Author: David Hunter

LOCAL NEWS

• The coronavirus crisis has put strain and increased scrutiny on California’s prisons and jails, as an inmate and four employees at Los Angeles County jails have tested positive. Inmates at Men’s Central Jail say that hygiene supplies have run out and many inmates have resorted to using bed sheets as toilet paper. In response, 3,500 California inmates have been released statewide in an effort to decrease the prison population, and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has approved an order for the County Public Health Department to review conditions in the prisons, with plans to release more inmates. Last week, roughly 10% of Los Angeles County’s inmate population was released. 
  
• Tracking of positive tests in each Los Angeles neighborhood reflects that the highest number of positive tests are in Pacific Palisades and Beverly Hills, while South Los Angeles has noticeably fewer positives. Wealthy neighborhoods are getting better access to testing; clinics in poorer neighborhoods like Saint John’s Well Child and Family Center are only getting dozens of tests for a patient pool of thousands. Los Angeles is suffering from the same shortfall in coronavirus testing capability that is hampering efforts to combat the pandemic across the U.S. Major problems include testing sites lacking basic materials such as swabs and many hospitals having to send their tests offsite, which can cause days-long delays of results. The delay renders the data “relatively useless” to officials, because it means the data cannot be used to trace an infected person’s contacts to stop the spread. Los Angeles County’s coronavirus testing coordinator said the “failure was federal, state and local. We all failed.”
  
• Measures taken by California Governor Gavin Newsom to protect renters are so weak that even the L.A. Times Editorial Board has called his executive order “flimsy,” saying the so-called moratorium on evictions is really just a delay. Evictions can still be initiated now due to non-payment and then enforced after May 31. Furthermore, the onus is placed on renters to prove in writing that their non-payment is related to COVID-19, which could be particularly difficult for undocumented workers or micro-entrepreneurs, such as street vendors, who do not have traditional proof of income. All missed rent also must be repaid in full. Newsom has the power to prevent all evictions, but is choosing not to.
  
• In a marathon 11-hour City Council online Zoom meeting last Friday, the Los Angeles City Council passed a round of emergency measures intended to add protections for renters and workers at large businesses struggling during the pandemic. The city now requires businesses with over 500 employees to provide 80 hours of paid leave that workers can use to recover from COVID-19 or to care for their family. This category of employers had been exempted from the federal coronavirus sick leave bill signed into law on March 18. The council also passed a watered-down motion that expands the length of time renters can pay back rent that goes unpaid during the coronavirus outbreak — from the six months originally proposed by Mayor Eric Garcetti to a year. It should be noted that eight of the 15 councilmembers are disclosed rental property owners, some of whom even still voted to strengthen protections for renters. The eviction moratorium failed by one vote, with Paul Krekorian and Curren D. Price Jr. recusing themselves. Price owns more properties than any other councilmember, with 13 units. The moratorium as it stands now would put a halt to all evictions and late fees for tenants that are impacted by COVID-19, until the emergency declaration is lifted, including commercial tenants.
  
• L.A. Times beat reporters David Zahniser and Emily Alpert Reyes have outlined the wide-reaching extent of the federal investigation that brought the downfall of former councilmember Mitchell Englander. Englander admitting last week to having taken envelopes full of cash in casino bathrooms is merely the latest cartoonish example of public grift. Englander was accompanied by current councilmember John Lee on the trip where the cash was handed over, though Lee claims innocence. Councilmember Jose Huizar had his home raided by the FBI in 2018 in connection to a political fundraiser.
  
• Militancy is rising among California’s tenants as they are pushed to the brink of survival by the coronavirus crisis. While advocacy coalitions such as Healthy LA (which includes DSA-LA and other partners) are pushing elected officials to do more with policies such as rent freezes and rent forgiveness, people are taking matters into their own hands with rent strikes and the Reclaiming Our Homes movement. For answers to common questions about what to do if a tenant cannot pay rent or receives an eviction notice due to coronavirus, see here.
  
• Public transit routes are being reduced or suspended throughout Southern California due to coronavirus, and the Beverly Hills City Council and Metro are moving to speed up construction on the Purple Line subway extension during the lull in congestion. Metro has also expanded its Mobility on Demand program to cover trips to grocery stores, pharmacies, and medical facilities. 
  
• Power plant operator AES Corp. has finalized an agreement to sell 51 acres of Redondo Beach waterfront property to real estate developer Leo Pustilnikov, including a commitment to shut down the gas-fired power plant on the site by 2023. Redondo Beach officials and activists are pushing to shutter the plant this year, after years of debate over the fate of the power plant. State policy has mandated that coastal power plants either close or stop the destructive process of using ocean water for cooling, and AES Corp. had been scheduled to shut down the plant by the end of 2020. However, the California Public Utilities Commission proposed extending the closure deadline for four coastal power plants in November of 2019. Local officials are pressing the State Water Resources Control Board to reject the extension, with Redondo Beach Mayor Bill Brand commenting that “[the plant] emits tons of fine particulate emissions, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides and greenhouse gases every year it operates…there are 21,000 people living within one mile of the power plant.” Meeting the state’s target of 100% clean electricity by 2045 would likely require a total or near-total phaseout of gas. 

ELECTIONS

• Certified election results from the March 3 primary were released on March 27. Nithya Raman, who is a member of and endorsed by DSA-LA, will advance to a runoff with incumbent David Ryu for the Los Angeles City Council’s Fourth District; DSA-LA member and school board incumbent Jackie Goldberg was victorious with 58% of the vote in L.A. Unified District 5; and Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey will compete in a runoff against former San Francisco D.A. George Gascon.

LOCAL NEWS

• The Senate and House have passed the coronavirus bailout bill, which will be signed into law by Donald Trump. Media focus has been placed on topline numbers and provisions that will bring relief to working Americans, through direct cash payments and expanded unemployment benefits (including for gig workers), and to small businesses, including loans that convert into grants when the money is spent on payroll, rent or utilities. However, this coverage is deceptive in its failure to point out that the scale of assistance provided to working Americans and small businesses is dwarfed by that being provided to huge corporations: the total amount provided for unemployment benefits, direct cash payments, and small business loans accounts for $900 billion of the bailout, while corporations have access to $4.5 trillion. The latter figure is being reported as merely $500 billion for corporations, but $454 billion of that money is being used to capitalize a lending program by the Federal Reserve, which can then loan out 10 times that amount, resulting in the $4.5 trillion number. 
  
• Mechanisms for delivering the $900 billion will likely result in long delays for those most desperately in need: the cash payments rely on direct deposit info already being on file with the IRS, or else there could be a wait for months for a check in the mail that may be sent to an old address; unemployment claims will be administered by states, which may not be able to efficiently handle the huge influx of requests; and the small business loans are to be administered by a notoriously ineffective agency (the Small Business Administration), while loopholes in the legislation allow large businesses — including potentially Trump’s own hotels — to get some of the money. There is also no effective oversight of the $4.5 trillion corporate bailout, with Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin being placed in charge and granted broad powers to waive potential restrictions. As a reminder, prior to becoming treasury secretary, Mnuchin was CEO of OneWest Bank, which in the aftermath of the 2008/9 financial crisisengaged in “ruthless foreclosure practices, ranging from locking out one homeowner during a Minneapolis blizzard to foreclosing on another over a 27-cent payment shortfall.”
  
• On Monday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California is expected to face shortages of 17,000 hospital beds, as well as hundreds of millions of protective masks and gloves for health care workers. Some counties face shortages of the swabs that are currently necessary to test for COVID-19. The attempt to meet this shortfall, and to plan for an expected increase in patients, has consisted of an urgent, but patchwork, collection of efforts from state, county, and municipal governments, along with support from the private sector.
  
• California has received over 1 million claims for unemployment benefits in the last 12 days. Entertainment industry workers may be eligible for additional assistance.
  
• Local union leaders are asking for more protections for grocery workers after other states including Minnesota and Vermont have reclassified grocery store employees as emergency workers, enabling them to access additional benefits such as free childcare. “Our workers need first priority when it comes to testing, leaves, and childcare,” says John Grant, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union local 770, which represents over 20,000 grocery store workers in Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties. As grocery store workers are increasingly placed at risk of contracting COVID-19, the union is reaching out to Governor Gavin Newsom’s office to seek reclassification.
  
• In a video statement on Monday, Superintendent Austin Beutner announced that L.A. Unified schools will remain closed until May 1. Instruction will move online until school campuses can reopen. Beutner has authorized $100 million in emergency spending, and requested an emergency appropriation of “$500 per student” from state legislatures to balance the district’s budget. Expenses brought on by the pandemic include the costs of ensuring every student has access to a computer and an internet connection. L.A. Unified is also providing meals to all who ask at 60 “grab-and-go” distribution centers throughout the city. “I wish I could start by telling you it will all be back to normal sometime soon,” said Beutner in the video statement. “But that is not the case.”
  
• State and local officials are warning that the worst is yet to comefor coronavirus in California. As of today, LA County has 1,230 cases and 21 deaths. LA Mayor Eric Garcetti said a large influx could be just 6–12 days away and that residents should be “prepared for a couple months” with the current lockdown in place.
  
• In response to video of Los Angelenos gathering in crowds in the city’s beaches and parks, often making no efforts to practice social distancing, Mayor Eric Garcetti has closed all beach parking lots in Venice and Santa Monica, and banned recreational sports in city parks. In addition, city-owned golf courses have been closed, as have many hiking trails. The mayor tweeted: “That doesn’t mean gather elsewhere. This is serious. Stay home and save lives.”
  
• Climate advocates, environmental groups and renewable energy companies are criticizing a plan approved by the California Public Utilities Commission “that aims to cut power-plant emissions by about 25% over the next decade — a slower pace than those emissions fell during the previous decade.” The commission rejected an alternative plan to cut emissions in half, and climate advocates believe the current plan will jeopardize the state’s ability to meet the goal enshrined in state law to reduce economy-wide pollution 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. Climate and labor groups had appealed to Governor Gavin Newsom to intervene, however the Governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment. In light of the COVID-19 crisis, renewable energy advocates are arguing for more rapid action so that clean energy construction can provide an opportunity for economic stimulus and job creation.
• After pleading guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter in the 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 85 and destroyed 18,000 buildings in Paradise, CA, Pacific Gas & Electric plans to pay $4 million in fines and penalties out of the $13.5 billion Fire Victim Trust created during bankruptcy proceedings. During the investigation of the Camp Fire, “investigators found that PG&E workers had failed to do climbing inspections on many of its grid towers, including the century-old tower where equipment failed the morning of Nov. 8, 2018.” Community members and local elected officials are arguing that the judge overseeing the utility’s bankruptcy should rule against this use of the fire victims’ fund.

LOCAL NEWS

• Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom ordered all Californians to stay at home, marking the first statewide mandatory restrictions on life in California since the outbreak of COVID-19 as 20 people have died in the state and more than 1000 tested positive. The restrictions still allow for people to travel to “gas stations, pharmacies, grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores, takeout and delivery restaurants, banks and laundromats” and to “leave their homes to care for a relative or a friend or seek healthcare services.” The order also does not apply to workers in what are considered to be critical infrastructure sectors such as healthcare, transportation, energy, and others. No time limit has been placed on the stay at home order and failure to abide by the order could result in being charged with a misdemeanor.
  
• The state legislature has also been shut down. Prior to departing, lawmakers approved a plan for $500 million to help hospitals in the state prepare for an onslaught of infected coronavirus patients with another $500 million ready if needed. The money will be used to purchase additional ventilators and medical equipment as well as aid for nursing homes, seniors and child care facilities. 
  
• Los Angeles County and city officials also issued sets of restrictive orders. The city order requires all non-essential businesses to close and bans public and private gatherings of any size outside of a single home, with Mayor Eric Garcetti advising city residents to stay at home except for essential needs. Link above includes further details on what Angelenos are allowed to do and what is considered to be an essential service. The city order will stay in effect until at least April 19. 
  
• Despite the spread of coronavirus, ICE remains active in Southern California, continuing to make arrests. This is part of a national sweep that the Latinx and Chicanx activist group Mijente has denounced as “reckless.” While ICE indicated on Wednesday that it would “exercise discretion to delay enforcement actions until after the crisis,” ICE activity in the midst of the crisis is not ceasing, and ICE detention facilities remain deeply unsanitary, facilitating the spread of disease. 
  
• The US and Mexico have reached an agreement to restrict all non-essential travel across the border. This comes after the US State Department advised US citizens to avoid all international travel yesterday.
  
• Updated COVID-19 statistics can be found here for LA County and here for nationwide & global data. 
  
• Mayor Garcetti and the L.A. City Council are rolling out some protections against evictions and foreclosures, with City Hall issuing an executive order banning late fees and evictions during the lockdown. A citywide rental assistance fund will also be created while landlords and mortgage-holders will have to work out a payment plan. Gov. Newsom, meanwhile, is being criticized for not providing clearer guidelines from the state government on evictions, leaving it to cities and counties to enforce eviction protection. 
  
• Following the lead of the the Moms 4 Housing action in which unhoused mothers occupied a vacant house in Oakland to fight for housing as a human right, a group of unhoused and housing-insecure mothers, families, and activists have formed Reclaiming Our Homes and have occupied 12 vacant publicly owned houses in El Sereno, with the support of the Alliance for Californians for Community Empowerment and DSA-LA. Under increased threat from COVID-19, Reclaiming our Homes activists “are calling on state and local governments to use all publicly owned vacant homes, libraries, recreation centers and other properties to house people immediately.”
  
• A second charge has been filed in the ongoing corruption probe into the Los Angeles City Hall and real estate development, with a political fundraiser pleading guilty to federal bribery charges. The Councilmember in question has remained anonymous in the court filings, however based on details provided, the recipient of the bribe is likely Councilman Jose Huizar. A search warrant filed in 2018 indicates agents are seeking “evidence of potential crimes including bribery, kickbacks, extortion and money laundering involving more than a dozen people, including Huizar, Councilman Curren Price and a handful of council aides and political appointees.” 

ELECTIONS

• As of the most recent update on Tuesday, Jackie Lacey has less than 49% of the vote and challenger George Gascon has climbed to slightly above 28%, with 64,000 votes remaining to be counted in the Los Angeles District Attorney’s race. For Lacey to avoid the runoff she would need 53,000 votes from the remaining ballots, meaning that the runoff is almost certain at this stage in the vote count. 
  
• There are votes still being counted in the narrow District 12 City Council race, with challenger Lorraine Lundquist now just 803 votes behind incumbent John Lee, who is now ensnared in the FBI investigation into his former boss and City Council predecessor, Mitchell Englander. Lee confirmed that he was on a trip with Englander to Las Vegas where a businessman allegedly offered Englander cash and other gifts. 

LOCAL NEWS

• California has been in a state of emergency over COVID-19 since March 5. There are 32 confirmed cases in Los Angeles County at press time, though the real number is undoubtedly far higher. The Los Angeles Unified School District will close all schools as of Monday. Mayor Garcetti has recommended canceling events of over fifty people; the city has curtailed travel on official business; and the city has seen a series of cultural events and institutions close down or be postponed. UCLA and USC have ended in-person classes, joining Caltech, CSU-Long Beach, and Pepperdine. 
  
• The statement from DSA on COVID-19 can be found here. 
  
• City Councilman John Lee (CD-12) is facing calls to resign after his former boss and the man who he replaced on the city council Mitchell Englander surrendered to federal authorities for “criminal charges of obstructing a federal investigation into allegations that he accepted cash, hotel rooms, costly meals and the services of a female escort during 2017 trips to Vegas and Palm Springs from an unnamed businessman.” Lee was chief of staff to Englander and accompanied him on the trip to Las Vegas, but claims he was not aware of his boss’ activities and did not say whether he is “City Staffer B,” who is identified in the federal indictment as receiving some of the same perks as Englander. News of the charges emerged after Lee narrowly secured a majority on March 3rd to avoid a runoff in November.
  
• State Sen. Scott Wiener, the San Francisco lawmaker behind the defeated SB50 housing bill, is trying again with a new bill that he calls a “light touch” approach. The new bill, SB902, would push for more residential units in single-family neighborhoods without local government approval and would provide incentives for larger cities to allow for 10-unit projects.
  
• The California Labor Commission’s office hit the owners of a KBBQ chain with a $2.1 million fine over wage theft. An investigation into Genwa restaurants found that workers were not allowed rest or meal breaks and that many of them were not paid minimum wage or shorted on overtime pay while working 11-hour shifts. The Los Angeles Times’ Frank Shyong published a column last July about the poor conditions for restaurant workers throughout Koreatown. 
  
• Neighborhood organizations in Bel-Air are preparing to take action against L.A. Metro in an effort to stop plans to build a rail line through the Sepulveda Pass that would connect the Orange Line in the San Fernando Valley to the Expo Line between Santa Monica and Culver City and the extended Purple Line at UCLA. The Bel-Air Association Board is calling for “continued financial support” and is “prepared to wage war and protect our land and property values.”
  

ELECTIONS

• Bernie Sanders has received 210 out of California’s 415 delegates, with 22 delegates remaining to be allocated. Block-by-block results from the state’s 58 counties are viewable on this map, which will be updated until the count ends.
  
• DSA-LA member and DSA-LA endorsed candidate Nithya Raman is headed for a November runoff with incumbent David Ryu, after gaining 39.44% of the vote in the Los Angeles City Council’s 4th District. As Los Angeles municipal elections now coincide with the November presidential election date, the campaign will continue for an unprecedented eight months. 
  
• Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey appears to be headed for a runoff election in November after her share of votes fell below 50%. She is expected to run against former San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon, who leads public defender Rachel Rossi with 27.6% of the vote to 22.4%. The county registrar is updating the vote count today. 
  
• A big win for Measure R, co-written by the Reform L.A. Jails Committee, which provides stronger civilian oversight by allowing the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission to investigate misconduct using subpoenas and requires the development of a plan to reduce the jail population.
  
• Proposition 13, a $15 billion bond measure that would have funded school construction has been defeated. The CA School Boards Association believes a major factor in its defeat was voters confusing it with the 1978 Prop 13 that severely limited property tax increases. 
  
• California and Los Angeles once again suffered debilitating problemson election day last week as “[i]nadequate staffing, poor communications and balky technology” resulted in voters waiting longer than four hours in some cases. The problems this year are consistent with previous years in California as well as issues experienced in multiple other states this year. 

DSA-LA
http://www.dsa-la.org/