L.A. Mayor Karen Bass Says You Can Defeat NIMBYism by Building Less
Plus: The DOJ and RealPage reach a settlement, the ROAD to Housing Act hits a speed bump, and Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani talk housing policy.
Los Angeles
Can We Make Flophouses Great Again? And Should We?
The government destroyed the last century's privately provided housing safety net. Bringing it back is harder than you might think.
Los Angeles City Council Votes To Lower Rent Caps on 650,000 Rent-Stabilized Apartments
The new rules would permit landlords to raise rents by a maximum of 4 percent per year, a decrease from the 8 percent maximum allowable increase under the current rules.
Border Patrol Chief Behind Chicago Crackdown Prepares New Operation in Charlotte
The Trump administration’s urban enforcement push is blurring the line between border control and domestic policing.
Trump's Move To Replace 12 ICE Directors Could Mean More Aggressive and Unconstitutional Immigration Enforcement
To fill the roles, the Trump administration is turning to agents from Customs and Border Protection, the agency that has led aggressive immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles and Chicago.
The Housing Hero Gotham Deserved
Plus: New York's expensive new stove regulations, Los Angeles rent controls, and the housing policy implications of a federal shutdown.
Mountain Lions in Los Angeles Don't Need a $92 Million Government Project To Survive
There are cheaper solutions to help the not-endangered beasts get around.
Americans Don't Actually Like Trump's Bad Guy Posturing on Immigration and the Military
Shows of force and mass deportations play well to the base, but they’re falling flat with the public.
Upholding a Vaccine Mandate, the 9th Circuit Embraces an Alarmingly Broad Definition of 'Public Health'
The appeals court held that the government may require COVID-19 shots based purely on the benefits to recipients.
Tom Homan's Plan To 'Flood the Zone' in Sanctuary Cities Will Lead to More Due Process Violations
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and border czar Tom Homan blamed the shooting of an off-duty Customs and Border Protection officer on the policies of sanctuary cities like New York.
Major League Soccer Struggles With Free Speech as Fans Protest Trump's Immigration Policies
Recent protests at MLS matches and the ensuing bans for some fans have put the league in a delicate position, balancing tolerance and enforcement.
In Just 1 Year, 134 Lifeguards Cost Los Angeles Taxpayers $70 Million
The highest earner received a grand total of $523,351.
Trump Is Shutting Off America's Talent Pipeline
A new push to end work programs for international students will drive away skilled graduates and restrict U.S. innovation.
The 9th Circuit Rejects Trump's Audacious Claim That He Can Use the National Guard However He Likes
Although the appeals court said the president probably complied with the law he invoked to justify his California deployment, it emphasized that such decisions are subject to judicial review.
Militarized Response to California Riots Seeks To Expand Federal Power
Militarized riot approach sets the nation on a dangerous course.
Los Angeles Is Beating Trump by Not Punching Back: Dispatch from L.A.
Trump intends to win in L.A., but to do so, he needs an adversary willing to step into the ring he has devised. Two weeks in, L.A. residents remain unwilling to do so.
Trump Argues That He Can Take Over a State's National Guard Whenever He Feels Like It
The government's lawyer told a 9th Circuit panel the president's deployments are "unreviewable," so he need not even pretend to comply with the statute on which he is relying.
Whether or Not Trump Invokes It, the Insurrection Act Is Antiquated and Dangerously Broad
On its face, the law gives the president sweeping authority to deploy the military in response to domestic disorder.
ICE Raids and Protests Empty Out Santee Alley: Dispatch From L.A.
In the shadow of immigration crackdowns and federal troops on the ground, shopkeepers and customers are scared away, leaving businesses devastated.
More Than 1,800 'No Kings' Protests Aim for Nonviolent Pushback Against Trump Policies
The coalition’s national press coordinator says, “We’re all dedicated to championing the cause of nonviolence—not just because it’s moral, but because it’s more effective.”
The Restraining Order Against Federalizing the California National Guard Highlights Trump's Lawlessness
U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer concluded that the president failed to comply with the statute he cited—and violated the 10th Amendment too.
Sen. Padilla Forcibly Removed From Kristi Noem's L.A. Press Conference
The California senator was trying to ask about immigration enforcement when federal agents handcuffed and ejected him.
Police Target Dozens of Reporters During L.A. Anti-ICE Protests
Press freedom groups say they're alarmed by the dozens of clearly identified cases of reporters being targeted by police during the protests.
Rand Paul Blasts 'Knucklehead' Stephen Miller
The Kentucky senator is also not a big fan of military parades, populist economics, or shredding due process.
Los Angeles Is Not Burning: Dispatch from L.A.
The truth is less dramatic—and more important.
Gavin Newsom Defends Federalism Against Trump's Unilateral National Guard Deployment
In a federal lawsuit, California's governor argues that the president's assertion of control over "the State's militia" is illegal and unconstitutional.
The Tom Cotton Do-Over
Trump and the right are living out their fantasies of rewriting the awful summer of 2020.
Protesters March, Police Surround, and the Cycle Resets: Dispatch From L.A.
As hundreds gathered to oppose ICE raids, a familiar pattern played out: peace by day, flash-bangs by night.
Trump Deploys Marines to L.A.
Plus: RFK Jr. tackles vaccine advisory board, menswear influencer might be deportable, and more...
ICE, the LA Protests, and Trump's Domestic Use of the Military
Trump's domestic use of the military to counter anti-deportation protests in LA is so far very limited. But that could change. A big part of the root of the problem is the lawless behavior of federal immigation-enforcement agencies.
That Time L.A.'s Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Called in a Bomb Threat on His Own City Hall
Former official Brian K. Williams just admitted that he faked a bomb threat during a work meeting. Now he faces up to 10 years in prison.
A Major Property Rights Case Idles on Supreme Court Docket
The Court has been punting for months on whether it will take up a legal challenge brought by Los Angeles landlords alleging their city's COVID-era eviction ban was a physical taking.
When Tariff Shortages Arrive, Here's What Might Be Missing
Sex toys, blenders, baby strollers, microwaves, hair dryers, and other affordable goods that Americans take for granted could soon be in short supply.
Slow and Steady
Despite politicians touting progress, Los Angeles has only issued three permits for wildfire rebuilds and debris removal is expected to drag on for many months.
Photo: California's Wildfire Recovery
Many of the houses destroyed by the Pacific Palisades fires were not covered by private insurance due to state regulations.
Federalist Society Webinar on "The California Wildfires and America's Housing Shortage"
The panelists included M. Nolan Gray, Jennifer Hernandez, and myself.
Government Goons Destroy Tree House
The owner of a beloved neighborhood structure spent years—and thousands of dollars—trying to comply with L.A. bureaucrats’ demands.
A Sex Worker Called 911 In Distress. Cops Came to Her Hotel Room and Shot Her.
Linda Becerra Moran died on February 27 after nearly three weeks on life support. On Sunday, the LAPD released video of her being shot.
California's Terrible Wildfires Exposed a Variety of State Policy Failures
The wildfires will be one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history. Hopefully they will also teach policymakers some lessons.
