Category: News

LA Takes Action: The Potential End of RV Encampments on the Horizon

Image credit: Unsplash

Los Angeles has witnessed a concerning rise in the prevalence of dilapidated RVs serving as makeshift homes for countless residents. These rundown RV communities, often characterized by dire living conditions, have become a troubling fixture on the westside of LA. Tragically, some have even died within these RVs, succumbing to fires that left many homeless. Now, LA aims to take action and potentially bring RV encampments to a close.

Efforts to tackle this issue gained momentum through initiatives like the Jefferson Trail Rehabilitation Project. On the day of an RV fire, the project cleared an encampment in the vicinity, orchestrating the towing of vehicles, relocating encampment residents to hotels, and implementing deterrents like metal fencing, concrete barricades, and prominent “no parking” signs.

Los Angeles City Council members, including Traci Park, are determined to find solutions that end the RV encampment problem. Beyond the immediate safety concerns, these encampments have detrimentally affected the environment, notably exemplified in the Ballona Wetlands encampment. How the Westside encampment issues are approached will likely become a model for how Los Angeles city and county officials will address the massive and overarching homelessness crisis.

LA’s housing crisis is reflected in the vehicle and RV-based homelessness that impacted about ten thousand Los Angeles county residents in 2019, based on Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority data. Since that data was released, the number has surged, with nearly fourteen thousand people living in cars, vans, and RVs. The increase is rooted in several factors, including government officials’ failure to build substantial housing that meets the needs of residents. Limited housing resources have resulted in skyrocketing rental prices, forcing the vulnerable and poor into life on the streets, building communities among waste in RV neighborhoods.

An additional contributing factor relates to decisions made during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the city opted not to tow vehicles used as homes, fearing exposing more people to COVID-19. After another year of delay, the Los Angeles City Council finally reversed this decision, mainly influenced by growing complaints about fires, accumulating trash, human waste, and discarded needles.

While the initial plan aimed to remove inoperable, dangerous, and unregistered RVs, logistical challenges arose. The project encountered significant delays due to insufficient heavy-duty tow trucks or inexpensive RV storage locations.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass acknowledges that the RV encampment issue remains unresolved but has expressed commitment to finding a solution. The City Council’s recent efforts include drafting an ordinance to regulate RV rentals better, emphasizing publicly parked, rundown RVs, and funding intervention programs for those dealing with vehicular homelessness.

The prevalence of RV encampments highlights the grim and distressing circumstances experienced by many LA residents. Even those with full-time jobs have been impacted by the desperation and despair of the housing crisis, resorting to paying rent to “vanlords” to inhabit substandard RVs. Los Angeles’ RV encampments may meet their end as vehicular homelessness regulations and policies are crafted and enacted.

September 27, 2023
Waymo Explores the Potential of a Robotaxi Launch in Los Angeles

Image credit: Unsplash

Waymo has announced a soft launch of their robo-taxi service in Los Angeles this fall. The six-stop “tour” will allow interested Los Angeles residents to briefly use Waymo’s self-driving cars in different areas around the city.

The six stops refer to certain areas of the city where the robot taxis will be available. The robo-taxis will be available in Santa Monica and Venice Beach from October 11th through November 18th; in Century City from November 20th to December 17th; in West Hollywood from December 17th through January 7th; in Mid City from January 8th to the 23rd; Koreatown from January 24th to February 8th; and in Downtown Los Angeles from February 9th through March 3rd. Those unfamiliar with Los Angeles may be confused about why each neighborhood is designated with its dates. The districts covered in the tour add up to an area larger than the entire city of San Francisco. Waymo covered smaller city sections one at a time to ensure safety and collect data.

Los Angeles natives are encouraged to buy tickets or join the waitlist to use the robo-taxi service for free in their neighborhoods between the designated dates. Once a ticket is purchased, the customer can use the service as much or as little as they like for no additional charge.

Waymo has been mapping the city since 2019. Los Angeles is a challenging city to drive in, self-driving car or not. Some difficulties mapping the town include the multitude of freeways, narrow backroads, unprotected left turns, and the city’s infamous traffic and distracted drivers. Waymo’s vehicles have been tested many times with a safety driver sitting in the front seat to ensure the car works correctly. During the upcoming tour, there will be no safety driver present.

Los Angeles is the first city where Waymo opted to try the tour strategy before launching a complete commercial service. The company faced backlash from city officials in San Francisco due to issues with blocked intersections and obstructed emergency vehicles. Waymo hopes to make a good impression on locals and community organizers before expanding to commercial service.

Self-driving cars have made great strides over the past few years. Waymo is locked in a tight race with competitor Cruise to get autonomous vehicles on the streets. While Los Angeles is a challenging city to conquer, it also represents a thriving market of over 13 million people. Waymo previously estimated that a commercial service in Los Angeles could potentially bring in $2 billion in revenue. The city is entirely reliant on cars as transportation. The sprawling metropolis and lack of functional public transportation make Los Angeles nearly impossible to navigate without a vehicle. Uber and Lyft thrive in this environment, marking it a potentially lucrative market for Waymo and other AV companies.

A robo-taxi service would undoubtedly change the taxi landscape in Los Angeles. Waymo seeks to gain loyal customers through its tour of the city. Whether the Los Angeles communities will embrace self-driving taxis remains to be seen.

September 26, 2023
Get Ready, LA: Lucas Museum Gears Up for a Stellar 2025 Debut

Image credit: Unsplash

After years of anticipation, Los Angeles is finally gearing up for the grand opening of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in 2025. Founded by Star Wars filmmaker George Lucas, the museum is a testament to the power of visual storytelling. It will become a major attraction in the city’s thriving art scene.

Initially considering locations in Chicago and San Francisco, Lucas ultimately chose Los Angeles as the home for his billion-dollar project. The city’s officials were more assertive in pursuing the project, recognizing the prestige and job opportunities it would bring. The futuristic building, designed by prominent Chinese architect Ma Yansong, is situated in Exposition Park, across from the University of Southern California, Lucas’s alma mater. The museum’s construction contributes to a recent surge in LA’s development, including the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the Hammer Museum, and the ongoing overhaul of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

The Lucas Museum is poised to make its mark on LA’s vibrant and cutting-edge art world, not only due to its unique architecture but also because of its expansive and diverse collection. Far from being a shrine to Lucas himself, the museum houses over 10,000 paintings, book and magazine illustrations, and other works by artists like Norman Rockwell, Frida Kahlo, and Judy Baca. The museum aims to explore the art of storytelling, highlighting how narratives can help build connections and inspire change in society.

While “narrative art” may not offer a precise definition, the Lucas Museum’s focus on storytelling through images sets it apart. The museum will feature a wide range of visual art, including paintings, sculptures, murals, photography, comic art, and the arts of filmmaking. By showcasing narrative art from various cultures, periods, and mediums, the Lucas Museum will promote a deeper understanding of the impact of images on our world and foster conversations about the power of visual storytelling.

Co-founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, the Lucas Museum is led by director and CEO Sandra Jackson-Dumont. The museum’s 11-acre campus, situated within a vast, landscaped park designed by Studio-MLA, houses the 300,000-square-foot building that will surely become an iconic part of LA’s architectural landscape. In addition to extensive gallery spaces, the museum will feature two state-of-the-art theaters and dedicated spaces for learning, engagement, dining, retail, and events.

One of the key challenges the Lucas Museum faces is attracting tourists more familiar with Hollywood, Venice, and Santa Monica. However, the museum’s potential as a significant addition to LA’s thriving art scene is expected to draw in local and international visitors. Its success ultimately depends on its ability to offer a truly unique and engaging experience, setting itself apart from other institutions in the city.

As the opening of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art draws near, art enthusiasts and the general public alike eagerly await the chance to explore its innovative approach to visual storytelling. With its groundbreaking architecture, eclectic collection, and focus on the power of narrative art, the museum is sure to make a lasting impact on Los Angeles and the global art community. Prepare yourself, Los Angeles, for a stellar debut that promises to captivate and inspire through the power of visual storytelling.

September 12, 2023
LA Educators’ Triumph: 60K Workers Strike and Score Big-Time Victory

Image credit: Unsplash

Last week, sixty thousand education workers in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) went on strike to protest unfair labor practices, bringing classes to a halt. The SEIU Local 99 union, representing service workers and support staff, including bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and teaching assistants, was joined in solidarity by the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) union, resulting in a massive show of support.

The strike lasted three days and ended after the school district reached a tentative agreement with SEIU 99. The agreement includes a 30 percent raise, retroactive pay ranging from $4,000 to $8,000, a $1,000 one-time bonus, and total healthcare benefits for more classes of workers. The agreement also covers teacher assistants, community representatives, and after-school workers. If the agreement passes, the average salary of SEIU 99 members will increase from $25,000 to $33,000 per year.

During the strike, SEIU 99 members voiced their frustration, revealing that many work two or three jobs to make ends meet. In this regard, many shared that they struggle to afford housing in a city where the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment exceeds $2,800 a month. Furthermore, nearly a quarter of SEIU members report facing hunger at some point.

Before now, both SEIU 99 and UTLA unions had already been negotiating for higher pay and better working conditions; however, the strike was triggered by unfair labor practices, with allegations of harassment and surveillance of SEIU 99 union members. The strike became legally possible when SEIU 99 filed unfair labor practice charges with The Public Employment Relations Board.

Despite having $5 billion in reserves, the unions have faced challenges in contract negotiations, which prompted support by several local and state politicians, including former LAUSD superintendent Austin Beutner. Beutner points out that the district could afford a wage increase, highlighting SEIU 99 workers’ vital roles during the pandemic in feeding children who relied on school meals even when instruction had moved online.

The support, however, was met with opposition. Stuart Waldman, president of the Valley Industry & Commerce Association and a private LA28 Olympics Organizing Committee member, tweeted his opposition to UTLA’s involvement in the strike, claiming that the union does not care about kids and that “the entire strike was theater.”

This is not the first strike to occur in LAUSD. In 2019, UTLA led a six-day walkout to protest large class sizes, the district’s funding of charter schools, and a lack of resources and support provided to teachers and students. The strike was successful in obtaining more concessions from the district.

This recent strike by SEIU 99 and UTLA focused on the ongoing efforts of workers to achieve better working conditions and wages in a city with such a high cost of living. The tentative agreement between SEIU 99 and the district is a step in the right direction, as the bargaining between UTLA and the district remains open, and their fight for fair labor practices continues.

September 12, 2023