees... maybe the 2027 holiday seasonIs your DWP bill super expensive? Bass says “just pay what [you] can afford now”(Raman promises an audit, public explanation of rates, and modernizing the utility system)“Los Angeles is spending more but getting less” says Crosstown, so Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky entered a motion to allow volunteers do the city’s work (shout out to People’s Vision Zero)(Raman offers plans to right the ship, but is that even possible?)After previously declining to endorse her, Rick Caruso is going to vote for Bass (much to Spencer Pratt’s chagrin)On the show, we said there hadn’t been any big right wing spending — then the Republican Central Committee of LA County spent $130,242 to oppose Raman in a confusing filing (in execution, not intention). They must have heard usLess confusing is why Airbnb has spent millions of dollars in this election to support Bass, John McKinney, Jose Ugarte, and Tim Gaspar. The answer is, now and for the next two years, the OlympicsAirbnb is spending more millions to buy some good press. They’re probably just using the profits they received after price gouging during last year’s firesThrive LA, a super PAC who has endorsed Bass, created an AI bot that allows one to have a phone call with a “Nithya Raman” real estate agent (you can read their prompts to get the gist or Alissa recorded her entire 5 minute conversation with it for you, on our website)Raman’s campaign filed a complaint against Thrive for various alleged disclosure violations (You might remember Bass once being very critical about Pratt’s use of AI during his campaign)DSA National decided to wait to decide if they should rescind their endorsement of Raman. Does it matter if the election has already passed?Final election polling suggests a “dead heat” between the LA mayoral candidates but a significant lead for Marissa Roy in the city attorney raceThese results will depend on who makes it to the polls to cast their ballot. Make sure you’re one of them! Find your election information here (and the LA Forward voting guide if you need it) and join the election night watch party!Thank you to Charlotte Landes for producing and to Bianca Cockrell for production assistanceA reminder you can find us on YouTube, Bluesky, LinkedIn, Threads, and InstagramScott Frazier is an original co-host of LA PodcastAlissa Walker writes the newsletter Torched, tracking LA’s megaevent progress. Find her at @awalkerinla on Instagram and @awalkerinla.bsky.social on BlueskyDavid Levitus is the founder and executive director of LA Forward. He’s doing his best to stay off social media

Mike, Kate, and Loraine unpack the long-awaited state report detailing the failures (and some successes) of the Eaton and Palisades fire responses. As Election Day rapidly approaches, a few last-minute endorsements (and some not-endorsements) shake up local races. And under First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, Trump’s DOJ is supposedly increasing election security by… arresting old men in their pajamas?Tell your friends, your acquaintances, and your frenemies — we are so close to reaching our goal of 100 new paid subscribers by Election Day! Now’s the time: lapodcast.orgIf you’re looking for reading material to get cozy with as the weather starts changing, try this 724-page report commissioned by Governor Gavin Newsom’s office investigating what went right and what went wrong during the Eaton and Palisades firesHere are the County reports if you just can't get enough, including the LAFD report that confirmed Southern California Edison equipment started the Eaton FireAlternatively, you could read the L.A. Times summary if you’re trying to be informed but still make it to the pumpkin patch (The report confirmed many things we already knew, such as Black neighborhoods in Altadena received delayed evacuation alerts that resulted in more deaths)In the wake of this report, LAFD also changed its position, acknowledging the role the still-smoldering Lachman fire played in igniting the Palisades fire Former LA mayoral candidate and former LAUSD superintendent Austin Beutner is suing his insurance broker, forcing a legal look into a regulatory void: when smoke imbues a house with invisible, unregulated toxins, who pays for it?(This is less for the sake of his $20 million lead-filled mansion and more on the behalf of other fire victims who wish their houses burned down instead)Especially as climate change makes everything worse?And especially as disaster survivors are still waiting for at least $10 billion in federal aid? The Trump administration’s partisan divides and government shutdowns have forced California residents to wait the longest with no real end in sightNew laws were passed this legislative session to address this issue, establishing first-in-the-nation standards, but won’t go into effect for three more yearsAltadena residents held a community press conference calling for more resources and funding to rebuild, saying: “What Altadena do you want your children to call their hometown?”On “Rebuilding Los Angeles,” Kate chronicled the work and tears and tense exchanges that led to the reopening of Marquez Charter Elementary School in the Pacific PalisadesAs always, there are new polls in the mayoral race: CA Post‘s latest shows 70% disapproval of Mayor Karen Bass and a net favorable rating of DSA Rick Caruso is not making an endorsement in the mayoral race but has expressed “extreme concern” about Nithya Raman and is continuing to conjure the ghost of George Gascón as Raman’s LAPD Chief (both Raman and Gascón have said this is not true)Unlike Caruso, L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath made an official endorsement to back Nithya RamanTwo L.A. Times profiles highlight the differences between the candidates for LA City Attorney: John McKinney, running a “stoic, law-and-order campaign” that has “emphasized the word ‘Democrat’ in his ads” versus Marissa Roy, a progressive deputy attorney general in the California DOJ with “plans to avenge exploited tenants and claw back stolen wages”The race for City Council District 3 is a similar study of contrasts: Tim Gaspar, a small business owner endorsed by the police unions with multiple alleged ethics violations, versus Bari Worth Givran, a “lifelong public servant”Wanting to do something totally cool and normal and not fascist, President Donald Trump’s DOJ instructed the state of California to “set aside” the ballots of 20,000 “likely noncitizens” (their names were on a thumbdrive) with a 48-hour deadlineFirst Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli — still not officially confirmed — is now suing the state for not meeting the deadline and Kate interviewed him about it The feds have charged 28 people with illegally voting, arresting some in their pajamas, including one registered RepublicanTrump’s DOJ is also threatening to arrest and prosecute election officials. Trump said, on Truth Social, “They will all go to jail for a long period of time!!!” California Attorney General Rob Bonta? “Not impressed”Trump is trying to cast doubt and mistrust of the elections because Republicans are scared to lose: the earlier you vote, the better! If you’re still deciding, here’s the LA Forward voter guideThank you to Kristen Torres for producing this episode and to our digital producer Bianca CockrellThe reporting and analysis you hear in the show is put together by our rotating cast of producers and co-hosts every week. All opinions expressed on the show are solely those of co-hosts and may not represent the views of LA ForwardMike Bonin is the executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at CalState LA, and can be found at @mikebonin on Instagram and @mikebonin.bsky.social on BlueskyKate Cagle is an anchor at Spectrum News and the host of the L.A. Times Studios podcast “Rebuilding Los Angeles.” Find her at @katecagle at InstagramLoraine Lundquist is chair of LA Forward’s board, an astrophysicist, and a sustainability policy expert who earned 49.4% of the vote as a candidate for LA City Council

Alissa, Marco, and guest co-host Jess Craven discuss the likelihood of a blue wave at the national level and which local progressive districts are moving even more left. At the final mayoral debate, Nithya Raman invokes a troubling chapter of LAPD history. And while the Burbank airport quietly delivered a brand-new terminal, the LAX people mover suffered… “blast incidents”?We’re so close to reaching our 100 new paid subscriber goal! Help us cross the finish line at lapodcast.orgNew polls show Angela Gonzales-Torres pulling ahead of current representative Jimmy Gomez (beleaguered by sexual misconduct allegations) in the CA-34 raceMayor Karen Bass and Nithya Raman met for their final debate this week. Who won? Depends on who you ask During the debate, Raman said Los Angeles used to be “the gold standard in terms of noncooperation with immigration enforcement years ago, under the era of Daryl Gates,” referring to Special Order 40 mandating the city’s noncooperation with immigration enforcement(Former Council President Paul Krekorian explained the merit of Gates enacting Special Order 40 at a 2024 City Council meeting) Bass called a press conference with Black community leaders to demand an apology. There, actress Yvette Nicole Brown called Bass "a daughter of this city — not a tourist" Raman responded by pressing Bass about her lack of answers regarding LAPD’s relationship with ICE and Bass(You might ask: is this our gold standard LAPD?)Chevron just donated $50,000 to support Bass; in a statement, Bass said she was surprised they would support her and that they should use the money to lower the “astronomical prices Angelenos pay at the pump”Since every local environmental organization has endorsed Raman, Chevron probably felt like they didn’t have many options. Nobody puts baby (oil corporations) in a corner!Councilmember Traci Park is “not endorsing Karen Bass” but is voting for Karen Bass. City Controller Kenneth Mejia is endorsing Raman, voting for Raman, and perhaps Raman’s “#1 fan”Do you want your elected officials to change your mind when they learn new information? David Zahniser of the LA Times says no. For other campaign editorials, try Jim Newton for CalMatters and Gustavo Arellano for LA TimesYou should just read this L.A. Material story about how the treasurer of one of LA’s public-sector unions has been signing their political documents, including campaign contributions, for the last two years — even though he is, um, deadJust in time! Proving that projects can be completed in this town, in a real testament to the human spirit, the Hollywood Burbank Airport opened a whole new terminal this week (The pros are many, but be warned: it is being described as “sleek,” is a little harder to get to without a car, and only has one Guy Fieri restaurant)Elevate BUR cost $1.3 billion and took 33 months and we are sorry but obligated to tell you that the LAX people mover far exceeds both of those numbers with no end in sight“Blast incidents” damaged its power rail and guide beam in September and no one knows how that happened. Is that bad? L.A. World explains the ongoing airport vs. contractor litigation that has been delaying the opening date (now scheduled for January 6)Though this October 8 progress report warns believing in a January opening is extremely optimistic and if the train isn’t ready by December 8 (or the deadline not extended for a sixth time), they will default on their loansLooking on the bright side, the longer the people mover isn’t open, the longer 247 parking lot workers keep their current jobs (though most will be rehired to work within SkyLink anyway. We’re trying, okay?)  It is so important to canvass and volunteer in these last weeks before the election and there are so many ways to get involved. Some options: pledge to vote early today at voteearly.la, sign up to monitor polls near you (you’ll get trained first), host your own ballot party, and/or join an election protection mobilization networkLooking for a voter guide? Check out LA Forward's at laforwardguide.orgStay in the loop with all things LA Podcast on YouTube! Bluesky! LinkedIn! Threads! And Instagram, of course.Thank you to Charlotte Landes for producing this episode and to our digital producer Bianca CockrellThe reporting and analysis you hear in the show is put together by our rotating cast of producers and co-hosts every week. All opinions expressed on the show are solely those of co-hosts and may not represent the views of LA ForwardAlissa Walker writes the newsletter Torched, tracking LA’s megaevent progress. Find her at @awalkerinla on Instagram and @awalkerinla.bsky.social on BlueskyMarco Santana brings over a decade of leadership to the LA homelessness services sector and is a former candidate and active leader within local Democratic party politics. He’s at @Marco4LA on InstagramJess Craven is an activist, organizer, and political content creator who writes a daily action newsletter “Chop Wood, Carry Water” on Substack. Find her @jesscraven101 on all socials

Alissa, Mike, and guest co-host Yaqui Perez track LA’s latest mayoral race drama, including the question of whether LAPD chief Jim McDonnell should be replaced. Why is the LA police union opposing Measure FD, which would fund the fire department? And how long should someone be the mayor of Inglewood?We’re halfway to our subscriber goal — 52 of you have joined us since September 1.  Help us keep delivering episodes to you every week by starting a paid subscription at lapodcast.org  Despite this being the hottest summer on record, our country is covered in ICE: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released a statement to “abolish ICE” after agents shot into a man’s car, injuring him and presumably traumatizing his five-year-old child On our side of the country, a 45-day “Operation Safe California” siege has tasked agents to “go after anyone,” including people dropping off their ballotsOver 300 law enforcement officials — an ensemble of federal and LAPD agents documented by camera crews — arrested 28 people on drug-related offenses as part of “Operation Save Skid Row”New data show the city of Los Angeles has paid out almost a half-billion dollars in police lawsuits since 2019You might be wondering if community nonprofit LA CAN agrees with acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli’s perspective on this “investigation”? Certainly notAn influencer deleted an interview he posted with Nithya Raman where she called for the removal of “fascist liar” LAPD chief Jim McDonnell. Then, Bass’s campaign commissioned a political cartoon of Raman drinking a margarita from cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz. Thanks for the updates, California PostMike Trujillo tied these events together by spreading a rumor that former LA County District Attorney George Gascón would become chief of police should Raman win. Raman refuted this, calling it a “bizarre lie”The New York Times convened Mike and other experts to compare the two mayoral candidatesMore mayoral campaign content: Raman’s first 100 days vision speech. Bass’s convention center speech and Raman’s convention center website. Raman’s video advocating for shade and Bass’s speech preparing for El Niño. And new advertisements and website from the carpenters union and Estamos Con Nithya coalition: burnedbybass.com The LAPD union is spending millions to oppose Measure FD, which would provide more funding to firefighters — for no reason whatsoever, here’s a reminder that the police department’s budget is $3.6 billion dollarsInglewood is also electing a mayor this November: all but current mayor James Butts attended a candidate forum last week, discussing a potential budget deficit, video billboards, the need for term limits, and moreCould Butts’s 15-year tenure be derailed by groping allegations? Activists are calling for him to resignThe Inglewood people mover — proposed to mitigate stadium traffic — will now be a series of questionably effective bus shuttles and a giant parking garage that’s displacing small businessesBut in a win for Inglewood, a judge voided their contract with SoFi Stadium — meaning the city is off the hook for $400 million LA Forward’s voter guide is out now! Pledge to vote early today at voteearly.la, sign up to monitor polls near you (you’ll get trained first), host your own ballot party, and join an election protection mobilization networkMike profiles both candidates for California Insurance Commissioner on the latest What’s Next, Los Angeles? — an overlooked race with real financial consequenceSupport LA Podcast by becoming a paid subscriber at lapodcast.orgWe’re on YouTube! Bluesky! LinkedIn! Threads! And Instagram, of course. Follow, subscribe, and turn on post notifications to make sure you stay in the loop with all things LA PodThank you to Charlotte Landes for producing this episode and to our digital producer Bianca CockrellThe reporting and analysis you hear in the show is put together by our rotating cast of producers and co-hosts every week. All opinions expressed on the show are solely those of co-hosts and may not represent the views of LA ForwardAlissa Walker writes the newsletter Torched, tracking LA’s megaevent progress. Find her at @awalkerinla on Instagram and @awalkerinla.bsky.social on BlueskyMike Bonin is the executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State LA, and can be found at @mikebonin on Instagram and @mikebonin.bsky.social on BlueskyYaqui Perez is an organizer with DSA and the Working Families Party and currently works for an LAUSD school board member. You can find her on Instagram at @instayp8 

Mike, Godfrey, and Mariel analyze the deep-pocketed players funding LA’s expensive mayoral race, and their motivations (spoiler alert: one wants new bike lanes). California billionaires are responding as one might expect to the possibility of a one-time wealth tax. And with ballots arriving now — voting early is so important! — a look at efforts to protect the polls.All of us at LA Podcast love making episodes for you every week and we want to keep delivering them to you every Monday. Please become a paid subscriber to keep us hard at work — thank you so much to the 23(!) who joined us over the past week. We’re more than a third of the way to our goal of 100 new subscribers by Election Day. Sign up today at lapodcast.org  A new LAist report reveals the actual contestants of the mayoral race: police union LAPPL and Airbnb versus the Carpenters Union and bike lane enthusiast and hedge fund manager Aaron Sosnick. The battle between the police department and street safety is a tale as old as timeGovernor Gavin Newsom signed new legislation adding stricter penalties to influencers who don’t disclose political funding on posts — a week-ish later, a lawsuit (filed with help from the Bass campaign’s legal firm) alleged Nithya Raman’s campaign paid influencers without proper disclosureAnother new poll shows Latinos heavily favoring Raman — and yet another says 25% of the city is still undecided with only a month until the election(It’s never too early to plan for the potential future. This week, L.A. Material’s Julia Wick dared to ask: if Raman were to win, who would take her seat?)Here are some numbers to make your head explode: California’s billionaires’ wealth increased to $2.117 trillion in the past year (a 25.6% raise). They spend 0.26% of their wealth annually in state income taxes. And they’ve spent $227 million (and counting) to oppose state Proposition 40Then, as Mariel explains in Golden State Report, these same billionaires sponsored state Propositions 41 and 42, which would repeal any wealth tax (as added insurance, should Proposition 40 pass)(And remember, Proposition 40 was written in part to address budget holes after Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill slashed Medi-Cal funding: state officials estimate the Medi-Cal program could lose more than $30 billion annually)(And, and, and: 41% of LA County residents are enrolled on Medi-Cal. Is your head still intact or is it just us?)You’ll also find a potential end to California’s tortured relationship with CEQA (Prop 45) and a voter ID proposal (that’s kinda just wannabe voter suppression?) (Prop 39) on the ballotRest assured, the LA Forward ballot guide with these propositions and more will be out this weekVote protectors are here to help! This election, getting out the vote also means protecting the voteThe first step is to vote early! Pledge to vote early today at voteearly.la and sign up to monitor polls near you (you’ll get trained first), host your own ballot party, and join an election protection mobilization network Support LA Podcast by becoming a paid subscriber at lapodcast.orgICYMI: We’re on YouTube! Bluesky! LinkedIn! Threads! And Instagram, of course. Follow, subscribe, and turn on post notifications to make sure you stay in the loop with all things LA PodThank you to Charlotte Landes for producing this episode and to our digital producer Bianca CockrellThe reporting and analysis you hear in the show is put together by our rotating cast of producers and co-hosts every week. All opinions expressed on the show are solely those of co-hosts and may not represent the views of LA ForwardMike Bonin is the executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at CalState LA, and can be found at @mikebonin on Instagram and @mikebonin.bsky.social on BlueskyGodfrey Plata is the deputy director of LA Forward and is @godfreyplata on InstagramMariel Garza is the co-founder and executive editor of Golden State Report and a veteran California journalist for the LA Times, Sacramento Bee, and Los Angeles Daily News, among others

Alissa, Godfrey, and guest co-host Robert Greene dig into the minutiae of ongoing county governance reform and our upcoming ballot measure alphabet soup. A new poll turns the mayoral race on its head: Councilmember Nithya Raman is now leading Karen Bass by double digits. And does Los Angeles have a weak mayor… or is it just a weak city?LA Podcast can only publish on a weekly basis thanks to the support of our paid subscribers — thank you to the 10 folks who have recently joined us! Our goal is 100 new subscribers by Election Day to cover our costs and keep this show on the metaphorical road. Sign up today at lapodcast.org (more on our rebrand below!)The County Governance Reform Task Force — aka the executors of Measure G — has had a busy summer and so has Robert as he follows their efforts. As the editor of the aptly-named Los Angeles Rules, he explains the process of the new Ethics Commission nominations, the “why” for the new county legislative analyst position, and organizers’ concerns about potentially losing access to the Board of Supervisors, among many other developmentsJoin us tonight, Monday, September 28, to review LA Forward’s survey examining what Angelenos think and prioritize about the new county executive roleAfter that, later tonight, Godfrey and LAF’s Jason Enright will be teaching “How to Host a Ballot Party!”You’ll just need the official LA Forward voter guide — arriving the week of October 5 — to complete your shindig. It will explain city measures PRK (parks!) and LA (two-year budget cycles! CIP!!!), county measures A (arbitration!) and E (ethics, but also the former Measure J, it’s a whole thing), and so many more. Trust us, these measures are the life of any partyCouncilmember Nithya Raman and Mayor Karen Bass are about tied in campaign fundraising, but not in support: in a new poll, Raman now leads Bass by double digits (Bass crashed out and called the poll an “outlier” but her allies are a little nervous) Replying to the Bass campaign’s indignation, Berkeley IGS poll director Mark DiCamillo said: "What would you expect from a campaign down by double digits? They attack the poll”Adding fuel to the fire, the EAA (who recently welcomed city council aides to the union) and the WGA recently endorsed Raman On the other hand, Bass can take comfort that the LAPD union enthusiastically did not do that. (They had their own totally normal crash out over Raman’s plans to “embed a socialist regime in Los Angeles” with DSA, “the party of free sh**”)Is anyone thinking about the forlorn, abandoned Spencer Pratt voters? Whomever will they cast their ballot for this November?In the end, how much does this even matter? No LA mayor can cut through red tape like  Mayor “200,000 Potholes Filled” Mamdani because we’re a weak-mayor city, right? Not quite: Jim Newton refutes this popular-with-pundits take for L.A. MaterialOr as Robert put it earlier this year: even a strong mayor can't overcome a weak city We’ve rebranded! You’ll now find us at lapodcast.org (where, once again, you can become a paid subscriber to help us keep helping you digest all that’s happening around our city)And the stars have aligned under this beautiful harvest full moon to usher in a social media bonanza. We’re now on YouTube! Bluesky! LinkedIn! Threads! So many platforms and so many exclamation points.Subscribe and follow and stay tuned for fun content and other general LA Podcast excitement. There’s lots in store. (And of course, we remain on Instagram) Thanks to Kristen Torres for producing and Bianca Cockrell for digital producingThe reporting and analysis you hear in the show is put together by our rotating cast of producers and co-hosts every week. All opinions expressed on the show are solely those of co-hosts and may not represent the views of LA ForwardAlissa Walker writes the newsletter Torched, tracking LA’s megaevent progress. Find her at @awalkerinla on Instagram and @awalkerinla.bsky.social on BlueskyGodfrey Plata is the deputy director of LA Forward and is @godfreyplata on InstagramRobert Greene is an independent Los Angeles-based reporter and 2026-27 John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation fellow. He is the editor of Los Angeles Rules, a publication about city and county government reform

Alissa, Mike, and guest co-host Matthew Reagan of The LA Local dive into accountability, litigation, and federal assistance in Boyle Heights after the Lineage fire. LAHSA as we know it is over. And on the same day as a safe streets rally, five Angelenos are killed when a driver crashes an SUV into a Metro bus, then a news helicopter covering the crash also crashes. Only in LA?LA Podcast is only possible thanks to our paid subscribers. Our goal is 100 new subscribers by Election Day to cover our show’s costs so we can keep producing weekly episodes. Sign up today at thinkforward.la We celebrate local independent news outlets! The LA Local is training citizens to attend public meetings and report back to their journalists and the community at large. And the Boyle Heights Beat has led the charge in Lineage fire reporting. So important and neededLA City Council voted to block any Lineage rebuilding efforts until LAFD has completed its investigation (though Lineage CEO Greg Lehmkuhl says they aren’t sure they’ll rebuild anyway)Lineage has sued their solar power provider, blaming them for the fireA Garden Grove neighborhood was preemptively evacuated over a chemical leak last year, fearing their own Lineage story, which posed the question: why weren’t Boyle Heights residents evacuated? Boyle Heights residents were frustrated by Mayor Karen Bass’s virtual attendance (or no attendance at all) at meetingsFederal disaster loans are available to affected businesses (but, meeting this administration’s politics, only if you are a citizen or green-card holder) The Lineage fire’s sweet smelly legacy is emanating from Simi Valley landfills and as you can imagine, no one is thrilled about it After LAist reported on Mayor Karen Bass skipping more than half of LAHSA’s meetings, she officially stepped down from the boardLAHSA is also stepping down from LAHSA, forfeiting the federal roles it has been performing for years like the annual homelessness countLAHSA had already been on thin ice fighting a lawsuit from the Trump administration this summer City, county, and private agencies are placing bids to take over LAHSA’s workCongress summoned Mayor Bass to a hearing in DC about LA’s homelessness spending but she declined, calling it “politically motivated.” Committee Republicans vow to “use every tool” to make her testifyEarlier this summer, the Department of Housing and Urban Development issued a $4.4 billion Notice of Funding Opportunity — a NOFO, if you will — directing aid money away from a “housing first” approachThe feds were in LA that week anyway, arresting two people for misusing millions of taxpayer dollars. You know that situation where you’re supposed to provide housing but you accidentally buy a nightclub and go to Tahiti? Haven’t we all been there?As usual, this begs the question: but what will this look like during the Olympics?Continuing our city and society’s addictions to cars and the crime news cycle, after an impaired driver crashed her SUV into a Metro bus, the news helicopter covering the situation also crashedIn a rare move, the driver was arrested and charged with second-degree murderThe New York Times analyzed the dangers of flying news helicopters in big cities like Los AngelesPoignantly and ironically, there was a rally to declare a state of emergency over our dangerous streets the morning before the crashes(Advocates cited facts like the city had to return $100 million of state grants for street safety projects and removed 5 miles of bike lanes despite the fact traffic fatalities are up 8% from last year)Plans to slow cars on Forest Lawn Drive had been in the works for years. However, California lawmakers swooped in at the last minute ** Since recording the podcast, Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 194 into law, stopping traffic safety improvements on Forest Lawn DriveForest Lawn and Mount Sinai cemeteries spent $500,000 to lobby against these plans, wanting to generate future customersStreetsblog LA’s Joe Linton has explained why the city is only doing “large asphalt repairs” to avoid having to upgrade street safetyPostively: it will eventually feel safer to walk on Spring and Alameda streets in Chinatown. And speed cameras! Many speed cameras! And speed governors, someday, maybe!Thank you to Charlotte Landes for producing this episode and to our production assistant Bianca CockrellThe reporting and analysis you hear in the show is put together by our rotating cast of producers and co-hosts every week. All opinions expressed on the show are solely those of co-hosts and may not represent the views of LA ForwardAlissa Walker writes the newsletter Torched, tracking LA’s megaevent progress. Find her at @awalkerinla on Instagram and @awalkerinla.bsky.social on BlueskyMike Bonin is the Executive Director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at CalState LA, and can be found at @mikebonin on Instagram and @mikebonin.bsky.social on BlueskyMatthew Reagan is the assignment editor of LA Documenters, a program that trains and pays LA residents to put public meetings on the record. Documenter notes are published online and inform the community journalism produced by The LA Local

Mike, Memo, and guest co-host Faizah Malik look back on the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and its legacies, including the Department of Homeland Security, which recently decided they will not (yet) revoke Temporary Protected Status for Salvadorans. Then: childcare in Los Angeles is becoming more difficult and more expensive to find— but maybe a billionaire tax could help?LA Podcast is only possible thanks to our paid subscribers. Our goal is 100 new subscribers by Election Day to cover the show’s costs so we can keep producing weekly episodes. Sign up today at thinkforward.laLast week marked the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and Alex Padilla’s remarks about the tragedy as acting mayor of Los AngelesJulia Wick profiled the moment in a piece for L.A. MaterialThis week also granted some relief to thousands of Salvadorans after a month of threats that their TPS (Temporary Protected Status) would be taken awayMemo and L.A. Taco reporter Izzy Ramirez chronicled this saga (and other ICE malfeasance)Journalist Cerise Castle goes deep on LAPD’s relationship with ICE with Dominique DiPrima of KBLACHIRLA, CARCEN-LA, and other advocates gathered to demand protections for TPS holders and their families In other worrying news for families, UCLA is closing their childcare facilitiesSimilarly, the city of Los Angeles used COVID funds to build a network of city preschools — but now say they don’t have enough funding to run them(How expensive is childcare in this town anyway?)As the mayoral race draws nearer, make sure to educate yourself on your preferred candidate’s stance on street vendingLAist’s Gab Chabrán reports on the basics of legal street vending practicesThe L.A. Times editorial board breaks its publishing drought, writing an opinion for the first time in a year and a half to oppose Prop 40, the proposed billionaire taxSurely this isn’t because L.A. Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong is a billionaire? That would be too obvious?Some guides and controversy to help you form your own opinion on whether or not Mark Zuckerberg should have to give the state $11 billion in a one-time taxCheck out LA Forward’s teach-in about the most dangerous measures on the ballot this Tuesday on zoomSome of the best editorial writing in LA is still coming from former LAT editorial board member, Robert Greene, who now writes at regular newsletter at Los Angeles RulesThanks to Charlotte Landes for producing and Bianca Cockrell for production assistanceThe reporting and analysis you hear in the show is put together by our rotating cast of producers and co-hosts every week. All opinions expressed on the show are solely those of co-hosts and may not represent the views of LA ForwardMike Bonin is the Executive Director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at CalState LA, and can be found at @mikebonin on Instagram and @mikebonin.bsky.social on BlueskyMemo Torres is an award-winning journalist with L.A. Taco, where he covers ICE and immigration raids as host of the Daily Memo. He’s on Instagram at @el_tragon_de_los_angelesFaizah Malik is a housing and civil right attorney, who ran as a progressive for LA City Council in District 11. She can be found at @faizahforla on Instagram

Scott, Alissa, and Sophie attempt to understand the Lucas Museum’s decade-long arrival in Expo Park and what “narrative art” actually means. Does this mean the La La Land optimism of 2016 LA is back? MacArthur Park hosts a picnic — and potentially a new fence? And more major endorsements in the mayoral race.LA Podcast is only possible thanks to our paid subscribers. Our goal is 300 new subscribers by election day (November 3rd!) to cover our show’s costs so we can keep producing weekly episodes. Sign up today at thinkforward.laHaven’t you ever wanted to picnic with your district attorney? Your dreams could have come true this weekend(Despite his throwing of the gauntlet, DA Nathan Hochman had enjoyed himself at a World Cup event in MacArthur Park earlier this summer)Picnics might become harder in a fenced MacArthur Park, but it is unclear when or if that is actually happeningThe Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will officially open on September 22 and everyone has thoughts about it (you might like to revisit Christopher Knight’s 2017 remarks where he describes this project as the “Treacle Museum — a sentimental vanity gallery pumped up on soppy emotional steroids”)What is “narrative art” anyway? George Lucas explains. Kinda? Is it just horny statues?It’s the 10th anniversary of La La Land’s premiere and Eric Garcetti is with us in spirit UNITE HERE Local 11 and DSA-LA both endorsed Nithya Raman for mayor (positioning Airbnb as a top issue in the race)Meanwhile, Mayor Karen Bass shared videos about encampments near schools and “No-Show Nithya” (while, it must be said, missing a third of LAHSA meetings and two thirds of Metro votes)“I’ll take Raman’s “wonderful ideas and plans” — Bass’ words, not mine! — over the mayor’s record. For climate voters, this is an easy choice.” Sometime LA Podcast host Sammy Roth also endorses RamanAnd a happy Labor Day to all — City Council aides have unionized with EAA!Thanks to Sophie Bridges for producing and Bianca Cockrell for production assistanceThe reporting and analysis you hear in the show is put together by our rotating cast of producers and co-hosts every week. All opinions expressed on the show are solely those of co-hosts and may not represent the views of LA ForwardScott Frazier is an original co-host of LA PodcastAlissa Walker writes the newsletter Torched, tracking LA’s megaevent progress. Find her at @awalkerinla on Instagram and @awalkerinla.bsky.social on BlueskySophie Bridges is a writer and audio producer whose work has appeared on This American Life, Radiolab, and Reveal. She’s a proud graduate of LAUSD and the Writers Guild of America