Bass pushes back against City’s potential withdrawal from LAHSA
Los Angeles Mayor Bass yesterday pushed back against both the County and the City Council’s potential withdrawal from the Los Angeles Housing Services Authority (LAHSA):
“The County’s decision to establish its own department and withdraw from LAHSA has created a funding and operational gap, which the City must immediately address in order to ensure life-saving services for unhoused Angelenos are not disrupted. We know that the City must build the internal capacity needed to address homelessness on our own. Withdrawing from LAHSA too quickly, without a plan and without the capacity, will no doubt cause unintended consequences that will leave more Angelenos to die on our streets,” said Bass in a statement.
“Over the past several years, the City has built significant infrastructure to address homelessness by expanding permanent supportive and interim housing and creating outreach, hygiene, and sanitation programs to respond directly to this humanitarian crisis. We have made progress – homelessness is down for two years in a row, a first in City history. But our work is not done.
“When the County created their new Department of Homeless Services and Housing, they also created a $300 million gap, which they had to close by prioritizing bureaucracy rather than services. At the same time, we are facing homelessness funding cuts at the state and federal level – the state has cut the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) Grant in half and the federal government is slashing homelessness funding and attempting to revoke housing vouchers. In that climate, we must continue prioritizing services to Angelenos in need, with the ultimate goal of ending street homelessness for good.
“What we need is a serious, thoughtful transition plan – the last thing we need is a new department and more bureaucracy. In the last budget cycle, we created a Homelessness Bureau within the LA Housing Department, solely focused on ensuring oversight, accountability and results. We need to continue investing in oversight capacity over time while we develop a comprehensive transition plan. My proposed budget for the next fiscal year will prioritize streamlining operations and improving efficiency within LAHSA to continue the progress made thus far.”
Mitchell lauds progress in curbing illegal street takeovers, racing
Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell (D-Southwest/Central Los Angeles, including Inglewood, Compton, Carson, Hawthorne, Culver City, portions of South LA) this week lauded the Los Angeles County Street Takeover Reduction Workgroup after it presented its latest report at the County Board of Supervisors meeting, highlighting significant progress in reducing illegal street takeovers and racing.
The report concluded that by the end of 2025, incidents had decreased 58% countywide and 72% in the Second Supervisorial District compared to the same time the previous year. Overall, street takeovers declined by 33% countywide and by 44% in the Second Supervisorial District—the area most impacted and the one Mitchell represents.
This marks the fifth quarterly report since Mitchell introduced a motion establishing the Workgroup and requiring quarterly updates on the County’s efforts to address illegal street takeovers and racing.
“I am encouraged by the significant progress we’re seeing both countywide and within my district. A 72% reduction in street takeovers in my district alone and over a 50% reduction countywide is due in large part to the County’s Street Takeover Reduction Workgroup’s coordinated, holistic, and regional approach,” said Mitchell.
“We must build on these efforts to see continued decreases throughout the County, and that requires ongoing partnerships with residents, advocates, social media platforms, law enforcement, and County departments,” the lawmaker added.
To read the latest report from Los Angeles County’s Street Takeover Reduction Workgroup, click here.
Horvath moves to evaluate economic impact of Warner Bros. acquisition
Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath (D-Western and San Fernando Valley, including Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Calabasas, Malibu, Sylmar, Pacoima, Sherman Oaks) introduced a motion this week calling for a comprehensive economic impact study of the proposed Paramount Skydance acquisition of Warner Bros.
The motion directs the County’s Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) to assess the potential effects of the merger on the County’s workforce and develop an action plan to support entertainment industry workers.
“The entertainment industry is once again facing a merger that could hurt competition, limit the diversity of storytellers, and send ripple effects across our signature industry,” said Horvath. “I look forward to bringing this discussion to the Board about how Los Angeles County can take action to assess the full economic impact, protect jobs, support local businesses, and ensure Los Angeles remains the global capital of entertainment.”
Paramount Skydance’s proposed $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros., including Warner Bros. studio, HBO, and CNN, raises concerns about the debt load and the historical precedent of layoffs following major studio mergers.
The motion will be aired out at the Supervisor’s March 17 meeting.
Bonta continues to defend contraceptive access from Trump attacks
California Attorney General Rob Bonta yesterday joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in support of a lawsuit filed by Pennsylvania and New Jersey concerning reproductive rights.
Specifically, the brief backs the two states in opposing the first Trump Administration’s 2017 and 2018 regulations that undermine the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) guarantee of no-cost contraception coverage by employer healthcare plans. The regulations expand religious exemptions and create moral exemptions that allow employers to strip workers of guaranteed, no-cost coverage for birth control and other contraceptive care and services.
“Decisions about using birth control should be made by women and their doctors — not dictated by their bosses. California has long embraced that principle, and we have no intention of backing down,” said Bonta. “My fellow attorneys general and I are urging the Third Circuit to affirm the lower court’s decision that struck down the Trump Administration’s unlawful regulations.”
More than 80% of women ages 18 to 49 report having used some form of contraception in the past 12 months. With contraception costing an average of $584 per user per year, these unlawful regulations could shift an estimated $73.8 million in costs to individuals who rely on contraceptive care, creating significant barriers to accessing safe, effective healthcare.
