Torrance mayor wants sit-down on proposed supportive housing
Torrance Mayor George K. Chen last week extended an invitation to Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn and Weingart Center executives to engage directly with City leaders and residents over the controversial proposal to convert the Extended Stay America Hotel on 3525 Torrance Boulevard into permanent supportive housing under the State of California’s Homekey+ program.
Chen’s invite came as City officials continue to ramp up their concerns that the site is not right for permanent supportive housing.
“We hear our community, and we share your concerns. The Homekey+ proposal was advanced without collaboration, and it places a complex and sensitive use in a location that is simply not right for Torrance,” said Chen.
“While we remain deeply committed to addressing homelessness with compassion and integrity, we urge Los Angeles County and Weingart Center to pause, listen, and work with us on solutions that truly reflect the values and safety of our community,” he added.
Chen maintains the City has demonstrated its leadership in addressing homelessness, most notably through the carefully planned and successfully operated 3290 Temporary Housing Village, but the County’s proposal would impose a large, complex use in the heart of the City.
The County’s application, advanced in partnership with Weingart Center, seeks to introduce approximately 120 permanent supportive housing units at the existing Extended Stay Hotel site, providing integrated behavioral health services to those with serious mental illness or substance use disorder.
Bass joins Newsom to laud film & TV tax credit program
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass joined Governor Gavin Newsom yesterday to mark the successful passage of the $750 million Film and TV Tax Credit to bolster Los Angeles’ signature industry.
Since taking office, Bass has worked to keep production local and protect Hollywood jobs, including by signing Executive Directives to make it easier and more cost-effective to shoot movies, television shows, and commercials in Los Angeles.
“Thank you to our Governor, the state legislature and the collective strong support of so many of us – the Golden State is expanding the Film & TV Tax Credit and keeping jobs at home. The entertainment industry touches our city in so many different ways,” said Bass. “We have tens of thousands of Angelenos working in the industry — actors, directors, writers, stagehands and more — but it’s also about all the businesses that rely on this industry — the flower stores, the carpentry shops, the restaurants. Hollywood is the cornerstone of this city and our economy.”
“California is where filmed entertainment was born, and with this expansion, we’re making sure it stays here,” said Newsom. “We’re not just investing in productions and soundstages — we’re investing in middle-class careers, small businesses, and the communities that power this iconic industry.”
L.A. County launches media projects for at-risk youths
The Los Angeles County Office of Child Protection announced last week the launch of a series of youth-led media projects to help young people in foster care and the probation system better understand their rights through engaging, accessible materials.
Two key projects are now available:
- Transitional Age Youth Podcast Series:
This nine-episode video podcast centers youth voices and features real stories, reflections, and calls to action. Youth with lived experience in foster care led the development and discussion of topics such as arts and healing, the Foster Youth Bill of Rights, concrete supports and housing, LGBTQ+ experiences, and workforce readiness and education. This series was created in partnership with Castillo Consulting Partners and the Los Angeles County Youth Commission.
- Education Rights Video Series:
Six short-form videos and one extended panel discussion feature youth discussing their experiences and offering practical advice for self-advocacy and navigating the education system. This series was created in collaboration with education advocates from the Alliance for Children’s Rights and Castillo Consulting Partners.
“This project is an inspiring example of what can happen when we center youth voices,” said Edward Yen, Executive Officer for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. “By working directly with young people to develop these resources, we’re building a more accessible and equitable future for all youth in our care.”
This initiative was developed in response to feedback from young people who shared during listening sessions and meetings with the Office of Child Protection that they often were not informed of their rights. The project aims to close information gaps, empower self-advocacy, and ensure that youth can more easily navigate systems that impact their lives.
All materials are available on ocp.lacounty.gov/youth-engagement-resources, featuring downloadable videos and youth-developed flyers and resources.
Richardson’s pilot program included in state budget
State Sen. Laura Richardson (D-Carson, Compton, Gardena, Harbor City, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, South Los Angeles, San Pedro, Torrance) this week saw funding for her CalFresh Fruits and Vegetables Pilot Program included in the state’s fiscal year 2025-26 budget.
In the $321 billion spending plan, the state earmarked $36 million for the pilot program, which will also provide an additional $60 monthly reimbursement through the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system, empowering low-income families to make healthier choices at the checkout line.
“With 20 percent of California families, including children, the elderly, and the infirmed, experiencing food insecurity, living with little to no access to food on a daily basis, as reported by the California Food Bank Association, expanding access to healthy food is not just policy, it’s a moral obligation,” said Richardson.
“As grocery prices rise and many households are forced to rely on inexpensive, highly processed foods that lack essential nutrients, this CalFresh initiative will make fresh, nutritious produce more accessible for millions of Californians,” she added.
