Jared Bennett

FEMA aid for LA fires lags behind other disasters Survivors say they're frustrated with the complicated application process while trying to decide if they'll rebuild or relocate.

Assistance to eligible LA fire survivors has covered an average of about 7% of the damage costs FEMA assessed to their properties so far, less than one third of the proportion covered after the California fires in 2017 or 2018, or the 2023 Hawaii fires. laist.com/news/climate...

LAPD chief instructs officers to verify identity of federal immigration agents Jim McDonnell, chief of LAPD, has issued new guidance instructing officers to identify federal agents conducting immigration enforcement on body-cam footage.

Facing concerns from the community about unidentified federal agents and people posing as them, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell has told officers verify the identities of federal agents on body cam “to ensure transparency and accountability” laist.com/news/lapd-fe...

Would property owners agree to pay more to improve LA's street lights? A unique ballot process that’s expected to take place this fall is an attempt to “right-size operations to match the needs today,” the head of the city’s streetlights bureau said.

The director of LA's Bureau of Street Lighting said increased revenue could reduce the wait time for street light repairs, replace aging infrastructure and provide the funding and staffing needed to fortify infrastructure against copper wire theft. laist.com/news/transpo...

After the LA fires, mortgage companies promised to give devastated homeowners a break. Some have not Borrowers who lost homes tell LAist their banks are not following the rules of a state mortgage relief program. Some have been told they could face foreclosure.

After the LA fires, some 400 financial institutions agreed to give homeowners a break on their mortgages so they could focus on immediate needs.

Homeowners are telling @laist.com their banks are not following through on those agreements. laist.com/news/housing...

“These incidents involving federal agents just essentially go into a black hole,” said Michael Gennaco, a former federal civil rights prosecutor who now consults with law enforcement on reforms. laist.com/news/protest...

Widely-shared video taken in downtown LA shows arrest of man at immigration check-in, ICE says The video of a man calling out in Chinese for help sparked questions from witnesses and the community.

This incident is one of many recent arrests of people appearing for regular check-ins with immigration officials. Immigration experts previously told LAist that detaining people at these check-ins is a “dramatic shift” in immigration enforcement tactics. laist.com/news/video-s...

They followed the government’s rules. ICE held them anyway "We’re going to be imprisoned." One family’s experience in the Los Angeles ICE field office.

As I look into the circumstances behind Randal’s detention, I encourage you to read and share his story:

laist.com/news/politic...

Yesterday, I attempted to enter the Adelanto ICE Processing Center following reports that the father of one of my constituents was detained after reporting for a scheduled asylum check. I was denied access for oversight of the facility, but was later able to meet Randal in person.

LAPD protest response breaks California law, civil rights lawyers say LAist reporters witnessed LAPD officers firing less-lethal munitions into crowds and taunting protestors from a helicopter. State law and a federal court order restrict the use of crowd dispersal weap...

LAPD's treatment of journalists, use of crowd dispersal weapons breaks California law and a federal court order, civil rights lawyers told @laist.com. If the pattern continues, one plans to ask the court to step in. laist.com/news/lapd-pr...

They followed the government’s rules. ICE held them anyway "We’re going to be imprisoned." One family’s experience in the Los Angeles ICE field office.

“We don't want to be running away,” Nancy said in Spanish. “We've always done things right. We've always showed up. And if they detain us, fine. We’ll take what comes.” laist.com/news/politic...

This UCLA psychiatrist's expert evaluation of ex-sheriff Alex Villanueva is ... really something.

(The county hired Cohen to do this eval to determine whether Villanueva had really suffered emotional distress as a result of being put on a "Do Not Rehire" list, as he alleged in his lawsuit.)

The L.A. region's homelessness agency is refusing to release public records to LAist about allegations of high-level wrongdoing, including whistleblower retaliation, that led to $800,000 in taxpayer payouts to settle the claims.

🔗 ow.ly/4ElN50VCxPB
✍ Nick Gerda
📷️ Brian Feinzimer, Matt Tinoco/LAist