latimes--2020-08-27--Coronavirus has turned once-bustling downtown L.A. into a ghost town. Can it recover?

A yellow waterproof bag slung over his shoulder , Jimmy Lizama rises off his saddle and balances his bike waiting for the light to change .
The sawtooth skyline of downtown Los Angeles cuts into the eastern sky .
Lizama is a bike messenger , starting his day in Koreatown .
The son of Honduran immigrants , he has ridden these streets for more than 20 years , each day a new encounter with the city he grew up in .
Today will be busy — 10 stops , 30 miles — a Monday afternoon sprint from the Financial District @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to South Park .
Four months into the pandemic , never has the city seemed so upside down .
Parking attendants wave flags to the empty streets .
Storefronts , boarded-up from break-ins , merge with stalled construction sites .
Homeless camps double as sidewalk bazaars .
“ COVID , ” he says , “ is a truth serum bringing it all out.
” For 10 years , downtown was a boom town , an improbable refutation of its history as a 9-to-5 enclave for commuters only .
High-rises and low-rises became home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for visitors , 24/7 .
Developers renovated the Arts District and raised apartments in South Park .
City agencies gained traction with the homeless population .
Office vacancy rates fell , and from the 110 Freeway to the Los Angeles River , the city had a youthful , renegade , gastronomic vibe .
After nearly a century , Los Angeles had a downtown that could rival other great American cities .
Then people started to get sick , and restaurants closed , residents fled and office workers kept a distance .
Suddenly it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recession tightening its grip on life , and the gains of the last decade — from blight to promise — are at risk .
The road ahead is clear .
The light turns green , and Lizama falls into an easy cadence .
“ Downtown is not one story , ” said architect Michael Maltzan .
“ Downtown is constantly evolving .
People tend to think of it as having one life , the life we know today.
” Having watched downtown ’ s recent developments — and contributed with such projects as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bridge — Maltzan is quick to accept the fluid nature of the city , citing decades of transformation driven by economic need .
The dismantling of Bunker Hill .
The loss of the Red Car .
Changes in the shopping district into the 1990s .
The evolution of Broadway : Latino shopping center to today ’ s gentrification .
The last 10 years have been especially frantic , and the last five months have exposed the city ’ s weaknesses , especially the chasm of inequity .
“ Much of the development in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and relentless pace with very little time to reflect on some of what has been made , ” Maltzan said .
“ Maybe it takes a moment like this to hit pause so that we can adjust our thinking in a more precise way.
” The solutions , argues historian D.J .
Waldie , will not reveal themselves immediately .
“ No answer can be read in the current tea leaves , ” he said , trying to imagine downtown ’ s future .
It had acquired a “ genuine sense of place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents , but “ from footfalls and contemplation , the passing of shadows over facades and the sound of walkers chatting on their way.
” “ At this point in the pandemic and the economic shock that the pandemic brought , ” he said , “ it is hard to see how that efflorescence , entrepreneurial creativity and growth will survive.
” Lizama ’ s first stop is at the corner of 7th and Figueroa .
The intersection is normally jammed with pedestrians flooding out of the transit station , but ridership , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what it was before COVID-19 .
Lizama , 46 , locks up his Demon Bike , an old Kestrel carbon-fiber frame with flat bars and a 10-by-1 gearing ratio designed for the stop-and-go of weekday traffic .
“ COVID points to a society that needs to slow the hell down and reexamine their values , ” Lizama says .
Dressed in cutoff Dickies , clip-less cycling shoes , a black Subhumans shirt , sporting a dreadhawk and Che beard , he rides the elevator to the ninth floor , where he serves the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summons and subpoenas .
He calls his business Don ’ t Shoot the Bike Messenger .
At its peak , nearly 100 bike messengers crisscrossed downtown from offices to courthouses , the law library to apartments and homes .
The numbers fell off when e-filing became more acceptable , a trend the pandemic has only encouraged .
He guesses there are 20 riders left , many now supplementing lost income with food deliveries .
But Lizama will avoid that route as long as he can ; it doesn ’ t pay enough .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bike shop he calls Relámpago — as in “ lightning ” — Wheelery , to supplement his income .
He reaches into his shoulder bag and hands the papers to the clerk .
Over the years , the identity of downtown Los Angeles has emerged through a collection of neighborhoods chiseled from neglect and speculation .
The Arts District grew out of an abandoned industrial and warehouse district .
South Park rose on the success of Staples Center and L.A. Live .
The Historic District drew residents to its Beaux Arts heritage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commitment of business , but now that is in question .
When the real estate services firm CBRE conducted a national survey of 126 executives about future plans , 70 % indicated that some portion of their workforce would work remotely for the immediate future .
John Zanetos , a broker with CBRE , feels the emptiness .
He occasionally drives from his Manhattan Beach home to meet prospective tenants downtown , where many office buildings stand nearly 90 % empty .
Still , Zanetos is optimistic : “ Los Angeles has not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas.
” He believes that the diversity of downtown will keep it safe from a significant downturn .
Nearly 90,000 residents and close to 30 million square feet of office space are a formula for resilience .
Tony Morales , a broker at the competing brokerage JLL , will hold his predictions until the third-quarter numbers come in late September , but he ’ s tracking subleases .
Ten sizable offices have come on the market in the last four months , he said , suggesting that some tenants are just as happy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the slowdown .
Morales works across the street from the Central Library at City National Plaza .
The two office towers , which would normally have a population of 3,000 people , now support about 350 , he says .
For nearly 30 years , Morales has watched office vacancy rates average around 16 % .
He expects by the end of the pandemic for rates to edge toward 20 % , one percentage point shy of the high in 2014 .
Anything higher , he said , would be “ cataclysmic.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know what the end is , ” he said .
“ In 2007-10 we knew we were going to come out of it , but we just can ’ t predict a pandemic.
” Spinning along Hill Street , Lizama passes Angels Flight ( closed ) and Grand Central Market ( open ) .
He avoids having to climb the Grand Avenue hill if he can .
The urban dream of Eli Broad and Frank Gehry , Grand is a destination for picture-takers , skateboarders and construction crews , working on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residential and office complex rising across from the Disney Concert Hall , where Andrew Lowy showed up for work not so long ago .
Lowy plays second and E-flat clarinet for the Los Angeles Philharmonic , which has canceled its performances through Dec. 31 .
“ The loss of the season has been devastating , ” said Lowy , who would otherwise be at the Hollywood Bowl .
“ To not be performing is unimaginable.
” Last October , Lowy and his husband purchased a loft in the Arts District .
The couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighborhood , and Lowy would either walk or take a DASH bus to work .
When he got home from concerts , they were able to find a place for a late dinner and a drink .
Bon Temps was a favorite but is now closed ; Nightshade is temporarily shut .
The pandemic has taken its toll .
“ Tumbleweeds , ” he said , describing the bleak emptiness of the streets during the stay-at-home orders .
Life is coming back , he says , with people eating outdoors , waiting in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The small boutiques are closed , but Lowy is optimistic that the Arts District has enough anchors — restaurants such as Bestia , Wurstküche and the Arts District Brewing Co. — to sustain the momentum .
A mile west in the Historic District , chef Josef Centeno is trying to hold on .
Last month , he closed his landmark restaurant Bäco Mercat , which debuted in 2011 .
The restaurant was small , incompatible with the demands of social distancing .
When crowded , customers huddled around a 12-seat bar where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wine with one another .
Centeno is adapting his two other restaurants in the same neighborhood , Bar Amá and Orsa & Winston , to the new standards if only to “ stay afloat and pay the staff I have now.
” “ We do in one week what we used to do on a busy Friday night , ” he said .
“ I think it ’ s going to take all of Los Angeles , the whole country , a long time to recover.
” Lizama makes three stops in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fashion District .
Past Little Tokyo , the route becomes more littered with trash and potholes .
The smell of excrement , urine and weed hits him as he blurs past homeless encampments .
Shannon Fernando is a nurse practitioner with L.A. Christian Health Centers , a medical clinic on skid row .
Before the pandemic , she and her teams treated about 60 people a month on the street .
Today they see about 250 a month , an increase due to COVID-19 testing .
“ We have seen a burgeoning of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skid row , ” she said , describing how the most vulnerable — newly released from jail or living in nursing homes and shelters — are choosing a tent on the street .
“ When people started talking about recovery after the quarantine and stay-at-home order , I had to wonder , ” she said .
“ ‘ Recovery ’ is a word of privilege considering our reality and the patients we represent .
We ’ re not in recovery.
” Ciara DeVozza , with the homeless outreach agency the People Concern , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ row .
“ We had a rhythm prior to the pandemic , ” said DeVozza , who has been downtown for nearly three years .
“ After COVID-19 , it has been very difficult to gain a rhythm.
” Procedures and resources are changing , she explains .
Case managers are now medical responders , COVID testers , EMTs , mental health clinicians , disaster services workers .
Her teams are “ amazing and resilient , ” she said , but “ overwhelmed.
” Lizama smells tacos and hears merengue music amid the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past the Flower Market .
Sidewalks are covered with merchandise , so customers don ’ t have to enter the warren of stores .
COVID-19 has done something extraordinary , Lizama says .
We have to listen to its message , which can be heard wherever opportunity and desperation mix .
In the historic core on Main Street and Spring Street , these disparities are in sharp relief as residents try to cohabit with people on the sidewalks .
“ I couldn ’ t imagine this happening , ” said an apartment manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losing his job .
Four years ago , he and his wife found a place to live in the neighborhood where a number of mom-and-pop businesses had gotten established .
The area was not as blighted back then , he said , but when the pandemic hit , encampments began to spread out from skid row .
“ By March , they were at 8th Street , ” he said .
“ Then by April and May , they were at 6th.
” Going for a walk became difficult , he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and he worried that his dog would step on a needle .
When prospective renters made appointments to tour a unit and never showed up , he understood why .
Smaller retail stores — the vegan ice cream shop Divine Dips , the pet lifestyle boutique Pussy and Pooch — were leaving .
Storefronts were boarded up after the protests against police violence .
“ We thought downtown would continue improving , ” he said , as he thinks about leaving Los Angeles entirely .
The building he manages , which had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2019 , now stands 30 % empty .
By 5 p.m. , Lizama is nearly finished .
Riding west on Olympic Boulevard , he passes through South Park .
Leasing signs make it clear that students from USC and the fashion college FIDM have deferred fall enrollment .
Retail businesses are struggling to adapt , as are developers .
Some projects are already converting retail space into office space , said Morales of JLL .
“ And some office goes to residential , but that ’ s a longer process.
” Architect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is important for downtown , where density has been favored over sprawl .
But whether density is compatible with a post-pandemic environment is unclear .
“ One of my biggest concerns , ” said Maltzan , “ is that the reaction of COVID is going to create ammunition for density opposition .
I believe it would be a terrible mistake if we returned to the suburban sprawl model that has made up most of L.A. development history.
” Lizama turns left on Figueroa and spins through the canyon of L.A. Live , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one .
He then begins to make his way back to his home in K-Town .
Today was busy , and he anticipates tomorrow to be slow .
But he knows this will only be temporary .
Any moment now , he expects a flood of work as landlords begin evicting tenants unable to pay rents because of the pandemic .

A yellow waterproof bag slung over his shoulder, Jimmy Lizama rises off his saddle and balances his bike waiting for the light to change. The sawtooth skyline of downtown Los Angeles cuts into the eastern sky.
Lizama is a bike messenger, starting his day in Koreatown. The son of Honduran immigrants, he has ridden these streets for more than 20 years, each day a new encounter with the city he grew up in.
Today will be busy — 10 stops, 30 miles — a Monday afternoon sprint from the Financial District to the Civic Center, skid row to South Park.
Four months into the pandemic, never has the city seemed so upside down. Parking attendants wave flags to the empty streets. Storefronts, boarded-up from break-ins, merge with stalled construction sites. Homeless camps double as sidewalk bazaars.
“COVID,” he says, “is a truth serum bringing it all out.”
For 10 years, downtown was a boom town, an improbable refutation of its history as a 9-to-5 enclave for commuters only. High-rises and low-rises became home to nearly 88,000 residents and a destination for visitors, 24/7.
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A waiter wears a respirator at a restaurant on Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Developers renovated the Arts District and raised apartments in South Park. City agencies gained traction with the homeless population. Office vacancy rates fell, and from the 110 Freeway to the Los Angeles River, the city had a youthful, renegade, gastronomic vibe. After nearly a century, Los Angeles had a downtown that could rival other great American cities.
Then people started to get sick, and restaurants closed, residents fled and office workers kept a distance. Suddenly it was 2008 all over again, another recession tightening its grip on life, and the gains of the last decade — from blight to promise — are at risk.
The road ahead is clear. The light turns green, and Lizama falls into an easy cadence.
::
‘Much of the development in downtown has been happening at a furious and relentless pace with very little time to reflect on some of what has been made. Maybe it takes a moment like this to hit pause so that we can adjust our thinking in a more precise way.’ — Michael Maltzan, architect
A man adjusting his mask is mixed into a jumble of reflections on the window of a closed restaurant in downtown Los Angeles, where many stores and eateries remain shuttered or restricted because of the coronavirus. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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“Downtown is not one story,” said architect Michael Maltzan. “Downtown is constantly evolving. People tend to think of it as having one life, the life we know today.”
Having watched downtown’s recent developments — and contributed with such projects as One Santa Fe and the 6th Street Bridge — Maltzan is quick to accept the fluid nature of the city, citing decades of transformation driven by economic need.
A woman walks past a shuttered restaurant in downtown Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
The dismantling of Bunker Hill. The loss of the Red Car. Changes in the shopping district into the 1990s. The evolution of Broadway: Latino shopping center to today’s gentrification.
The last 10 years have been especially frantic, and the last five months have exposed the city’s weaknesses, especially the chasm of inequity.
“Much of the development in downtown has been happening at a furious and relentless pace with very little time to reflect on some of what has been made,” Maltzan said. “Maybe it takes a moment like this to hit pause so that we can adjust our thinking in a more precise way.”
The solutions, argues historian D.J. Waldie, will not reveal themselves immediately.
“No answer can be read in the current tea leaves,” he said, trying to imagine downtown’s future.
It had acquired a “genuine sense of place,” not just from businesses and residents, but “from footfalls and contemplation, the passing of shadows over facades and the sound of walkers chatting on their way.”
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“At this point in the pandemic and the economic shock that the pandemic brought,” he said, “it is hard to see how that efflorescence, entrepreneurial creativity and growth will survive.”
::
Jimmy Lizama is a bicycle messenger in Los Angeles. He guesses there are 20 riders left in downtown L.A., many now supplementing lost income with food deliveries. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Lizama’s first stop is at the corner of 7th and Figueroa. The intersection is normally jammed with pedestrians flooding out of the transit station, but ridership, according to Metro, is roughly half what it was before COVID-19.
Lizama, 46, locks up his Demon Bike, an old Kestrel carbon-fiber frame with flat bars and a 10-by-1 gearing ratio designed for the stop-and-go of weekday traffic.
“COVID points to a society that needs to slow the hell down and reexamine their values,” Lizama says.
Dressed in cutoff Dickies, clip-less cycling shoes, a black Subhumans shirt, sporting a dreadhawk and Che beard, he rides the elevator to the ninth floor, where he serves the first round of the day’s summons and subpoenas. He calls his business Don’t Shoot the Bike Messenger.
Advertisement
At its peak, nearly 100 bike messengers crisscrossed downtown from offices to courthouses, the law library to apartments and homes. The numbers fell off when e-filing became more acceptable, a trend the pandemic has only encouraged. He guesses there are 20 riders left, many now supplementing lost income with food deliveries.
But Lizama will avoid that route as long as he can; it doesn’t pay enough. He depends on his other business, a bike shop he calls Relámpago — as in “lightning” — Wheelery, to supplement his income.
He reaches into his shoulder bag and hands the papers to the clerk.
::
A man walks past a mural of George Floyd’s eyes in downtown Los Angeles. Weeks after the social unrest following Floyd’s death, some of the vandalized stores downtown remain boarded up. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Over the years, the identity of downtown Los Angeles has emerged through a collection of neighborhoods chiseled from neglect and speculation.
The Arts District grew out of an abandoned industrial and warehouse district. South Park rose on the success of Staples Center and L.A. Live. The Historic District drew residents to its Beaux Arts heritage.
The Financial District evolved on the commitment of business, but now that is in question.
Advertisement
When the real estate services firm CBRE conducted a national survey of 126 executives about future plans, 70% indicated that some portion of their workforce would work remotely for the immediate future.
John Zanetos, a broker with CBRE, feels the emptiness. He occasionally drives from his Manhattan Beach home to meet prospective tenants downtown, where many office buildings stand nearly 90% empty.
Still, Zanetos is optimistic: “Los Angeles has not been hit as hard as other metropolitan areas.”
He believes that the diversity of downtown will keep it safe from a significant downturn. Nearly 90,000 residents and close to 30 million square feet of office space are a formula for resilience.
For nearly 30 years, broker Tony Morales has watched downtown L.A. office vacancy rates average around 16%. He expects by the end of the pandemic for rates to edge toward 20%, one percentage point shy of the high in 2014. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Tony Morales, a broker at the competing brokerage JLL, will hold his predictions until the third-quarter numbers come in late September, but he’s tracking subleases. Ten sizable offices have come on the market in the last four months, he said, suggesting that some tenants are just as happy to work at home and wait out the slowdown.
Morales works across the street from the Central Library at City National Plaza. The two office towers, which would normally have a population of 3,000 people, now support about 350, he says.
For nearly 30 years, Morales has watched office vacancy rates average around 16%. He expects by the end of the pandemic for rates to edge toward 20%, one percentage point shy of the high in 2014. Anything higher, he said, would be “cataclysmic.”
“I tell my kids we don’t know what the end is,” he said. “In 2007-10 we knew we were going to come out of it, but we just can’t predict a pandemic.”
::
‘The loss of the season has been devastating. To not be performing is unimaginable.’ — Andrew Lowy, musician with the L.A. Philharmonic
Newlyweds have their picture taken at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles. Downtown streets, parks and entertainment venues remain largely vacant and closed more than five months after the coronavirus lockdown went into effect. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Spinning along Hill Street, Lizama passes Angels Flight (closed) and Grand Central Market (open). He avoids having to climb the Grand Avenue hill if he can.
The urban dream of Eli Broad and Frank Gehry, Grand is a destination for picture-takers, skateboarders and construction crews, working on the eponymous Grand, the $1-billion residential and office complex rising across from the Disney Concert Hall, where Andrew Lowy showed up for work not so long ago.
Lowy plays second and E-flat clarinet for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which has canceled its performances through Dec. 31.
“The loss of the season has been devastating,” said Lowy, who would otherwise be at the Hollywood Bowl. “To not be performing is unimaginable.”
Last October, Lowy and his husband purchased a loft in the Arts District. The couple were drawn to the vitality of the neighborhood, and Lowy would either walk or take a DASH bus to work. When he got home from concerts, they were able to find a place for a late dinner and a drink.
Bon Temps was a favorite but is now closed; Nightshade is temporarily shut. The pandemic has taken its toll. “Tumbleweeds,” he said, describing the bleak emptiness of the streets during the stay-at-home orders.
Advertisement
Life is coming back, he says, with people eating outdoors, waiting in line for ice cream on 3rd Street. The small boutiques are closed, but Lowy is optimistic that the Arts District has enough anchors — restaurants such as Bestia, Wurstküche and the Arts District Brewing Co. — to sustain the momentum.
Restaurateur Josef Centeno owns and operates Orsa & Winston in downtown Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
A mile west in the Historic District, chef Josef Centeno is trying to hold on. Last month, he closed his landmark restaurant Bäco Mercat, which debuted in 2011. The restaurant was small, incompatible with the demands of social distancing. When crowded, customers huddled around a 12-seat bar where strangers ended up sharing a glass of wine with one another.
Centeno is adapting his two other restaurants in the same neighborhood, Bar Amá and Orsa & Winston, to the new standards if only to “stay afloat and pay the staff I have now.”
“We do in one week what we used to do on a busy Friday night,” he said. “I think it’s going to take all of Los Angeles, the whole country, a long time to recover.”
::
Lizama makes three stops in the Civic Center before heading south to the Fashion District.
Advertisement
Past Little Tokyo, the route becomes more littered with trash and potholes. The smell of excrement, urine and weed hits him as he blurs past homeless encampments.
‘When people started talking about recovery after the quarantine and stay-at-home order, I had to wonder. Recovery is a word of privilege considering our reality and the patients we represent. We’re not in recovery.’ — Shannon Fernando, nurse practitioner with L.A. Christian Health Centers
Shannon Fernando is a nurse practitioner with L.A. Christian Health Centers, which assists homeless people on skid row. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Shannon Fernando is a nurse practitioner with L.A. Christian Health Centers, a medical clinic on skid row. Before the pandemic, she and her teams treated about 60 people a month on the street. Today they see about 250 a month, an increase due to COVID-19 testing.
“We have seen a burgeoning of people who are unhoused, especially in skid row,” she said, describing how the most vulnerable — newly released from jail or living in nursing homes and shelters — are choosing a tent on the street.
“When people started talking about recovery after the quarantine and stay-at-home order, I had to wonder,” she said. “ ‘Recovery’ is a word of privilege considering our reality and the patients we represent. We’re not in recovery.”
Ciara DeVozza, with the homeless outreach agency the People Concern, also works with homeless clients on skid row.
Advertisement
“We had a rhythm prior to the pandemic,” said DeVozza, who has been downtown for nearly three years. “After COVID-19, it has been very difficult to gain a rhythm.”
Procedures and resources are changing, she explains. Case managers are now medical responders, COVID testers, EMTs, mental health clinicians, disaster services workers.
Her teams are “amazing and resilient,” she said, but “overwhelmed.”
::
‘COVID points to a society that needs to slow the hell down and reexamine their values.’ — Jimmy Lizama, bicycle messenger and bike shop owner
Bicycle messenger Jimmy Lizama depends on his other business, a bike shop he calls Relámpago — as in “lightning” — Wheelery, to supplement his income. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Lizama smells tacos and hears merengue music amid the crowds of the Piñata District, just past the Flower Market. Sidewalks are covered with merchandise, so customers don’t have to enter the warren of stores.
Advertisement
COVID-19 has done something extraordinary, Lizama says. We have to listen to its message, which can be heard wherever opportunity and desperation mix.
In the historic core on Main Street and Spring Street, these disparities are in sharp relief as residents try to cohabit with people on the sidewalks.
“I couldn’t imagine this happening,” said an apartment manager, who requested anonymity for fear of losing his job.
Four years ago, he and his wife found a place to live in the neighborhood where a number of mom-and-pop businesses had gotten established. The area was not as blighted back then, he said, but when the pandemic hit, encampments began to spread out from skid row.
“By March, they were at 8th Street,” he said. “Then by April and May, they were at 6th.”
Janene Zakrajsek is the former owner of Pussy and Pooch, a pet lifestyle boutique in Los Angeles that is now permanently closed. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Going for a walk became difficult, he said. There was meth smoke in the air, and he worried that his dog would step on a needle. When prospective renters made appointments to tour a unit and never showed up, he understood why.
Smaller retail stores — the vegan ice cream shop Divine Dips, the pet lifestyle boutique Pussy and Pooch — were leaving. Storefronts were boarded up after the protests against police violence.
“We thought downtown would continue improving,” he said, as he thinks about leaving Los Angeles entirely.
The building he manages, which had a vacancy rate of almost 10% in 2019, now stands 30% empty.
::
By 5 p.m., Lizama is nearly finished. Riding west on Olympic Boulevard, he passes through South Park.
Leasing signs make it clear that students from USC and the fashion college FIDM have deferred fall enrollment. Retail businesses are struggling to adapt, as are developers.
Some projects are already converting retail space into office space, said Morales of JLL. “And some office goes to residential, but that’s a longer process.”
Advertisement
Architect Maltzan finds hope in such fluidity, which is important for downtown, where density has been favored over sprawl. But whether density is compatible with a post-pandemic environment is unclear.
“One of my biggest concerns,” said Maltzan, “is that the reaction of COVID is going to create ammunition for density opposition. I believe it would be a terrible mistake if we returned to the suburban sprawl model that has made up most of L.A. development history.”
Lizama turns left on Figueroa and spins through the canyon of L.A. Live, where huge monitors advertise Nike to no one.
He then begins to make his way back to his home in K-town.
Today was busy, and he anticipates tomorrow to be slow. But he knows this will only be temporary.
Any moment now, he expects a flood of work as landlords begin evicting tenants unable to pay rents because of the pandemic.


latimes--2020-08-27--Magnitude 3.5 quake reported near Ukiah, Calif.

A magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported at 1:48 a.m. Thursday 13 miles from Ukiah , Calif. , according to the @ @ @ @ @ earthquake occurred 39 miles from Clearlake , 51 miles from Healdsburg , 58 miles from @ @ @ @ @ Santa Rosa .
In the past 10 days , there have been six earthquakes of @ @ @ @ @ nearby .
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per @ @ @ @ @ , according to a recent three-year data sample .
The earthquake occurred at a shallow @ @ @ @ @ this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you @ @ @ @ @ small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
@ @ @ @ @ five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
This story was automatically @ @ @ @ @ computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS .
A Times editor @ @ @ @ @ was published .

A magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported at 1:48 a.m. Thursday 13 miles from Ukiah, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred 39 miles from Clearlake, 51 miles from Healdsburg, 58 miles from Windsor and 65 miles from Santa Rosa.
In the past 10 days, there have been six earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
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An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published.


latimes--2020-08-27--Skelton: Newsom proves he's no deer in headlights while managing several crises 'of biblical proport

Skelton: Newsom proves he's no deer in headlights while managing several crises 'of biblical proportions'

Gov .
Gavin Newsom has been keeping barely one step ahead of being trampled by rampaging disasters .
He has survived on energy and agility — and hasn ’ t frozen like the proverbial deer in headlights .
Last fall , I wrote it was unlikely that any previous California governor had faced such a simultaneous cannonade of calamities .
At the time , there were devastating wildfires and power blackouts in Southern and Northern California .
Now wildfires and blackouts are piled on top of a COVID-19 pandemic — a strange virus that has infected more than 680,000 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You ’ d think that might place any governor at political risk , but it apparently hasn ’ t .
And with the killer virus came a crippled economy , home confinement and school closings — plus frustrating lifestyle inconveniences such as the absence of indoor dining and cancellation of fall football .
“ Newsom has been hit by plagues of biblical proportion , ” says Garry South , political strategist for former Gov .
Gray Davis , who was recalled in 2003 after California suffered an energy crisis caused mainly by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The pirates held back electricity in order to drive up the kilowatt price , resulting in brownouts all over the state .
Davis looked to voters like that deer in headlights .
“ But we didn ’ t have a pandemic going on and a tumbling economy — and wildfires burning down half of Northern California.
” South says .
“ I don ’ t know how you deal with all that.
” “ California is being tested right now in an unprecedented number of ways , and the governor is working nonstop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is meeting the moment , ” Newsom spokesman Nathan Click says , echoing one of his boss ’ favorite , overused phrases : “ Meet this moment.
” California governors have always been tested by natural disasters — none more so than Pete Wilson in the 1990s .
Unlike Newsom ’ s plight , Wilson ’ s disasters didn ’ t all come at once .
But he was smacked with a barrage of cataclysms : earthquake , flood , drought , wildfires , the L.A. riots and an economic slump that required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the largest state tax increase in history .
Wilson earned kudos for his swift handling of the disasters — especially his getting Southern California freeways up and running ahead of schedule after the 1994 Northridge earthquake .
It helped him win reelection that year .
Gov .
Pat Brown committed perhaps the all-time worst verbal gaffe during a catastrophe .
While inspecting a horrible 1960s North Coast flood , he proclaimed : “ This is the worst disaster since I was elected governor.
” Brown , who had a wonderful sense of self-deprecating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afterward .
Despite the pandemic that ’ s almost into its seventh month , plus the tattered economy , huge wildfires and blackouts , Newsom , 52 , is surviving politically .
You don ’ t hear many people shouting his praises , but they ’ re not throwing rocks either .
And that ’ s good enough for now .
“ He ’ s been doing OK , doing pretty well ” says South , who was briefly a Newsom campaign strategist in 2009 when the then-San Francisco mayor contemplated running for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race , and Newsom wisely dropped out , running instead for lieutenant governor , the launching pad for his 2018 gubernatorial election .
“ His reopening the bars and nightclubs too soon was a big mistake , ” South says .
“ Restaurants are one thing .
People have to eat to live .
But they don ’ t need to drink to live .
If they do , they can go to Ralphs and get a six-pack.
” Newsom soon closed the bars again after the virus began spreading among patrons .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues , “ I ’ ll defend Newsom in this sense : With 40 million people living in California , it doesn ’ t matter what kind of pandemic is going on .
You can ’ t keep that many people as hostages in their own homes forever .
They go stir crazy .
It ’ s not the nature of human beings to submit to that .
“ Did he reopen too soon ?
I think he did .
But he was between a rock and a hard place in the real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off public health concerns with a recognition of human nature.
” Newsom deserves and gets credit for trying lots of things , even if some of them didn ’ t work .
On Wednesday , the governor announced a plan to double the state ’ s COVID-19 testing capacity , obtain much swifter results and substantially lower patient costs .
Great .
It ’ s just too bad he didn ’ t come up with that weeks ago .
And Newsom isn ’ t hiding .
He holds regular televised news briefings on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rambles , is repetitive , is too long-winded and gets bogged down in numbers and weeds .
But the briefings come across as unprecedented good-faith efforts at transparency .
That is sorely lacking in government , and Newsom deserves applause .
It ’ s unlikely any of the governor ’ s disaster managing will affect him much politically — unless he really screws up or finds a COVID-19 cure .
People are so politically polarized that their views are largely unmovable , says Mark Baldassare , president and pollster of the Public Policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve been struck by how in polls you don ’ t see approval ratings moving around a lot , ” Baldassare says .
“ That ’ s because so many people have made up their minds about who they believe and trust and who they don ’ t .
Fewer people are willing to change their minds .
Also protecting Newsom in California is a weak Republican Party that is incapable of mounting a serious challenge when he runs for reelection in 2022 .
Newsom is keeping slightly ahead of the disasters — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t even close .

California Gov. Gavin Newsom gives a news briefing Aug. 17 on the power outages in the state caused by extreme heat.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has been keeping barely one step ahead of being trampled by rampaging disasters.
He has survived on energy and agility — and hasn’t frozen like the proverbial deer in headlights.
Last fall, I wrote it was unlikely that any previous California governor had faced such a simultaneous cannonade of calamities. At the time, there were devastating wildfires and power blackouts in Southern and Northern California.
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Now wildfires and blackouts are piled on top of a COVID-19 pandemic — a strange virus that has infected more than 680,000 people and killed more than 12,000 in California. You’d think that might place any governor at political risk, but it apparently hasn’t.
And with the killer virus came a crippled economy, home confinement and school closings — plus frustrating lifestyle inconveniences such as the absence of indoor dining and cancellation of fall football.
“Newsom has been hit by plagues of biblical proportion,” says Garry South, political strategist for former Gov. Gray Davis, who was recalled in 2003 after California suffered an energy crisis caused mainly by Texas power pirates — mostly Enron. The pirates held back electricity in order to drive up the kilowatt price, resulting in brownouts all over the state.
Davis looked to voters like that deer in headlights.
“But we didn’t have a pandemic going on and a tumbling economy — and wildfires burning down half of Northern California.” South says. “I don’t know how you deal with all that.”
“California is being tested right now in an unprecedented number of ways, and the governor is working nonstop day and night to make sure California is meeting the moment,” Newsom spokesman Nathan Click says, echoing one of his boss’ favorite, overused phrases: “Meet this moment.”
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California governors have always been tested by natural disasters — none more so than Pete Wilson in the 1990s.
Unlike Newsom’s plight, Wilson’s disasters didn’t all come at once. But he was smacked with a barrage of cataclysms: earthquake, flood, drought, wildfires, the L.A. riots and an economic slump that required the Republican governor to uncharacteristically fight for the largest state tax increase in history.
Wilson earned kudos for his swift handling of the disasters — especially his getting Southern California freeways up and running ahead of schedule after the 1994 Northridge earthquake. It helped him win reelection that year.
Gov. Pat Brown committed perhaps the all-time worst verbal gaffe during a catastrophe. While inspecting a horrible 1960s North Coast flood, he proclaimed: “This is the worst disaster since I was elected governor.”
Brown, who had a wonderful sense of self-deprecating humor, laughed about that for years afterward.
Despite the pandemic that’s almost into its seventh month, plus the tattered economy, huge wildfires and blackouts, Newsom, 52, is surviving politically. You don’t hear many people shouting his praises, but they’re not throwing rocks either.
And that’s good enough for now.
“He’s been doing OK, doing pretty well” says South, who was briefly a Newsom campaign strategist in 2009 when the then-San Francisco mayor contemplated running for governor. Jerry Brown jumped into the race, and Newsom wisely dropped out, running instead for lieutenant governor, the launching pad for his 2018 gubernatorial election.
“His reopening the bars and nightclubs too soon was a big mistake,” South says. “Restaurants are one thing. People have to eat to live. But they don’t need to drink to live. If they do, they can go to Ralphs and get a six-pack.”
Newsom soon closed the bars again after the virus began spreading among patrons.
“Having said that,” South continues, “I’ll defend Newsom in this sense: With 40 million people living in California, it doesn’t matter what kind of pandemic is going on. You can’t keep that many people as hostages in their own homes forever. They go stir crazy. It’s not the nature of human beings to submit to that.
“Did he reopen too soon? I think he did. But he was between a rock and a hard place in the real world. He was trying to balance off public health concerns with a recognition of human nature.”
Newsom deserves and gets credit for trying lots of things, even if some of them didn’t work.
On Wednesday, the governor announced a plan to double the state’s COVID-19 testing capacity, obtain much swifter results and substantially lower patient costs. Great. It’s just too bad he didn’t come up with that weeks ago.
And Newsom isn’t hiding. He holds regular televised news briefings on coronavirus and wildfire happenings.
The governor rambles, is repetitive, is too long-winded and gets bogged down in numbers and weeds. But the briefings come across as unprecedented good-faith efforts at transparency. That is sorely lacking in government, and Newsom deserves applause.
It’s unlikely any of the governor’s disaster managing will affect him much politically — unless he really screws up or finds a COVID-19 cure.
People are so politically polarized that their views are largely unmovable, says Mark Baldassare, president and pollster of the Public Policy Institute of California.
“I’ve been struck by how in polls you don’t see approval ratings moving around a lot,” Baldassare says. “That’s because so many people have made up their minds about who they believe and trust and who they don’t. Fewer people are willing to change their minds.
“They’re so polarized.”
Also protecting Newsom in California is a weak Republican Party that is incapable of mounting a serious challenge when he runs for reelection in 2022.
Newsom is keeping slightly ahead of the disasters — and any potential political rivals aren’t even close.


latimes--2020-08-27--Former San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy charged with assault, theft while on duty

A former San Bernardino County sheriff ’ s deputy faces criminal charges for allegedly hitting a man with a baseball bat , filing a false police report and stealing from a sporting goods store after responding to a call during the unrest in early June that followed the death of George Floyd .
San Bernardino County prosecutors said Wednesday that they had charged 46-year-old Erdem Gorgulu , who was an 11-year veteran of the Sheriff ’ s Department , with one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon , one felony count of assault under color of authority , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report and one misdemeanor for looting — a special charge in California covering burglary and theft that occurs during a state of emergency .
On June 1 about 2 a.m. , Gorgulu , who was then still employed by the department , responded to a call about a burglary at a Big 5 Sporting Goods store on Highland Avenue in San Bernardino , according to a statement from the department .
Once there , Gorgulu came across Juan Martinez and , prosecutors allege , assaulted him with a baseball bat .
Gorgulu booked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , burglary and committing a felony while out on bail , according to the Sheriff ’ s Department .
A sheriff ’ s deputy who thought that Gorgulu ’ s behavior was “ unwarranted and unethical ” alerted a watch commander , officials said .
The department then launched criminal and an internal administrative investigations , placing Gorgulu on paid administrative leave June 3 .
During the criminal investigation , officials looked into whether Gorgulu had taken property from the business .
After serving a search warrant , the department said investigators recovered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicle .
As of Monday , Gorgulu was no longer employed by the Sheriff ’ s Department , officials said .
“ The criminal acts committed by Gorgulu while serving in his capacity as a deputy sheriff are inexcusable and undermine all the good , valuable work deputies do every day , ” San Bernardino Sheriff John McMahon said in a statement .
“ Although Gorgulu ’ s acts were unacceptable and disheartening , this incident serves as an example of how deputies are willing to come forward and report unethical behavior.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representing Gorgulu .

A former San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy faces criminal charges for allegedly hitting a man with a baseball bat, filing a false police report and stealing from a sporting goods store after responding to a call during the unrest in early June that followed the death of George Floyd.
San Bernardino County prosecutors said Wednesday that they had charged 46-year-old Erdem Gorgulu, who was an 11-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department, with one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon, one felony count of assault under color of authority, one misdemeanor for filing a false police report and one misdemeanor for looting — a special charge in California covering burglary and theft that occurs during a state of emergency.
On June 1 about 2 a.m., Gorgulu, who was then still employed by the department, responded to a call about a burglary at a Big 5 Sporting Goods store on Highland Avenue in San Bernardino, according to a statement from the department.
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Once there, Gorgulu came across Juan Martinez and, prosecutors allege, assaulted him with a baseball bat. Gorgulu booked Martinez into custody on suspicion of looting, burglary and committing a felony while out on bail, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
A sheriff’s deputy who thought that Gorgulu’s behavior was “unwarranted and unethical” alerted a watch commander, officials said. The department then launched criminal and an internal administrative investigations, placing Gorgulu on paid administrative leave June 3.
During the criminal investigation, officials looked into whether Gorgulu had taken property from the business. After serving a search warrant, the department said investigators recovered stolen property from Gorgulu’s personal vehicle.
As of Monday, Gorgulu was no longer employed by the Sheriff’s Department, officials said.
“The criminal acts committed by Gorgulu while serving in his capacity as a deputy sheriff are inexcusable and undermine all the good, valuable work deputies do every day,” San Bernardino Sheriff John McMahon said in a statement. “Although Gorgulu’s acts were unacceptable and disheartening, this incident serves as an example of how deputies are willing to come forward and report unethical behavior.”
It was not immediately clear who is representing Gorgulu.


latimes--2020-08-27--L.A. County CEO to receive $1.5 million and security in settlement over alleged harassment by sherif

L.A. County CEO to receive $1.5 million and security in settlement over alleged harassment by sheriff

After facing months of alleged “ unrelenting and brutal ” harassment from Sheriff Alex Villanueva , the chief executive of Los Angeles County will receive $ 1.5 million and full-time private security after she retires Monday to address concerns for her personal safety , according to a settlement agreement and a recent letter sent to the county ’ s Board of Supervisors .
Sachi Hamai has been the target of Villanueva ’ s anger over the last several months , ire that seemed to intensify in March when the board removed Villanueva as the head of the county ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic began to intensify in L.A. , according to the letter obtained by The Times .
Villanueva took this “ as a personal affront and castigated Ms. Hamai over it , ” the letter said .
The three-page missive was sent to the board July 30 by attorney Skip Miller , litigation counsel for L.A. County .
“ He lied to the press saying she denied first responders their salaries while quarantined , ” Miller wrote .
“ Incited by the Sheriff , individuals threatened to post her home address and suggested she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed off on the settlement Aug. 10 .
Hamai will not receive severance or any other payments and agreed not to sue the county , according to the agreement .
The board authorized Wickham to settle on its behalf , Miller said .
The settlement and allegations are the latest in a lengthy series of clashes and tense relations between the sheriff and other county leaders since his surprise 2018 election victory over predecessor Jim McDonnell .
Most recently , Villanueva suggested Hamai had committed a felony because she served on the board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is supporting a November ballot measure that could lead to millions being redirected from the Sheriff ’ s Department to mental health and jail diversion services .
( Hamai stepped down from the United Way board before the board ’ s vote and has said she hadn ’ t previously known about the United Way ’ s efforts to pass the initiative . )
In July , Villanueva referred to Hilda Solis , the only Latina on the Board of Supervisors , with what many considered to be a racist , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about systemic brutality and racism by police toward people of color .
Earlier in the year , the Board of Supervisors sent a scathing letter to Villanueva , imploring him to correct the record after supervisors said he had spread false information about deputies ’ sick leave pay during the coronavirus outbreak .
This led to threats against Hamai , the letter said .
“ I frankly think that if we litigated her case , a jury could have hit the county for a lot more than $ 1.5 million , a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a live social media broadcast Wednesday , Villanueva criticized Hamai ’ s request , which he noted comes at a time when the Sheriff ’ s Department is facing budget cuts that could trigger layoffs .
The board cut $ 162 million from the Sheriff ’ s Department budget , which county officials have said could result in 451 potential layoffs , records show .
“ Giving the outgoing CEO who makes way north of half a million dollars in annual salary $ 1.5 million — I think that ’ s a gift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m not too sure .
That ’ s just my opinion , ” Villanueva said .
“ For the 700-plus Sheriff ’ s Department employees who are looking at losing their job because supposedly we ’ re in a financial crisis , giving any county employee $ 1.5 million on their way out the door as a golden handshake — that really , I think that ’ s outrageous.
” Miller ’ s letter , which Villanueva said was sent to him anonymously , is labeled privileged and confidential .
He said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office because it “ looks like there was a potential theft of attorney-client product that somehow wound up in our hands as well.
” Hamai had initially planned to retire at the end of March but agreed to see the county through the financial turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic .
Known for being a low-key figure , Hamai started her job with the county in 1988 , first for the auditor-controller and steadily rising through the ranks .
“ Sachi Hamai has been a loyal public servant to Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three decades , ” L.A. County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Kathryn Barger said in a statement .
“ I have had the privilege of working with Ms. Hamai through much of our long County careers and I have always appreciated her steadfast dedication and remarkable stewardship.
” Hamai said in a statement that , as she finishes up her 32-year career with the county , it ’ s disheartening that she has been subjected to a “ hostile and toxic work environment created by a fellow department head.
” “ This department head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past several months have added needless distractions and animosity at a time that I have been working nonstop to bring our County family together to confront some of the most challenging public health and economic crises in our recent history , ” Hamai said .
Villanueva could not be reached Wednesday evening when contacted by The Times about Hamai ’ s comments .
Although Hamai ’ s request for money and security were approved , her actions may have other consequences .
Making the case for a hostile work environment could prompt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to launch an investigation into Villanueva , an ethics expert said .
“ It struck me as a way to try and affect his behavior , so he stops this public retaliatory commentary that does actually seem to be a pattern of his , and at least based on what I could find , seems to be primarily aimed at women , ” said Ann Skeet , senior director of leadership ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University .
Times staff writers Adam Elmahrek and Matt Stiles contributed @ @ @ @

Sachi Hamai, L.A. County’s outgoing chief executive, has been the target of Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s anger for several months, ire that led to concerns for her personal safety, according to a letter sent to county supervisors.
After facing months of alleged “unrelenting and brutal” harassment from Sheriff Alex Villanueva, the chief executive of Los Angeles County will receive $1.5 million and full-time private security after she retires Monday to address concerns for her personal safety, according to a settlement agreement and a recent letter sent to the county’s Board of Supervisors.
Sachi Hamai has been the target of Villanueva’s anger over the last several months, ire that seemed to intensify in March when the board removed Villanueva as the head of the county’s emergency operations center just as the COVID-19 pandemic began to intensify in L.A., according to the letter obtained by The Times.
Villanueva took this “as a personal affront and castigated Ms. Hamai over it,” the letter said. The three-page missive was sent to the board July 30 by attorney Skip Miller, litigation counsel for L.A. County.
“He lied to the press saying she denied first responders their salaries while quarantined,” Miller wrote. “Incited by the Sheriff, individuals threatened to post her home address and suggested she be harmed.”
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County Counsel Mary Wickham signed off on the settlement Aug. 10. Hamai will not receive severance or any other payments and agreed not to sue the county, according to the agreement. The board authorized Wickham to settle on its behalf, Miller said.
The settlement and allegations are the latest in a lengthy series of clashes and tense relations between the sheriff and other county leaders since his surprise 2018 election victory over predecessor Jim McDonnell.
Most recently, Villanueva suggested Hamai had committed a felony because she served on the board of United Way of Greater Los Angeles, which is supporting a November ballot measure that could lead to millions being redirected from the Sheriff’s Department to mental health and jail diversion services. (Hamai stepped down from the United Way board before the board’s vote and has said she hadn’t previously known about the United Way’s efforts to pass the initiative.)
In July, Villanueva referred to Hilda Solis, the only Latina on the Board of Supervisors, with what many considered to be a racist, misogynistic term after she made comments publicly about systemic brutality and racism by police toward people of color.
Earlier in the year, the Board of Supervisors sent a scathing letter to Villanueva, imploring him to correct the record after supervisors said he had spread false information about deputies’ sick leave pay during the coronavirus outbreak.
This led to threats against Hamai, the letter said.
“I frankly think that if we litigated her case, a jury could have hit the county for a lot more than $1.5 million, a lot more,” Miller said.
California Attorney for top L.A. County official accuses sheriff of defamation over Facebook Live comments An attorney representing Los Angeles County’s chief executive officer has accused Sheriff Alex Villanueva of defamation and threatened to take legal action against him over comments he made Wednesday on a live Facebook broadcast.
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In a live social media broadcast Wednesday, Villanueva criticized Hamai’s request, which he noted comes at a time when the Sheriff’s Department is facing budget cuts that could trigger layoffs. The board cut $162 million from the Sheriff’s Department budget, which county officials have said could result in 451 potential layoffs, records show.
“Giving the outgoing CEO who makes way north of half a million dollars in annual salary $1.5 million — I think that’s a gift of public money, but I’m not too sure. That’s just my opinion,” Villanueva said.
“For the 700-plus Sheriff’s Department employees who are looking at losing their job because supposedly we’re in a financial crisis, giving any county employee $1.5 million on their way out the door as a golden handshake — that really, I think that’s outrageous.”
Miller’s letter, which Villanueva said was sent to him anonymously, is labeled privileged and confidential. He said he plans to alert the state attorney general’s office because it “looks like there was a potential theft of attorney-client product that somehow wound up in our hands as well.”
Hamai had initially planned to retire at the end of March but agreed to see the county through the financial turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Known for being a low-key figure, Hamai started her job with the county in 1988, first for the auditor-controller and steadily rising through the ranks.
“Sachi Hamai has been a loyal public servant to Los Angeles County and its residents for more than three decades,” L.A. County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Kathryn Barger said in a statement. “I have had the privilege of working with Ms. Hamai through much of our long County careers and I have always appreciated her steadfast dedication and remarkable stewardship.”
Hamai said in a statement that, as she finishes up her 32-year career with the county, it’s disheartening that she has been subjected to a “hostile and toxic work environment created by a fellow department head.”
“This department head’s antagonistic statements and actions over the past several months have added needless distractions and animosity at a time that I have been working nonstop to bring our County family together to confront some of the most challenging public health and economic crises in our recent history,” Hamai said.
Villanueva could not be reached Wednesday evening when contacted by The Times about Hamai’s comments.
Although Hamai’s request for money and security were approved, her actions may have other consequences.
Making the case for a hostile work environment could prompt the county’s Human Resources Department to launch an investigation into Villanueva, an ethics expert said.
“It struck me as a way to try and affect his behavior, so he stops this public retaliatory commentary that does actually seem to be a pattern of his, and at least based on what I could find, seems to be primarily aimed at women,” said Ann Skeet, senior director of leadership ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University.
Times staff writers Adam Elmahrek and Matt Stiles contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-26--O.C. sheriff's sergeant accidentally fires weapon at airport, injuring employee

An Orange County Sheriff ’ s Department sergeant accidentally fired his weapon inside John Wayne Airport on Wednesday morning , @ @ @ @ @ The incident , described as an “ unintentional weapon discharge ” in a statement by @ @ @ @ @ , occurred about 7 a.m. in an administrative office .
The round struck a wall @ @ @ @ @ a woman in her 50s , in the arm .
Officials said that airport operations @ @ @ @ @ that area is one that the public typically doesn ’ t access .
The Sheriff @ @ @ @ @ an internal probe while the Orange County district attorney ’ s office will also investigate @ @ @ @ @ standard in such cases .

A jet passes over the San Diego Freeway as it approaches John Wayne Airport.
An Orange County Sheriff’s Department sergeant accidentally fired his weapon inside John Wayne Airport on Wednesday morning, injuring an airport employee.
The incident, described as an “unintentional weapon discharge” in a statement by the Sheriff’s Department, occurred about 7 a.m. in an administrative office.
The round struck a wall and hit the employee, a woman in her 50s, in the arm.
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Officials said that airport operations weren’t affected and that area is one that the public typically doesn’t access.
The Sheriff’s Department will conduct an internal probe while the Orange County district attorney’s office will also investigate, both of which are standard in such cases.


latimes--2020-08-26--Police in L.A. region announce dozens of arrests and ongoing pursuit of suspects from summer unrest

Police from across the Los Angeles region announced Wednesday the arrests of dozens of people on arson , burglary and looting charges stemming from the unrest of late May and early June that gripped cities including Long Beach , Santa Monica and L.A. Officials said the arrests were part of an ongoing effort among local , state and federal agencies to hold accountable individuals and organized criminal groups that took advantage of mass protests against police brutality to burglarize stores and cause mayhem .
Standing alongside many of the area ’ s most prominent law enforcement officials outside Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michel Moore said the arrests were the result of good police work as well as tips from community members and protesters who realized the crimes they had witnessed were not in the interest of social justice or police reform .
“ I want to point out that many of these arrests are the direct result of tips and leads and our community stepping forward , including demonstrators — people who were lawfully and rightfully in our streets and witnessed acts of arson , attacks against police officers , attacks on other protesters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Moore described the arrests as “ a means of supporting lawful demonstration , of ensuring the 1st Amendment rights of everyone are protected , ” rather than an effort to deter protest .
The announcement of the arrests comes nearly two months after the 17-agency task force began posting images and video of suspects online , and the FBI offered $ 10,000 rewards for information leading to arrests .
The FBI said it is processing some rewards as a result of tips but could not say how many .
Though thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week of citywide curfews and police orders declaring large gatherings unlawful , relatively few were charged at the time with serious crimes .
The LAPD and other agencies took criticism for staging their officers in skirmish lines around crowds of protesters instead of sending them after individuals who were vandalizing property , burglarizing stores and setting fires nearby .
Police said that the crowds had grown large and dangerous , demanding a police response , and that others used the distraction as cover to commit crimes on the periphery and elsewhere in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promised to circle back to make additional arrests related to the violence and vandalism , including by pulling surveillance and body-camera footage and asking the public to send in videos , pictures and other evidence that could help investigators identify and track down suspects .
The search for suspects has riled some who allege that it has been too aggressive and that police have made some accusations with little evidence to back them up .
But police say they have been careful and have brought only cases that will stand up in court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of arrests across all agencies , but individual police chiefs provided figures .
Moore said the LAPD had served 30 search warrants and arrested 14 people in connection with nearly 50 incidents — mostly arson , burglary or looting , a special charge in California covering burglary and theft that occurs during a state of emergency .
One raid at a location associated with an arson and looting suspect resulted in the recovery of an assault-style rifle and substantial amounts of methamphetamine and marijuana , Moore said .
The LAPD is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moore said .
Santa Monica Police Chief Cynthia Renaud said her agency had served 28 search warrants and made 19 arrests .
Renaud said some of those arrested were clearly working as part of organized criminal groups operating not just in Santa Monica but also across the region , including in L.A. and Long Beach .
“ There were clear plans .
There were multiple people in the same vehicles .
There were vehicles following other vehicles .
They staged in parking lots , sent one vehicle in to loot with a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out in the car … for a very quick entry and exit , which made it difficult for law enforcement to interdict , ” Renaud said .
“ They were carrying with them suitcases and large bags , indicating that they had planned this with a specific intent — not of engaging in protest activity.
” Renaud said that her department still has open investigations and that “ there is still more work to be done.
” She did not specify which cases involved organized crime groups , or what those groups were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Herzog said his agency had served more than 20 search warrants and made 23 arrests .
U.S. Atty .
Nick Hanna said his office is reviewing cases brought by local agencies to determine whether any merit federal prosecution and has already brought arson cases in the burning of a pizzeria in Sylmar and a sushi restaurant in Santa Monica .
He said the charges — arson affecting interstate commerce — carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison .
“ These are serious charges for serious crimes , and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others who seek to cause mayhem during periods of civil unrest , ” Hanna said .
The task force includes the LAPD , the Los Angeles Fire Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department , as well as police from Beverly Hills , Long Beach , Santa Monica and Torrance .
It also includes multiple federal law enforcement agencies , the California Highway Patrol and local and federal prosecutors .

Police Chief Michel Moore joins other law enforcement officials outside LAPD headquarters to announce arrests that officials said focused on those who took advantage of mass protests to burglarize stores and cause mayhem.
Police from across the Los Angeles region announced Wednesday the arrests of dozens of people on arson, burglary and looting charges stemming from the unrest of late May and early June that gripped cities including Long Beach, Santa Monica and L.A.
Officials said the arrests were part of an ongoing effort among local, state and federal agencies to hold accountable individuals and organized criminal groups that took advantage of mass protests against police brutality to burglarize stores and cause mayhem.
Standing alongside many of the area’s most prominent law enforcement officials outside Los Angeles Police Department headquarters downtown, LAPD Chief Michel Moore said the arrests were the result of good police work as well as tips from community members and protesters who realized the crimes they had witnessed were not in the interest of social justice or police reform.
“I want to point out that many of these arrests are the direct result of tips and leads and our community stepping forward, including demonstrators — people who were lawfully and rightfully in our streets and witnessed acts of arson, attacks against police officers, attacks on other protesters, burglary and other crimes,” Moore said.
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Moore described the arrests as “a means of supporting lawful demonstration, of ensuring the 1st Amendment rights of everyone are protected,” rather than an effort to deter protest.
The announcement of the arrests comes nearly two months after the 17-agency task force began posting images and video of suspects online, and the FBI offered $10,000 rewards for information leading to arrests.
The FBI said it is processing some rewards as a result of tips but could not say how many.
Though thousands of people were arrested in L.A. during a week of citywide curfews and police orders declaring large gatherings unlawful, relatively few were charged at the time with serious crimes. The LAPD and other agencies took criticism for staging their officers in skirmish lines around crowds of protesters instead of sending them after individuals who were vandalizing property, burglarizing stores and setting fires nearby.
Police said that the crowds had grown large and dangerous, demanding a police response, and that others used the distraction as cover to commit crimes on the periphery and elsewhere in their agencies’ coverage areas. They promised to circle back to make additional arrests related to the violence and vandalism, including by pulling surveillance and body-camera footage and asking the public to send in videos, pictures and other evidence that could help investigators identify and track down suspects.
The search for suspects has riled some who allege that it has been too aggressive and that police have made some accusations with little evidence to back them up. But police say they have been careful and have brought only cases that will stand up in court.
Officials did not have a total number of arrests across all agencies, but individual police chiefs provided figures.
Moore said the LAPD had served 30 search warrants and arrested 14 people in connection with nearly 50 incidents — mostly arson, burglary or looting, a special charge in California covering burglary and theft that occurs during a state of emergency.
One raid at a location associated with an arson and looting suspect resulted in the recovery of an assault-style rifle and substantial amounts of methamphetamine and marijuana, Moore said.
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The LAPD is still investigating more than 100 other incidents, Moore said.
Santa Monica Police Chief Cynthia Renaud said her agency had served 28 search warrants and made 19 arrests.
Renaud said some of those arrested were clearly working as part of organized criminal groups operating not just in Santa Monica but also across the region, including in L.A. and Long Beach.
“There were clear plans. There were multiple people in the same vehicles. There were vehicles following other vehicles. They staged in parking lots, sent one vehicle in to loot with a person who was being timed by someone waiting out in the car … for a very quick entry and exit, which made it difficult for law enforcement to interdict,” Renaud said.
“They were carrying with them suitcases and large bags, indicating that they had planned this with a specific intent — not of engaging in protest activity.”
Renaud said that her department still has open investigations and that “there is still more work to be done.” She did not specify which cases involved organized crime groups, or what those groups were.
Long Beach Deputy Police Chief Eric Herzog said his agency had served more than 20 search warrants and made 23 arrests.
U.S. Atty. Nick Hanna said his office is reviewing cases brought by local agencies to determine whether any merit federal prosecution and has already brought arson cases in the burning of a pizzeria in Sylmar and a sushi restaurant in Santa Monica.
He said the charges — arson affecting interstate commerce — carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison.
“These are serious charges for serious crimes, and we hope this will send a message to others who seek to cause mayhem during periods of civil unrest,” Hanna said.
The task force includes the LAPD, the Los Angeles Fire Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, as well as police from Beverly Hills, Long Beach, Santa Monica and Torrance. It also includes multiple federal law enforcement agencies, the California Highway Patrol and local and federal prosecutors.


latimes--2020-08-26--Protesters march in downtown L.A. over Jacob Blake shooting

Hundreds of protesters rallied in downtown L.A. on Wednesday evening as nationwide demonstrations continue over the police shooting of Jacob Blake , a Black man in Wisconsin .
About 300 people marched around downtown L.A. through the evening .
At around 11 p.m. , Los Angeles police clashed with some of the protesters inside the 3rd Street tunnel .
According to video from KABC , scuffles broke out between some officers and protesters , and some demonstrators were seen being taken into custody .
The LAPD could not immediately be reached for comment .
The protesters join others across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 29 , in the small city of Kenosha , Wis. , as well as the deaths of two people who were killed this week during protests there .
Cellphone video shows Blake being shot as he leaned into his car with his children inside .
Blake is hospitalized in serious condition and is paralyzed .
Police officials have said they were responding to a call about a domestic dispute and did not immediately say whether Blake had a weapon or why police fired .
Kenosha County Dist .
Atty .
Michael Graveley is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department ’ s Division of Criminal Investigation .
Hundreds demonstrated nightly this week in Kenosha , defying city curfews and clashing with police .
Police on Wednesday arrested a juvenile in the fatal shooting of two people during the protests .
Several Kenosha County supervisors asked Wisconsin ’ s Democratic governor Wednesday to send in 1,250 additional National Guard members to the city to reinforce the 250 already patrolling .
On Monday , hundreds of protesters also marched by the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters downtown to denounce Blake ’ s shooting .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ barricade that had been set up at the building ’ s perimeter , video from the scene showed .
Police declared the protest an unlawful assembly about 11:20 p.m .
There were also reports of police firing projectiles into the crowd .
Times staff writers Jaweed Kaleem and Luke Money contributed to this report .

In this September 2019 selfie taken in Evanston, Ill., Adria-Joi Watkins poses with her second cousin Jacob Blake, who was shot multiple times Sunday by police in Kenosha, Wis.
Hundreds of protesters rallied in downtown L.A. on Wednesday evening as nationwide demonstrations continue over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man in Wisconsin.
About 300 people marched around downtown L.A. through the evening. At around 11 p.m., Los Angeles police clashed with some of the protesters inside the 3rd Street tunnel. According to video from KABC, scuffles broke out between some officers and protesters, and some demonstrators were seen being taken into custody.
The LAPD could not immediately be reached for comment.
The protesters join others across the country decrying the shooting of Blake, 29, in the small city of Kenosha, Wis., as well as the deaths of two people who were killed this week during protests there. Cellphone video shows Blake being shot as he leaned into his car with his children inside. Blake is hospitalized in serious condition and is paralyzed.
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Police officials have said they were responding to a call about a domestic dispute and did not immediately say whether Blake had a weapon or why police fired. Kenosha County Dist. Atty. Michael Graveley is investigating the shooting with the Wisconsin Justice Department’s Division of Criminal Investigation.
Hundreds demonstrated nightly this week in Kenosha, defying city curfews and clashing with police. Police on Wednesday arrested a juvenile in the fatal shooting of two people during the protests. Several Kenosha County supervisors asked Wisconsin’s Democratic governor Wednesday to send in 1,250 additional National Guard members to the city to reinforce the 250 already patrolling.
On Monday, hundreds of protesters also marched by the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters downtown to denounce Blake’s shooting. Protesters at one point moved a metal barricade that had been set up at the building’s perimeter, video from the scene showed. Police declared the protest an unlawful assembly about 11:20 p.m. There were also reports of police firing projectiles into the crowd.
Times staff writers Jaweed Kaleem and Luke Money contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-26--A second L.A. Metro bus driver has died of complications from COVID-19

A Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus driver has died of complications from COVID-19 , Los Angeles County officials said Wednesday .
The operator , whose name has not been released , worked out of Division 2 , a bus yard at 15th and San Pedro streets in downtown Los Angeles .
He had been with the agency for 22 years , Metro spokesman Dave Sotero said .
The operator is the second Metro employee to die of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
A driver based at the bus yard next to Union Station died in June , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contractor died in April .
The driver ’ s most recent route was Line 611 , through Cudahy and Huntington Park , said coworkers who were not authorized to speak publicly .
They said he was a soft-spoken man known for playing chess in the break room on a green-and-white checkered board .
“ We extend our deepest sympathies to the family of our bus operator , a long-time Metro employee who faithfully served the public for more than two decades , ” said Metro Chief Executive Phil Washington in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ loss as this pandemic continues to tear away the normalcy of our daily lives.
” Metro has reported 341 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among employees , contractors and vendors since March .
Of those cases , at least 90 are bus drivers , according to the most recent data available .
After bus ridership plummeted 65 % , Metro made deep cuts to service in April , reducing bus frequency by 29 % .
Ridership has since climbed slowly to about half of pre-pandemic levels , officials said .
Even with fewer people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fear they could contract the virus from a passenger .
Metro is allowing riders to board through the rear doors .
Some drivers have used caution tape , bungee cords or seat belts to block off the front of the bus and prevent passengers from approaching them .
Metro made masks mandatory for all riders on May 11 , one of the first U.S. transit agencies to do so .
More than 95 % of riders are now wearing masks , officials say .

The Metro driver worked out of the bus yard at the southern end of downtown Los Angeles.
A Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus driver has died of complications from COVID-19, Los Angeles County officials said Wednesday.
The operator, whose name has not been released, worked out of Division 2, a bus yard at 15th and San Pedro streets in downtown Los Angeles. He had been with the agency for 22 years, Metro spokesman Dave Sotero said.
The operator is the second Metro employee to die of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. A driver based at the bus yard next to Union Station died in June, and a security guard working as a Metro contractor died in April.
The driver’s most recent route was Line 611, through Cudahy and Huntington Park, said coworkers who were not authorized to speak publicly. They said he was a soft-spoken man known for playing chess in the break room on a green-and-white checkered board.
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“We extend our deepest sympathies to the family of our bus operator, a long-time Metro employee who faithfully served the public for more than two decades,” said Metro Chief Executive Phil Washington in a statement. “We are greatly saddened by this loss as this pandemic continues to tear away the normalcy of our daily lives.”
Science & Medicine Coronavirus Today: The COVID blues Our special-edition newsletter breaks down the latest coronavirus news, including the severe impact the pandemic is having on Californians’ mental health.
Metro has reported 341 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among employees, contractors and vendors since March. Of those cases, at least 90 are bus drivers, according to the most recent data available.
After bus ridership plummeted 65%, Metro made deep cuts to service in April, reducing bus frequency by 29%. Ridership has since climbed slowly to about half of pre-pandemic levels, officials said.
Even with fewer people on board, bus drivers say they fear they could contract the virus from a passenger. Metro is allowing riders to board through the rear doors. Some drivers have used caution tape, bungee cords or seat belts to block off the front of the bus and prevent passengers from approaching them.
Metro made masks mandatory for all riders on May 11, one of the first U.S. transit agencies to do so. More than 95% of riders are now wearing masks, officials say.


latimes--2020-08-26--L.A. County reports cases of newborns with COVID-19 for first time

Los Angeles County officials on Wednesday reported the first cases of COVID-19 among newborns .
Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer reported that 1,200 pregnant women and girls between the ages of 14 and 52 have tested positive for the virus and two have died of complications .
Of the 193 babies who were tested at birth , eight were positive .
The county has routinely updated COVID-19 numbers as it relates to pregnancies , but has never announced a positive case among an infant until now .
Of the women who tested positive , 80 % were Latina — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
“ This inquiry is a mirror image of what the Latinx community has experienced since the pandemic began , ” Ferrer said last month .
About 79 % of pregnant women who tested positive for the coronavirus were symptomatic .
According to Ferrer , 25 % tested positive during the first trimester of pregnancy , 35 % during the second , 29 % during the third and 11 % while in labor .
Much is unknown about how the virus can be passed from a mother to a newborn .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ signs of the virus were found in samples of umbilical cord blood , the placenta and , in one case , breast milk among 31 women with COVID-19 who delivered babies in March and April .
Ferrer recommended that new mothers who may be sick with the virus after giving birth should consider using a mask while breastfeeding or bottle-feeding .

Los Angeles County officials on Wednesday reported the first cases of COVID-19 among newborns.
Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer reported that 1,200 pregnant women and girls between the ages of 14 and 52 have tested positive for the virus and two have died of complications. Of the 193 babies who were tested at birth, eight were positive.
The county has routinely updated COVID-19 numbers as it relates to pregnancies, but has never announced a positive case among an infant until now.
Of the women who tested positive, 80% were Latina — a community that has been disproportionately affected by the virus.
“This inquiry is a mirror image of what the Latinx community has experienced since the pandemic began,” Ferrer said last month.
About 79% of pregnant women who tested positive for the coronavirus were symptomatic. According to Ferrer, 25% tested positive during the first trimester of pregnancy, 35% during the second, 29% during the third and 11% while in labor.
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Much is unknown about how the virus can be passed from a mother to a newborn. In July, researchers in Italy said signs of the virus were found in samples of umbilical cord blood, the placenta and, in one case, breast milk among 31 women with COVID-19 who delivered babies in March and April.
Ferrer recommended that new mothers who may be sick with the virus after giving birth should consider using a mask while breastfeeding or bottle-feeding.


latimes--2020-08-26--Protesters surround tents, block streets to stop major cleanup of Hollywood homeless encampment

Activists took to the streets of Hollywood on Wednesday to protest what they described as disruptive sweeps of homeless encampments and demand that L.A. leaders commandeer hotels to house people living on the streets .
The Services Not Sweeps coalition said it had booked hotel rooms for more than 20 people who sleep near a city shelter in Hollywood and was occupying their spots on the street to resist a scheduled cleanup in the area .
Protesters denounced such “ comprehensive cleanups , ” the term used by the city for cleanups that require homeless people to remove their tents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and argued that they put people at greater risk of becoming ill with COVID-19 .
“ It makes more sense to get folks indoors than to continue to harass them week after week with sweeps , ” said Ashley Bennett , co-founder of the progressive group Ground Game LA .
“ Good cleaning and trash pickup are services we absolutely deserve .
But moving things every single week amidst a pandemic — it just doesn ’ t make sense.
” Bennett , a former outreach worker with the Los Angeles Homeless Services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency to “ step up to the plate ” and find housing for the people for whom activists had booked rooms .
During the protest , dozens of demonstrators blocked streets and surrounded tents to prevent them from being removed , holding up signs with slogans such as “ No More Sweeps.
” At one point , a scuffle broke out between a man who was driving a truck and protesters blocking McCadden Place .
The demonstration comes weeks after the Los Angeles City Council voted to resume comprehensive cleanups in zones outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city .
Such cleanups require people to move their tents , unlike “ spot cleanings ” in which sanitation workers clean around the tents , and they can last anywhere from a few hours to an entire day , according to sanitation officials .
Backers of the move argued the intensive cleanups were needed to prevent trash and junk from piling up on city streets .
The decision to resume such cleanups alarmed advocates for homeless residents and some council members , who argued that it defied health guidelines during the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Prevention warns that “ clearing encampments can cause people to disperse throughout the community , ” which “ increases the potential for infectious disease spread.
” At a July hearing , Councilman Joe Buscaino countered that people had to relocate only temporarily for the cleanings and likened the practice to moving cars ahead of street sweeping .
He later added that the CDC guidelines did not “ accurately reflect the situation on the ground ” because he had seen homeless people who were not isolating in their tents .
“ All I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up our streets .
Why is that not acceptable ?
” Buscaino said in July .
Buscaino and other officials also balked at activists ’ use of the term “ sweep , ” arguing that the city is simply cleaning up trash .
Homeless activists , in turn , counter that the practice is much more disruptive than mere cleaning .
Protest organizers said they were demanding an immediate halt to the comprehensive cleanups and elimination of special zones outside the city shelters that have stricter enforcement .
As protesters gathered Wednesday in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spot cleaning in the area instead of a comprehensive cleanup , according to the Bureau of Sanitation .
“ One of the things our teams are trained now to do is deescalate , and that ’ s what they did this morning , ” said Elena Stern , a spokeswoman for the Sanitation Bureau .
“ Our crews are trained not to get into confrontations.
” Stern added that the cleanups now include services such as coronavirus testing , tent exchanges and hygiene kits .
Jed Parriott , an organizer with Street Watch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreed to do spot cleaning during the Wednesday protest , they had continued to ask unhoused people to move and had approached unattended tents , spurring protesters to block those tents with their bodies .
“ They ’ re trying so hard to clear people even though we ’ ve told them , ‘ The residents don ’ t want you to do that , ’ ” he said .
The Services Not Sweeps coalition also called for Los Angeles to remove law enforcement from any homeless outreach efforts and to create a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city decisions on homelessness .
Council members have been exploring the idea of a city commission made up of people who are or have recently been homeless in L.A .
In a court case , homeless advocates recently accused L.A. of defying an April order that prohibits the city from seizing and destroying bulky objects such as mattresses and carts based solely on their size .
Under the order , such belongings can still be confiscated in other circumstances , including if they are blocking the sidewalk or threaten public safety .
Attorneys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people said in a court filing that after the council voted to resume comprehensive cleanups , L.A. posted signs in San Pedro indicating that “ Bulky items are always prohibited ” ahead of a cleaning , as well as other improper notices in other neighborhoods .
Putting up such signs is “ not simply a harmless act , ” the attorneys wrote , because people are likely to abandon their belongings thinking they will be removed , with “ no way of knowing that the city is enjoined from actually doing so.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city in contempt of court .
Rob Wilcox , a spokesman for the Los Angeles city attorney , said Wednesday that the office was reviewing the claims and preparing a response for the court .

Services Not Sweeps coalition members surround tents to stop city workers from removing them during a scheduled “comprehensive cleanup” on Cherokee Avenue in Hollywood.
Activists took to the streets of Hollywood on Wednesday to protest what they described as disruptive sweeps of homeless encampments and demand that L.A. leaders commandeer hotels to house people living on the streets.
The Services Not Sweeps coalition said it had booked hotel rooms for more than 20 people who sleep near a city shelter in Hollywood and was occupying their spots on the street to resist a scheduled cleanup in the area.
Protesters denounced such “comprehensive cleanups,” the term used by the city for cleanups that require homeless people to remove their tents, as destructive, costly and inhumane, and argued that they put people at greater risk of becoming ill with COVID-19.
“It makes more sense to get folks indoors than to continue to harass them week after week with sweeps,” said Ashley Bennett, co-founder of the progressive group Ground Game LA. “Good cleaning and trash pickup are services we absolutely deserve. But moving things every single week amidst a pandemic — it just doesn’t make sense.”
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Bennett, a former outreach worker with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, also called on the homeless agency to “step up to the plate” and find housing for the people for whom activists had booked rooms.
During the protest, dozens of demonstrators blocked streets and surrounded tents to prevent them from being removed, holding up signs with slogans such as “No More Sweeps.” At one point, a scuffle broke out between a man who was driving a truck and protesters blocking McCadden Place.
Services Not Sweeps coalition members restrain a man after a scuffle broke out between him and a protester at McCadden Place and De Longpre Avenue. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
The demonstration comes weeks after the Los Angeles City Council voted to resume comprehensive cleanups in zones outside “bridge housing” shelters run by the city.
Such cleanups require people to move their tents, unlike “spot cleanings” in which sanitation workers clean around the tents, and they can last anywhere from a few hours to an entire day, according to sanitation officials. Backers of the move argued the intensive cleanups were needed to prevent trash and junk from piling up on city streets.
California L.A. council votes to resume major cleanups near shelters Supporters of the decision said it was needed to maintain cleanliness and keep promises that city leaders made to neighbors. Critics said it would put homeless people at greater risk during the pandemic.
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The decision to resume such cleanups alarmed advocates for homeless residents and some council members, who argued that it defied health guidelines during the pandemic. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that “clearing encampments can cause people to disperse throughout the community,” which “increases the potential for infectious disease spread.”
At a July hearing, Councilman Joe Buscaino countered that people had to relocate only temporarily for the cleanings and likened the practice to moving cars ahead of street sweeping. He later added that the CDC guidelines did not “accurately reflect the situation on the ground” because he had seen homeless people who were not isolating in their tents.
“All I’m asking is to simply clean up our streets. Why is that not acceptable?” Buscaino said in July.
Buscaino and other officials also balked at activists’ use of the term “sweep,” arguing that the city is simply cleaning up trash. Homeless activists, in turn, counter that the practice is much more disruptive than mere cleaning.
A city worker talks to a man living in a tent on the sidewalk along Cherokee Avenue in Hollywood. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Protest organizers said they were demanding an immediate halt to the comprehensive cleanups and elimination of special zones outside the city shelters that have stricter enforcement. As protesters gathered Wednesday in Hollywood, city crews decided to do spot cleaning in the area instead of a comprehensive cleanup, according to the Bureau of Sanitation.
“One of the things our teams are trained now to do is deescalate, and that’s what they did this morning,” said Elena Stern, a spokeswoman for the Sanitation Bureau. “Our crews are trained not to get into confrontations.”
Stern added that the cleanups now include services such as coronavirus testing, tent exchanges and hygiene kits.
Jed Parriott, an organizer with Street Watch LA, said that although city crews agreed to do spot cleaning during the Wednesday protest, they had continued to ask unhoused people to move and had approached unattended tents, spurring protesters to block those tents with their bodies.
“They’re trying so hard to clear people even though we’ve told them, ‘The residents don’t want you to do that,’” he said.
Services Not Sweeps coalition members protest in front of a Bureau of Sanitation truck on McCadden Place. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
The Services Not Sweeps coalition also called for Los Angeles to remove law enforcement from any homeless outreach efforts and to create a new committee of unhoused people to oversee city decisions on homelessness. Council members have been exploring the idea of a city commission made up of people who are or have recently been homeless in L.A.
In a court case, homeless advocates recently accused L.A. of defying an April order that prohibits the city from seizing and destroying bulky objects such as mattresses and carts based solely on their size. Under the order, such belongings can still be confiscated in other circumstances, including if they are blocking the sidewalk or threaten public safety.
Attorneys representing Ktown for All and several homeless people said in a court filing that after the council voted to resume comprehensive cleanups, L.A. posted signs in San Pedro indicating that “Bulky items are always prohibited” ahead of a cleaning, as well as other improper notices in other neighborhoods.
Putting up such signs is “not simply a harmless act,” the attorneys wrote, because people are likely to abandon their belongings thinking they will be removed, with “no way of knowing that the city is enjoined from actually doing so.”
The attorneys urged the judge to deem the city in contempt of court. Rob Wilcox, a spokesman for the Los Angeles city attorney, said Wednesday that the office was reviewing the claims and preparing a response for the court.