latimes--2020-06-23--LAUSD board to decide whether to defund school police

A uniformed and armed school police officer pepper-sprays students at a campus in Los Angeles .
Is that excessive force , even police brutality , or a rare but justifiable de-escalation of an incident that otherwise could have become more dangerous ?
As the Los Angeles Unified School District ’ s Board of Education debates the future of its 471-member police department Tuesday , two distinct interpretations are emerging from similar data on police involvement at schools : one points toward eliminating officers on campus ; the other toward keeping them in place .
The seven-member L.A. Board of Education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Board member Monica Garcia has proposed essentially eliminating the department in a phased approach beginning July 1 , 2021 .
Her plan has backing from activist groups , students and community members who ’ ve called for defunding the school police .
Their longtime campaign gained traction amid nationwide protests over police brutality under the banner of Black Lives Matter , spurred by the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody .
Two weeks ago , the leadership of the Los Angeles teachers union voted to do away with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use the funds for such needs as counselors and nurses .
The school board also will consider two other proposals .
Each calls for a panel to study policing ; one includes additional changes , such as a hiring freeze and a ban on the use of pepper spray .
L.A. schools Supt .
Austin Beutner has supported a ban on pepper spray .
But he cautioned Monday against moving immediately to terminate the school police department .
“ No person should feel the presence of a safety officer on a campus as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Beutner said .
“ Students deserve to be heard on this topic and their views taken into account.
” All the same , he said , “ those who want to abolish school police must provide a reasoned answer how the threats of mass violence and incidences of serious crime will be handled at schools .
And they need to explain to those who are in favor of school police why campuses will be safer in their absence.
” Also Monday , those opposing school police made their case at an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narratives and a new policy brief from UCLA researchers and advocates .
The policy brief , from the Black Male Institute at UCLA , noted that reports to a district incident tracking system — which records anything that affects school functions — are on the rise .
While these incidents can include mundane matters such as lost keys , those that appeared to fall under the purview of police rose 76 % over the eight school years ending in 2018-19 .
Meanwhile , calls for students who are exposed to trauma and violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 906 % over that same period , in what researcher Elianny Edwards said shows “ an increasing need for mental health providers.
” Reports of suicidal behavior — which include ideation , self-harm and hospitalization — accounted for 24 % of all incidents .
The brief also noted that since the 2005-06 school year , L.A. Unified has experienced an 18 % decrease in enrollment , even as the school police budget has increased by 48 % .
Meanwhile , the ratio of counselors to students , as specified in the teachers union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secondary schools .
The brief calls for doubling the number of counselors , in addition to increasing the ranks of social workers and other staff devoted to mental health .
A logical source of funding would be the school police budget , the researchers wrote .
Beutner on Monday suggested that about 10 % of the current police budget could be quickly redirected to counseling without impairing security .
At the same time , the school system put forward a different but overlapping data set , suggesting that school police take on important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less safe .
In 2018-19 , the last full school year during which campuses were open , police investigated 131 mass shooting threats , four bomb threats and 77 assaults with a deadly weapon .
There were 294 campus lockdowns , more than half from an off-campus threat .
There also were 321 calls for burglaries , five reported rapes and four guns recovered on campuses .
And over the last 11 months , the district has recorded 913 “ crimes against persons.
” The district reported that its officers used pepper spray @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , seven of which involved students .
The statistics released Monday differ from those the district provided to The Times last week , when the data were organized by calendar year and did not specify how many incidents involved students .
To the activists , the only correct number for pepper-spray incidents is zero .
But L.A. school police Deputy Chief Leslie Ramirez said that in some situations , the use of pepper spray is safer for students and officers than physically wading into an altercation , for example .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involves pepper spray and other uses of force to make sure that if there is any issue that we ’ re seeing with improper deployment or use , that we immediately address that and provide the necessary training , ” she said .
The district has declined to release incident reports and internal reviews of officers ’ use of pepper spray .
District officials have repeatedly characterized the school police department as a national leader in adopting policing reforms .
In particular , they emphasize efforts by officers and other school staff to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously would have resulted in suspensions , arrests and expulsions .
Some of these changes cited by police and district officials followed pressure by activists .
While some of the threat felt by students may be unintended , it ’ s still detrimental , said Jan Williams , an L.A. Unified bus driver and parent .
She said that several years ago , when her son was 12 , he was terrified to see police on a city bus , after a Cleveland police officer fatally shot Tamir Rice , a Black boy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uniformed police on campus reinforces that trauma and fear , said Williams .
She also noted the disproportionate number of Black students arrested on campus , a finding documented in earlier research .
“ Enough is enough , ” said 16-year-old Emmanuel Karunwi , an 11th-grader at University Pathways Medical Magnet Academy .
“ Some of the people who are least impacted by police have had the most say about how policing should happen in our community .
“ What you have been seeing these past few weeks is a movement led by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we move from a society dependent on cops to a society rooted in care , ” he said .
In its data , the district noted that one armed officer is assigned to each high school , while middle schools have an unarmed security aide .
Elementary schools are monitored by roving patrols .
But groups of officers can converge quickly on a campus in response to a call .
The department includes 344 armed officers , as well as detectives , civilian support staff and dispatchers .
Beutner acknowledged that Black students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but he noted that Black students also are disproportionately the victims of incidents to which police are responding to provide assistance .
“ Those looking for a simple answer will be disappointed , because it does not exist , ” Beutner said .
If you or someone you know is exhibiting warning signs of suicide , seek help from a professional and call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK ( 8255 ) .

Nationwide, protesters and activists have been calling to “defund the police.” But what does it actually mean? And why are so many people calling for it to happen?
A uniformed and armed school police officer pepper-sprays students at a campus in Los Angeles. Is that excessive force, even police brutality, or a rare but justifiable de-escalation of an incident that otherwise could have become more dangerous?
As the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Board of Education debates the future of its 471-member police department Tuesday, two distinct interpretations are emerging from similar data on police involvement at schools: one points toward eliminating officers on campus; the other toward keeping them in place.
The seven-member L.A. Board of Education on Tuesday will consider three competing resolutions. Board member Monica Garcia has proposed essentially eliminating the department in a phased approach beginning July 1, 2021. Her plan has backing from activist groups, students and community members who’ve called for defunding the school police.
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Their longtime campaign gained traction amid nationwide protests over police brutality under the banner of Black Lives Matter, spurred by the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody. Two weeks ago, the leadership of the Los Angeles teachers union voted to do away with the $70-million school police department and use the funds for such needs as counselors and nurses.
The school board also will consider two other proposals. Each calls for a panel to study policing; one includes additional changes, such as a hiring freeze and a ban on the use of pepper spray.
L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner has supported a ban on pepper spray. But he cautioned Monday against moving immediately to terminate the school police department.
“No person should feel the presence of a safety officer on a campus as an indictment of them or their character,” Beutner said. “Students deserve to be heard on this topic and their views taken into account.”
All the same, he said, “those who want to abolish school police must provide a reasoned answer how the threats of mass violence and incidences of serious crime will be handled at schools. And they need to explain to those who are in favor of school police why campuses will be safer in their absence.”
VIDEO | 06:21 LAUSD reconsiders the role of school police Watch LA Times Today at 7 PM/10PM on channel 1 on Spectrum News 1, and on Cox systems in Palos Verdes and Orange County on channel 99.
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Also Monday, those opposing school police made their case at an online news conference, with both personal narratives and a new policy brief from UCLA researchers and advocates.
The policy brief, from the Black Male Institute at UCLA, noted that reports to a district incident tracking system — which records anything that affects school functions — are on the rise.
While these incidents can include mundane matters such as lost keys, those that appeared to fall under the purview of police rose 76% over the eight school years ending in 2018-19. Meanwhile, calls for students who are exposed to trauma and violence or who are displaying suicidal behavior rose 906% over that same period, in what researcher Elianny Edwards said shows “an increasing need for mental health providers.”
Reports of suicidal behavior — which include ideation, self-harm and hospitalization — accounted for 24% of all incidents.
The brief also noted that since the 2005-06 school year, L.A. Unified has experienced an 18% decrease in enrollment, even as the school police budget has increased by 48%. Meanwhile, the ratio of counselors to students, as specified in the teachers union contract, is 500 to 1 for secondary schools.
The brief calls for doubling the number of counselors, in addition to increasing the ranks of social workers and other staff devoted to mental health. A logical source of funding would be the school police budget, the researchers wrote.
Beutner on Monday suggested that about 10% of the current police budget could be quickly redirected to counseling without impairing security.
At the same time, the school system put forward a different but overlapping data set, suggesting that school police take on important work, without which schools would be less safe.
In 2018-19, the last full school year during which campuses were open, police investigated 131 mass shooting threats, four bomb threats and 77 assaults with a deadly weapon. There were 294 campus lockdowns, more than half from an off-campus threat. There also were 321 calls for burglaries, five reported rapes and four guns recovered on campuses. And over the last 11 months, the district has recorded 913 “crimes against persons.”
The district reported that its officers used pepper spray in 11 incidents during the 2018-19 school year, seven of which involved students.
The statistics released Monday differ from those the district provided to The Times last week, when the data were organized by calendar year and did not specify how many incidents involved students.
To the activists, the only correct number for pepper-spray incidents is zero.
But L.A. school police Deputy Chief Leslie Ramirez said that in some situations, the use of pepper spray is safer for students and officers than physically wading into an altercation, for example.
“We are looking at every single situation that involves pepper spray and other uses of force to make sure that if there is any issue that we’re seeing with improper deployment or use, that we immediately address that and provide the necessary training,” she said.
The district has declined to release incident reports and internal reviews of officers’ use of pepper spray.
District officials have repeatedly characterized the school police department as a national leader in adopting policing reforms. In particular, they emphasize efforts by officers and other school staff to divert students into counseling for problems that previously would have resulted in suspensions, arrests and expulsions.
Some of these changes cited by police and district officials followed pressure by activists.
While some of the threat felt by students may be unintended, it’s still detrimental, said Jan Williams, an L.A. Unified bus driver and parent. She said that several years ago, when her son was 12, he was terrified to see police on a city bus, after a Cleveland police officer fatally shot Tamir Rice, a Black boy his own age.
Seeing armed, uniformed police on campus reinforces that trauma and fear, said Williams. She also noted the disproportionate number of Black students arrested on campus, a finding documented in earlier research.
“Enough is enough,” said 16-year-old Emmanuel Karunwi, an 11th-grader at University Pathways Medical Magnet Academy. “Some of the people who are least impacted by police have had the most say about how policing should happen in our community.
“What you have been seeing these past few weeks is a movement led by Black folks [and] allies demanding we move from a society dependent on cops to a society rooted in care,” he said.
In its data, the district noted that one armed officer is assigned to each high school, while middle schools have an unarmed security aide. Elementary schools are monitored by roving patrols. But groups of officers can converge quickly on a campus in response to a call. The department includes 344 armed officers, as well as detectives, civilian support staff and dispatchers.
Beutner acknowledged that Black students have talked of feeling targeted by police, but he noted that Black students also are disproportionately the victims of incidents to which police are responding to provide assistance.
“Those looking for a simple answer will be disappointed, because it does not exist,” Beutner said.
If you or someone you know is exhibiting warning signs of suicide, seek help from a professional and call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).


latimes--2020-06-23--Three decades after his first murder conviction, Pasadena man pleads guilty to another

For the second time in his life , Timothy Chavira has been convicted of murder , acknowledging in a guilty plea entered Monday that he killed a 76-year-old woman in December , county prosecutors said .
Upon entering the plea , Chavira , 57 , immediately began serving a life sentence in state prison without the possibility of parole , according to the Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office .
He had previously served a nearly 30-year sentence for murdering his stepmother .
Chavira was arrested in December and charged with the murder of Editha Cruz de Leon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Her body was found in her El Sereno home the morning of Dec. 8 , 2019 .
She had died of strangulation and sharp force injuries , the Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner found .
Deputy Dist .
Atty .
Cynthia Barnes , who prosecuted Chavira , described the killing as “ out of the blue.
” “ We honestly don ’ t know the motive and we don ’ t know why he picked her , ” Barnes said .
“ It ’ s just so sad .
Why her ?
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and half years earlier , having spent nearly three decades in state prison for killing his stepmother , Laurie Anne Chavira .
Late one August night in 1986 , Chavira , then 23 , stabbed and clubbed his stepmother to death , a jury found .
His father returned home from his job at a security firm the following morning and found bloodstains in the kitchen and bathroom , The Times reported .
Laurie Anne Chavira ’ s body was discovered 11 days later , stuffed in the trunk of a car abandoned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bludgeon her was found alongside the body .
When Chavira was arrested two weeks later in Portland , authorities found his stepmother ’ s keys and bank card in the trunk of his car .
“ The only motive I could come up with was hatred , ” Deputy Dist .
Atty .
David E. Demerjian , who tried the case , said after a Pasadena jury returned a guilty verdict in 1987 .
Thirty-two years later , Los Angeles detectives and FBI agents arrested Chavira at a home in Pasadena , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the courthouse where he was first convicted of murder .

Timothy Chavira, shown here in a photograph supplied by the state prison system, pleaded guilty on Monday to murdering a 76-year-old retired doctor in December.
For the second time in his life, Timothy Chavira has been convicted of murder, acknowledging in a guilty plea entered Monday that he killed a 76-year-old woman in December, county prosecutors said.
Upon entering the plea, Chavira, 57, immediately began serving a life sentence in state prison without the possibility of parole, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. He had previously served a nearly 30-year sentence for murdering his stepmother.
Chavira was arrested in December and charged with the murder of Editha Cruz de Leon, a retired gynecologist and grandmother. Her body was found in her El Sereno home the morning of Dec. 8, 2019. She had died of strangulation and sharp force injuries, the Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner found.
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Deputy Dist. Atty. Cynthia Barnes, who prosecuted Chavira, described the killing as “out of the blue.”
“We honestly don’t know the motive and we don’t know why he picked her,” Barnes said. “It’s just so sad. Why her?”
Chavira had been released on parole two and half years earlier, having spent nearly three decades in state prison for killing his stepmother, Laurie Anne Chavira.
Late one August night in 1986, Chavira, then 23, stabbed and clubbed his stepmother to death, a jury found. His father returned home from his job at a security firm the following morning and found bloodstains in the kitchen and bathroom, The Times reported.
Laurie Anne Chavira’s body was discovered 11 days later, stuffed in the trunk of a car abandoned in Burbank. A furniture leg used to bludgeon her was found alongside the body.
When Chavira was arrested two weeks later in Portland, authorities found his stepmother’s keys and bank card in the trunk of his car.
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“The only motive I could come up with was hatred,” Deputy Dist. Atty. David E. Demerjian, who tried the case, said after a Pasadena jury returned a guilty verdict in 1987.
Thirty-two years later, Los Angeles detectives and FBI agents arrested Chavira at a home in Pasadena, about a mile and a half from the courthouse where he was first convicted of murder.


latimes--2020-06-22--Santa Ana, anticipating protests and "possible civil unrest," enacts overnight curfew

Anticipating protests against police violence and “ possible civil unrest , ” the city manager of Santa Ana enacted a curfew Monday night , barring everyone but law enforcement , news reporters and first responders from the city ’ s streets and public spaces between 10 p.m. Monday and 5 a.m. Tuesday .
Beyond those exempt groups , only people who are seeking emergency medical care , “ fleeing danger , ” or traveling to and from their jobs or religious services are allowed out during the curfew , the city manager , Kristine Ridge , said Monday .
Ridge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s right to peaceably assemble and protest outside of the curfew hours.
” Protesters massed on Sunday outside the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department ’ s Compton station , decrying the death of Andres Guardado , 18 , and demanding to know what prompted a sheriff ’ s deputy to open fire last week , killing him near an auto-body shop where his family said he worked as a security guard .
Top officials , including Sheriff Alex Villanueva himself , have yet to say why Guardado was shot or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the teenager .
Guardado ’ s family said he moonlit as a security guard for an auto-body shop , but Capt .
Kent Wegener of the sheriff ’ s homicide bureau said the teenager wasn ’ t wearing a uniform that identified him as a security guard .
Nor , Wegener said , was Guardado licensed to work as one .

A protest at the Compton Sheriffs’ Office on Sunday over the shooting of Andres Guardado.
Anticipating protests against police violence and “possible civil unrest,” the city manager of Santa Ana enacted a curfew Monday night, barring everyone but law enforcement, news reporters and first responders from the city’s streets and public spaces between 10 p.m. Monday and 5 a.m. Tuesday.
Beyond those exempt groups, only people who are seeking emergency medical care, “fleeing danger,” or traveling to and from their jobs or religious services are allowed out during the curfew, the city manager, Kristine Ridge, said Monday.
Ridge said the city “supports the public’s right to peaceably assemble and protest outside of the curfew hours.”
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Protesters massed on Sunday outside the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Compton station, decrying the death of Andres Guardado, 18, and demanding to know what prompted a sheriff’s deputy to open fire last week, killing him near an auto-body shop where his family said he worked as a security guard.
Top officials, including Sheriff Alex Villanueva himself, have yet to say why Guardado was shot or what prompted deputies to initiate contact with the teenager. Guardado’s family said he moonlit as a security guard for an auto-body shop, but Capt. Kent Wegener of the sheriff’s homicide bureau said the teenager wasn’t wearing a uniform that identified him as a security guard. Nor, Wegener said, was Guardado licensed to work as one.


latimes--2020-06-22--L.A. panel backs $133 million in LAPD cuts, stopping far short of 'People's Budget'

A key committee of the Los Angeles City Council agreed Monday to cut the Police Department ’ s budget by more than $ 133 million , slashing police overtime pay in the coming year and taking the size of the force well below 10,000 officers .
The Budget and Finance Committee endorsed the reductions on a 4-to-1 vote , saying such a move would begin the process of reimagining public safety in L.A. while also helping the city cope with a major budget crisis .
Councilman Curren Price cast the only opposing vote , after pushing unsuccessfully for a larger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the committee ’ s only Black member , said more aggressive action is needed , pointing to the recent death of Andres Guardado , an 18-year-old Gardena resident fatally shot by a Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputy .
“ He was shot by a sheriff deputy , but as far as the community ’ s concerned , he was shot by police , by law enforcement , ” said Price , who represents a part of South Los Angeles patrolled by the LAPD .
“ That tragic death just underscores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over this country.
” The committee ’ s budget-cutting measures will be finalized next week and forwarded to the full 15-member council .
Both proposals fall short of the recommendations contained in the “ People ’ s Budget , ” an alternative spending plan for the city backed by Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles and other grass-roots groups , which would slash the LAPD budget by about 90 % .
Under that plan , the savings would be plowed into housing initiatives , job programs , mental health counselors and other social services .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ phoned in to the committee ’ s meeting for nearly two hours , telling council members they viewed any plan to cut spending by $ 150 million as being too small to have any meaning .
The LAPD currently consumes roughly $ 3 billion per year .
“ When we say defund the police , we mean defund the police , ” said one caller .
“ We mean take the money away from them .
All of it.
” Monday ’ s deliberations showed just how much the politics around public safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mayor Eric Garcetti proposed a 7 % increase to the LAPD budget in April , even as he sought cuts at many other agencies .
Activists immediately criticized that idea .
Their efforts after massive citywide protests broke out over police brutality and the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Garcetti changed course , joining City Council President Nury Martinez in calling for reductions of up to $ 150 million .
Still , he and several others at City Hall have remained cool to the more aggressive approach favored by activists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the budget committee , said he favors “ immediate and bold actions ” to change the LAPD .
But he rejected the idea of passing the People ’ s Budget , saying it would cause the layoffs of thousands of police officers and leave the city less safe .
Councilman Paul Koretz , who also sits on the budget panel , offered a similar message , saying backers of the People ’ s Budget don ’ t remember the years when “ the murder rate was much , much higher.
” “ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot , supporters of the People ’ s Budget might be surprised to find that the elimination of law enforcement in Los Angeles would likely not pass in any part of the city , ” said Koretz , who represents part of the Westside .
Under the committee ’ s proposal , the LAPD would fall below a budgeted 10,000 officers for the first time in several years , hiring only half as many officers as are needed to replace those who are on track to resign or retire .
By June 2021 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to a report from the city ’ s policy analysts .
The committee ’ s plan also would cut tens of millions of dollars in overtime pay from next year ’ s budget , which begins July 1 .
And it would use some of the savings from the LAPD cuts to delay Garcetti ’ s plan for putting nearly 16,000 civilian city workers on furloughs , allowing those employees to avoid pay cuts of 10 % for at least three months .
Other savings would be diverted into the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been depleted as city leaders responded to the crisis sparked by the coronavirus outbreak .
Krekorian said that maneuver is needed to ensure the city has enough money to respond to an earthquake or other major disaster .
But Jerretta Sandoz , vice president of the union that represents LAPD officers , denounced the committee ’ s actions , saying they would result in fewer patrols and longer response times .
“ It ’ s a bad deal for neighborhood safety and a bad deal for taxpayers , ” she said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resident of Mount Washington , took the opposite view , calling $ 133 million a “ paltry amount ” when compared to the LAPD ’ s overall budget .
Craven said she was disappointed the committee did not go further .
The vote “ feels more like showmanship than a commitment to real change , ” she said .

A key committee of the Los Angeles City Council moved ahead Monday with a plan to cut the LAPD’s budget by more than $133 million. Above, the police headquarters in downtown Los Angeles.
A key committee of the Los Angeles City Council agreed Monday to cut the Police Department’s budget by more than $133 million, slashing police overtime pay in the coming year and taking the size of the force well below 10,000 officers.
The Budget and Finance Committee endorsed the reductions on a 4-to-1 vote, saying such a move would begin the process of reimagining public safety in L.A. while also helping the city cope with a major budget crisis.
Councilman Curren Price cast the only opposing vote, after pushing unsuccessfully for a larger reduction of $150 million. Price, the committee’s only Black member, said more aggressive action is needed, pointing to the recent death of Andres Guardado, an 18-year-old Gardena resident fatally shot by a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy.
“He was shot by a sheriff deputy, but as far as the community’s concerned, he was shot by police, by law enforcement,” said Price, who represents a part of South Los Angeles patrolled by the LAPD. “That tragic death just underscores the conversation that’s happening all over this country.”
The committee’s budget-cutting measures will be finalized next week and forwarded to the full 15-member council. Both proposals fall short of the recommendations contained in the “People’s Budget,” an alternative spending plan for the city backed by Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles and other grass-roots groups, which would slash the LAPD budget by about 90%.
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Under that plan, the savings would be plowed into housing initiatives, job programs, mental health counselors and other social services.
Backers of the People’s Budget phoned in to the committee’s meeting for nearly two hours, telling council members they viewed any plan to cut spending by $150 million as being too small to have any meaning. The LAPD currently consumes roughly $3 billion per year.
“When we say defund the police, we mean defund the police,” said one caller. “We mean take the money away from them. All of it.”
Monday’s deliberations showed just how much the politics around public safety spending have been upended in recent months.
Mayor Eric Garcetti proposed a 7% increase to the LAPD budget in April, even as he sought cuts at many other agencies. Activists immediately criticized that idea. Their efforts gained momentum after massive citywide protests broke out over police brutality and the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
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Garcetti changed course, joining City Council President Nury Martinez in calling for reductions of up to $150 million. Still, he and several others at City Hall have remained cool to the more aggressive approach favored by activists.
Councilman Paul Krekorian, who heads the budget committee, said he favors “immediate and bold actions” to change the LAPD. But he rejected the idea of passing the People’s Budget, saying it would cause the layoffs of thousands of police officers and leave the city less safe.
Councilman Paul Koretz, who also sits on the budget panel, offered a similar message, saying backers of the People’s Budget don’t remember the years when “the murder rate was much, much higher.”
“If you put an advisory vote on the ballot, supporters of the People’s Budget might be surprised to find that the elimination of law enforcement in Los Angeles would likely not pass in any part of the city,” said Koretz, who represents part of the Westside.
Under the committee’s proposal, the LAPD would fall below a budgeted 10,000 officers for the first time in several years, hiring only half as many officers as are needed to replace those who are on track to resign or retire. By June 2021, the LAPD would have 9,757 officers, according to a report from the city’s policy analysts.
California Calls to defund the police spread to L.A.’s transit system It costs nearly $650 million over five years to police L.A. County’s transit system. Activists and community groups argue the money could be better spent on free fares and improved services.
The committee’s plan also would cut tens of millions of dollars in overtime pay from next year’s budget, which begins July 1. And it would use some of the savings from the LAPD cuts to delay Garcetti’s plan for putting nearly 16,000 civilian city workers on furloughs, allowing those employees to avoid pay cuts of 10% for at least three months.
Other savings would be diverted into the city’s emergency reserve fund, which has been depleted as city leaders responded to the crisis sparked by the coronavirus outbreak.
Krekorian said that maneuver is needed to ensure the city has enough money to respond to an earthquake or other major disaster.
But Jerretta Sandoz, vice president of the union that represents LAPD officers, denounced the committee’s actions, saying they would result in fewer patrols and longer response times.
“It’s a bad deal for neighborhood safety and a bad deal for taxpayers,” she said in a statement.
Jessica Craven, a resident of Mount Washington, took the opposite view, calling $133 million a “paltry amount” when compared to the LAPD’s overall budget. Craven said she was disappointed the committee did not go further.
The vote “feels more like showmanship than a commitment to real change,” she said.


latimes--2020-06-22--Sheriff asks state to monitor Gardena shooting but puts hold on autopsy findings

The Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department on Monday asked the California attorney general to monitor its investigation of the controversial shooting of a man in Gardena but also blocked the public from learning the results of an autopsy the coroner was scheduled to perform on 18-year-old Andres Guardado .
Sheriff Alex Villanueva said on Twitter on Monday that he had reached out to Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra to monitor the Guardado investigation “ out of an abundance of caution.
” “ I am committed to transparency and strengthening community faith in the investigative process , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s spokeswoman Sarah Ardalani said the Sheriff ’ s Department put a “ security hold ” on the case of Guardado , who was to be examined on Monday .
She said the coroner ’ s office could not release the results of the autopsy — which would reveal how many times Guardado was struck by gunfire and where — until the hold was lifted .
A Sheriff ’ s Department spokesman did not respond to a question about why the hold was sought , but Ardalani said the department had said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the investigation , and premature release of information could jeopardize the case.
” It ’ s not uncommon for law enforcement agencies to place security holds on high-profile police shootings , but the holds don ’ t automatically expire and can last months or even years .
At any given time , there may be dozens of cases with security holds .
Villanueva has provided few details about what led up to the shooting .
There have been growing demands for answers from Guardado ’ s family and community leaders , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deputies firing less-than-lethal weapons at them .
“ Why ’ d you kill that kid ?
” the crowd chanted .
Compton Mayor Aja Brown on Monday called on the Sheriff ’ s Department to respond to those demands .
“ People are hurting and they are tired of excuses , ” she said in a statement .
“ I strongly urge the L.A. County Sheriff ’ s Department to address this incident immediately and provide answers for the family and our community.
” U.S. Reps. Nanette Barragán ( D-San Pedro ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along with Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas , have called for independent investigations .
Guardado was shot about 6 p.m. Thursday near a Gardena auto body shop , said Capt .
Kent Wegener of the homicide bureau .
Guardado was speaking with someone in a car that was blocking the location when deputies from the Compton sheriff ’ s station pulled up , Wegener said .
Guardado “ produced a handgun ” and ran away , and two deputies chased him on foot , Wegener said .
When the deputies caught up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six rounds at him .
Guardado was pronounced dead at the scene .
Authorities said they did not know whether Guardado had pointed his weapon at the deputy , and said they “ don ’ t believe ” Guardado fired any shots .
Guardado ’ s family said he had worked as a security guard for Street Dynamic Auto Body , close to where he was shot .
Authorities said Guardado was under the 21-year age requirement to be a security guard in California and was not wearing a uniform .
They said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not licensed .
The owner of Street Dynamic Autobody , who asked to be identified only by his first name , Slavin , said another auto shop on the property had hired Guardado .
He said the building is home to about five other auto shops .
He said investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department took the DVR connected to the surveillance cameras on the property but did not provide him or the property owner with a copy of a search warrant or receipts .
Slavin said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two ago , detectives used a warrant to conduct a search of the property .
He said detectives provided him with a copy of the warrant and a receipt for a DVR they took .
“ Second time around they didn ’ t give me no paperwork , no warrant , literally nothing , ” Slavin said .
Wegener said investigators seized about six cameras from the building ’ s exterior .
As of Saturday , he said , they had not obtained any footage that captured the shooting .
The deputies were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Department has not distributed them to the force .
As of Monday , the department had not provided a clearer narrative of why Guardado was shot .
“ What happened to Andres was not only a tragedy , it was an outright crime , ” said Ron Gochez , a member of Union del Barrio , which organized the demonstration .
“ This is just one more of so many people who have been killed by the L.A. County sheriffs and the police ... .
This is the unity between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tired of this .
”

Demonstrators rally outside the L.A. County sheriff’s station in Compton on Sunday to protest the shooting death of security guard Andres Guardado.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department on Monday asked the California attorney general to monitor its investigation of the controversial shooting of a man in Gardena but also blocked the public from learning the results of an autopsy the coroner was scheduled to perform on 18-year-old Andres Guardado.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva said on Twitter on Monday that he had reached out to Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra to monitor the Guardado investigation “out of an abundance of caution.”
“I am committed to transparency and strengthening community faith in the investigative process,” he wrote.
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But L.A. County coroner’s spokeswoman Sarah Ardalani said the Sheriff’s Department put a “security hold” on the case of Guardado, who was to be examined on Monday. She said the coroner’s office could not release the results of the autopsy — which would reveal how many times Guardado was struck by gunfire and where — until the hold was lifted.
A Sheriff’s Department spokesman did not respond to a question about why the hold was sought, but Ardalani said the department had said that “investigators wish to maintain the integrity of the investigation, and premature release of information could jeopardize the case.”
It’s not uncommon for law enforcement agencies to place security holds on high-profile police shootings, but the holds don’t automatically expire and can last months or even years. At any given time, there may be dozens of cases with security holds.
Villanueva has provided few details about what led up to the shooting. There have been growing demands for answers from Guardado’s family and community leaders, who held a protest Sunday that ended with deputies firing less-than-lethal weapons at them.
“Why’d you kill that kid?” the crowd chanted.
Compton Mayor Aja Brown on Monday called on the Sheriff’s Department to respond to those demands.
“People are hurting and they are tired of excuses,” she said in a statement. “I strongly urge the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department to address this incident immediately and provide answers for the family and our community.”
U.S. Reps. Nanette Barragán (D-San Pedro) and Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), along with Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, have called for independent investigations.
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Guardado was shot about 6 p.m. Thursday near a Gardena auto body shop, said Capt. Kent Wegener of the homicide bureau. Guardado was speaking with someone in a car that was blocking the location when deputies from the Compton sheriff’s station pulled up, Wegener said.
Guardado “produced a handgun” and ran away, and two deputies chased him on foot, Wegener said. When the deputies caught up to him, one of them fired six rounds at him. Guardado was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities said they did not know whether Guardado had pointed his weapon at the deputy, and said they “don’t believe” Guardado fired any shots.
Guardado’s family said he had worked as a security guard for Street Dynamic Auto Body, close to where he was shot. Authorities said Guardado was under the 21-year age requirement to be a security guard in California and was not wearing a uniform. They said the .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol he was carrying was not licensed.
The owner of Street Dynamic Autobody, who asked to be identified only by his first name, Slavin, said another auto shop on the property had hired Guardado. He said the building is home to about five other auto shops.
He said investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department took the DVR connected to the surveillance cameras on the property but did not provide him or the property owner with a copy of a search warrant or receipts.
Slavin said that after a shooting about a week or two ago, detectives used a warrant to conduct a search of the property. He said detectives provided him with a copy of the warrant and a receipt for a DVR they took.
“Second time around they didn’t give me no paperwork, no warrant, literally nothing,” Slavin said.
Wegener said investigators seized about six cameras from the building’s exterior. As of Saturday, he said, they had not obtained any footage that captured the shooting. The deputies were not wearing body cameras because the Sheriff’s Department has not distributed them to the force.
As of Monday, the department had not provided a clearer narrative of why Guardado was shot.
“What happened to Andres was not only a tragedy, it was an outright crime,” said Ron Gochez, a member of Union del Barrio, which organized the demonstration. “This is just one more of so many people who have been killed by the L.A. County sheriffs and the police.... This is the unity between the Black and brown community saying we are tired of this.”


latimes--2020-06-23--LAPD coronavirus cases spike, adding to debate over role of protests in spread

Coronavirus infections among Los Angeles police officers spiked in recent weeks , reflecting a broader increase in cases regionally and raising fresh questions about the role of protests in the spread .
Police officials have said that officers were exposed on skirmish lines as they worked to disperse screaming crowds .
Protesters say officers recklessly arrested people en masse without wearing masks , exposing not just themselves but others .
In the last week , positive cases within the LAPD workforce jumped from 170 to 206 , Chief Michel Moore told the civilian Police Commission on Tuesday .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about twice the rate of our historic rate of change over the history of the pandemic , ” he said .
Moore said the bulk of the LAPD employees who tested positive were sworn officers , though dozens were civilian employees .
Three have been hospitalized with COVID-19 , while many have recovered and returned to work .
After the commission meeting , Moore said he attributed the increase in part “ to the challenging conditions officers faced ” during the recent protests and demonstrations .
Tens of thousands of people have marched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in other cities across the country and world to protest police killings of Black men and women , including George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville , Ky. For days on end in late May and early this month , police officers squared off with protesters on skirmish lines , screaming orders and using force to disperse crowds .
“ Officers in many instances attempted to wear face coverings but were challenged in effectively communicating with each other or over the radio , given the conditions , ” Moore said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have lambasted the LAPD and individual officers for weeks for not wearing masks during the protests , which they said put them at risk .
Multiple lawsuits over the LAPD ’ s protest response cite the lack of masks on officers and the crowding of arrested protesters into packed buses during a pandemic as examples of the department ’ s unjust response .
During a public comment portion of the Police Commission ’ s online meeting Tuesday , multiple callers ripped into Moore over the issue , saying he should not be surprised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given that many of them had dismissed public safety concerns and refused to wear masks amid the protest crackdowns .
The incubation period for the coronavirus can last as long as two weeks , meaning infections caught in the last week may have originated as protests raged across the region .
L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer recently said it is “ highly likely ” that the recent overall increase in positive cases is related in part to the mass protests .
Ferrer also suggested that an increase in social gatherings and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of stay-at-home and closure orders has likely played a role .
Moore also cited such factors .
Los Angeles County officials reported more than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday , bringing the total number to more than 88,200 .
Nearly 3,200 have died .
Multiple protesters who were arrested or otherwise interacted with police during the protests said officers laughed at them or dismissed their concerns when they asked why the officers weren ’ t wearing masks .
Kamila Baran , 24 , of Studio City , was arrested downtown the evening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hundreds of others , over curfew violations , during what she described as a peaceful protest .
Throughout the process , most protesters had masks on , but none of the police officers did , Baran said .
It was a point of contention , she said .
“ One girl actually asked , ‘ Why are none of you wearing masks ?
You ’ re putting all of us at risk.
’ And one officer was like , ‘ Well , we don ’ t believe that masks will help anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This girl was basically fighting this officer , saying , like , ‘ What about facts and statistics and science ?
’ And one of the officers was like , ‘ Well , it makes it harder for us to do our job.
’ ” Moore said officers were instructed to wear masks whenever possible , and many did so under face shields attached to riot helmets .
Moore also said the department has increased cleaning of work areas and pushed for hand washing and the regular use of gloves .
In all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on employees .
Positive results have increased , too ; the positivity rate rose to 11.7 % in the last two weeks , Moore said , mirroring an increase across L.A. County .
The county ’ s positivity rate has spiked from 5.8 % two weeks ago to 8.4 % this week .

LAPD officers in riot gear and face masks stand in front of police headquarters to keep Black Lives Matter protesters from advancing.
Coronavirus infections among Los Angeles police officers spiked in recent weeks, reflecting a broader increase in cases regionally and raising fresh questions about the role of protests in the spread.
Police officials have said that officers were exposed on skirmish lines as they worked to disperse screaming crowds. Protesters say officers recklessly arrested people en masse without wearing masks, exposing not just themselves but others.
In the last week, positive cases within the LAPD workforce jumped from 170 to 206, Chief Michel Moore told the civilian Police Commission on Tuesday.
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“This was a 21% increase and is about twice the rate of our historic rate of change over the history of the pandemic,” he said.
Moore said the bulk of the LAPD employees who tested positive were sworn officers, though dozens were civilian employees. Three have been hospitalized with COVID-19, while many have recovered and returned to work.
After the commission meeting, Moore said he attributed the increase in part “to the challenging conditions officers faced” during the recent protests and demonstrations.
Tens of thousands of people have marched in recent weeks in Los Angeles and in other cities across the country and world to protest police killings of Black men and women, including George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Ky. For days on end in late May and early this month, police officers squared off with protesters on skirmish lines, screaming orders and using force to disperse crowds.
“Officers in many instances attempted to wear face coverings but were challenged in effectively communicating with each other or over the radio, given the conditions,” Moore said.
Protesters and their supporters, meanwhile, have lambasted the LAPD and individual officers for weeks for not wearing masks during the protests, which they said put them at risk. Multiple lawsuits over the LAPD’s protest response cite the lack of masks on officers and the crowding of arrested protesters into packed buses during a pandemic as examples of the department’s unjust response.
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During a public comment portion of the Police Commission’s online meeting Tuesday, multiple callers ripped into Moore over the issue, saying he should not be surprised that officers had contracted the virus, given that many of them had dismissed public safety concerns and refused to wear masks amid the protest crackdowns.
The incubation period for the coronavirus can last as long as two weeks, meaning infections caught in the last week may have originated as protests raged across the region.
L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer recently said it is “highly likely” that the recent overall increase in positive cases is related in part to the mass protests.
Ferrer also suggested that an increase in social gatherings and the opening of more businesses after weeks of stay-at-home and closure orders has likely played a role. Moore also cited such factors.
Los Angeles County officials reported more than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number to more than 88,200. Nearly 3,200 have died.
Multiple protesters who were arrested or otherwise interacted with police during the protests said officers laughed at them or dismissed their concerns when they asked why the officers weren’t wearing masks.
Kamila Baran, 24, of Studio City, was arrested downtown the evening of June 1, with a friend and hundreds of others, over curfew violations, during what she described as a peaceful protest.
Throughout the process, most protesters had masks on, but none of the police officers did, Baran said. It was a point of contention, she said.
“One girl actually asked, ‘Why are none of you wearing masks? You’re putting all of us at risk.’ And one officer was like, ‘Well, we don’t believe that masks will help anyone,’” Baran said. “This girl was basically fighting this officer, saying, like, ‘What about facts and statistics and science?’ And one of the officers was like, ‘Well, it makes it harder for us to do our job.’”
Moore said officers were instructed to wear masks whenever possible, and many did so under face shields attached to riot helmets. Moore also said the department has increased cleaning of work areas and pushed for hand washing and the regular use of gloves.
In all, the LAPD has administered 1,900 tests on employees. Positive results have increased, too; the positivity rate rose to 11.7% in the last two weeks, Moore said, mirroring an increase across L.A. County. The county’s positivity rate has spiked from 5.8% two weeks ago to 8.4% this week.
Los Angeles Times reporter Colleen Shalby contributed to this article.


latimes--2020-06-23--Mayor of Pico Rivera and consultant charged in scheme to launder campaign contributions

The mayor of Pico Rivera and a consultant have been charged with illegally reimbursing people who made campaign contributions to a candidate for a Montebello school board seat , according to court documents made public Tuesday .
Gustavo Vidal Camacho , mayor of Pico Rivera and a city councilman since 2009 , and Luis Diaz Rojas , chief executive of a consulting company for school construction projects , surrendered to authorities and made their initial appearances in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday , said Greg Risling , a spokesman for the Los Angeles County district attorney .
Both men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the source of campaign contributions to Joanna Flores , a board member of the Montebello Unified School District .
Between December 2015 and April 2016 , Camacho and Rojas directed family members , employees of Rojas ’ company and an unidentified “ political ally ” to contribute to Flores ’ campaign , whom Rojas then reimbursed , Deputy Dist .
Atty .
Alan Yochelson alleged in a complaint .
Flores was not charged in the case .
Camacho and Rojas will be arraigned in October , at which time they will enter a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a developing story and will be updated .

The mayor of Pico Rivera and a consultant are charged in a conspiracy to conceal the source of campaign contributions to a board member of the Montebello Unified School District.
The mayor of Pico Rivera and a consultant have been charged with illegally reimbursing donors who funded the campaign of a candidate for a Montebello school board seat, according to court documents made public Tuesday.
Gustavo Vidal Camacho, mayor of Pico Rivera and a city councilman since 2009, and Luis Diaz Rojas, chief executive of a consulting company for school construction projects, surrendered to authorities and made their initial appearances in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, said Greg Risling, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County district attorney.
Both men are charged in a conspiracy to conceal the source of campaign contributions to Joanna Flores, a board member of the Montebello Unified School District.
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Between December 2015 and April 2016, Camacho and Rojas directed family members, employees of Rojas’ company and an unidentified “political ally” to contribute to Flores’ campaign, whom Rojas then reimbursed, Deputy Dist. Atty. Alan Yochelson alleged in a complaint. Flores was not charged.
Camacho and Rojas will be arraigned in October, at which time they will enter a plea, Risling said.
Camacho said he was “completely surprised” by the charges. He and his lawyer, he said in a statement, were still “trying to get our arms around the facts and the allegations in order to respond.” He vowed to not let the charges “distract” from his duties as mayor.
Rojas too said he was surprised at the case, but declined to address it until he and his lawyer “dissect and better understand the allegations.” Three days after this article was published, Rojas said in a letter to The Times: “As a well-respected business owner with a stellar reputation for overseeing and executing quality bond program and construction management work, I vehemently dispute the assertions.”
Rojas said the district attorney’s case “appears to mimic” an earlier investigation by the Fair Political Practices Commission with which he and Camacho, the Pico Rivera mayor, “thoroughly, fully and openly cooperated.”
Flores didn’t respond to messages seeking comment.
Rojas’ company, Del Terra Construction, figured prominently in a whistleblower suit filed by two former executives of the Montebello Unified School District, Susanna Contreras Smith and Cleve Pell. A Los Angeles County jury awarded the two $3.7 million in August 2018.
Smith, the district’s former superintendent, and Pell, its erstwhile chief financial officer, alleged that Rojas’ company was awarded multimillion dollar contracts by his former employee, Ruben Rojas, who left Del Terra and became the school district’s chief business officer. Three days after this article was published, Luis Rojas disputed the account in the whistleblower suit and said Ruben Rojas never worked for his company.
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In February 2015, the Montebello school district signed a $2-million contract with Evergreen Energy Solutions, of which Luis Rojas is president, and a Georgia company to install LED lighting in Bell Gardens High School, Montebello Intermediate School and Montebello Gardens Elementary School. A copy of the contract was filed in court, appended to a lawsuit the school district filed against Rojas’ company.
Six months later, according to the lawsuit, the district learned that workers had disturbed asbestos fibers in several buildings, then spread the contaminants to other schools. The district was forced to spend more than $3.5 million in a “massive cleanup,” the lawsuit said. In his post-publication letter to The Times, Rojas said district employees, not his company, were responsible for the asbestos contamination.
On Aug. 18, 2016, the same day that attorneys representing the district filed suit against Rojas’ company, the school board — including Flores, the board member to whom, in county prosecutors’ telling, Rojas’ laundered campaign contributions flowed — voted unanimously to award his company, Del Terra, a lucrative management contract, school board meeting minutes show.
Del Terra’s contract, according to the meeting minutes, was “not to exceed” 4.5% of all funds raised by a series of bond measures, including one that brought in $300 million. Lawyers for the fired whistleblowers valued Del Terra’s contract at $13.5 million, at least.
After this article was published, Rojas said the school district’s attorneys sued his company “without the knowledge or approval” of the school board. “Once the school board realized their own employees were culpable for exposing innocent workers to asbestos, the district dropped their lawsuit,” he said.
State Auditor Elaine Howle, whose office examined the district’s finances and published its findings in November 2017, said the district “failed to ensure that its employees did not have conflicts of interest when they approved expenditures and contracts related to the bond funds.”


latimes--2020-06-23--Judge cuts bail for Hollywood producer charged in sexual assault of four women

A Santa Barbara County judge reduced the bail for a Hollywood producer accused of raping four women from $ 3 million to $ 1 million Tuesday , after his lawyer argued he knew of some of the allegations for many years but never fled .
David Guillod , 53 , did not enter a plea during the hearing in a Santa Barbara court to charges that include 11 felony counts of rape , kidnap to commit rape and rape of a drugged victim in connection with four alleged attacks in May 2012 , December 2014 and January 2015 .
Philip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argued in a motion that prosecutors initially filed charges on June 12 with an arrest warrant of $ 1 million but upped the bail to $ 3 million when the producer and talent manager surrendered to detectives at Santa Barbara County Sheriff ’ s headquarters Monday .
His legal team said Guillod would post the $ 1 million bond .
The producer of the movies “ Atomic Blonde ” and Netflix ’ s “ Extraction ” ran Primary Wave Entertainment , a talent agency , until 2017 , when actress Jessica Barth , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement , accused him of drugging and sexually assaulting her five years before .
On Tuesday , actress and former client Heather Graham took to Twitter to voice her support for Barth .
“ David Guillod use to be my agent .
I believe Jessica Barth.
” Guillod , of Sherman Oaks , is charged with sexually assaulting a woman in Los Angeles in May 2012 .
He is also accused of raping an employee for a management firm he operated during a December 2014 wine country retreat in Santa Barbara County .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was required to sign a nondisclosure agreement before leaving the company , according to sources familiar with the allegations .
She , however , reported Guillod ’ s alleged attack to Los Angeles police in 2017 after other women reported being sexually assaulted by him .
Guillod ’ s third and fourth alleged attacks , in January 2015 , involve a woman from Santa Barbara County and one from Los Angeles County , according to sources .
Authorities did not identify the women who said Guillod attacked them .
“ For the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denied these allegations , and for the past eight years , Mr. Guillod has fully cooperated with all aspects of law enforcement ’ s investigation .
We find the unification of the cases filed through the Santa Barbara D.A.
’ s office and the timing suspicious , ” Cohen , Guillod ’ s attorney , said in a statement .
Among the claims Cohen made was that DNA has come back negative in the Los Angeles case ; witnesses have come forward in support of Guillod ’ s account of events ; and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the defense tell a story very different than that which is being alleged .
His lawyer said that Guillod has passed five independent polygraph examinations .
Such tests are not usable in criminal courts .
The Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office said in a statement it has been working closely with law enforcement and prosecutors in Santa Barbara County on the investigation since March 2018 .
Guillod ’ s next court appearance is scheduled for June 30 in Santa Maria .

A Santa Barbara County judge reduced the bail for a Hollywood producer accused of raping four women from $3 million to $1 million Tuesday, after his lawyer argued he knew of some of the allegations for many years but never fled.
David Guillod, 53, did not enter a plea during the hearing in a Santa Barbara court to charges that include 11 felony counts of rape, kidnap to commit rape and rape of a drugged victim in connection with four alleged attacks in May 2012, December 2014 and January 2015.
Philip Cohen, Guillod’s lawyer, argued in a motion that prosecutors initially filed charges on June 12 with an arrest warrant of $1 million but upped the bail to $3 million when the producer and talent manager surrendered to detectives at Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s headquarters Monday. His legal team said Guillod would post the $1 million bond.
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The producer of the movies “Atomic Blonde” and Netflix’s “Extraction” ran Primary Wave Entertainment, a talent agency, until 2017, when actress Jessica Barth, a leading voice in the #MeToo movement, accused him of drugging and sexually assaulting her five years before.
On Tuesday, actress and former client Heather Graham took to Twitter to voice her support for Barth. “David Guillod use to be my agent. I believe Jessica Barth.”
David Guillod used to be my agent. I believe Jessica Barth.@_jessicabarth_ — Heather Graham (@imheathergraham) June 23, 2020
Guillod, of Sherman Oaks, is charged with sexually assaulting a woman in Los Angeles in May 2012. He is also accused of raping an employee for a management firm he operated during a December 2014 wine country retreat in Santa Barbara County. The woman received a $60,000 payment and was required to sign a nondisclosure agreement before leaving the company, according to sources familiar with the allegations.
She, however, reported Guillod’s alleged attack to Los Angeles police in 2017 after other women reported being sexually assaulted by him.
Guillod’s third and fourth alleged attacks, in January 2015, involve a woman from Santa Barbara County and one from Los Angeles County, according to sources. Authorities did not identify the women who said Guillod attacked them.
“For the past eight years, Mr. Guillod has denied these allegations, and for the past eight years, Mr. Guillod has fully cooperated with all aspects of law enforcement’s investigation. We find the unification of the cases filed through the Santa Barbara D.A.’s office and the timing suspicious,” Cohen, Guillod’s attorney, said in a statement.
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Among the claims Cohen made was that DNA has come back negative in the Los Angeles case; witnesses have come forward in support of Guillod’s account of events; and numerous text messages and emails obtained by the defense tell a story very different than that which is being alleged. His lawyer said that Guillod has passed five independent polygraph examinations. Such tests are not usable in criminal courts.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said in a statement it has been working closely with law enforcement and prosecutors in Santa Barbara County on the investigation since March 2018.
Guillod’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 30 in Santa Maria.


latimes--2020-06-23--Rep. Karen Bass moves onto Biden's vice presidential list

Rep. Karen Bass is undergoing vetting to be former Vice President Joe Biden ’ s running mate , according to two people familiar with the process .
Bass , 66 , who has represented Los Angeles in the House for five terms , joins a slate of prominent women of color who are in the mix to stand with Biden on the Democratic ticket .
She would be the second Californian in the mix , joining Sen. Kamala Harris , who is widely seen to be as among the front-runners .
Biden has said he expects to decide on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He has committed to picking a woman and is being urged by a wide swath of Democrats to pick a woman of color .
One of the people who confirmed that Bass was being vetted said she had earned goodwill within the Biden camp for actively supporting him earlier in the campaign when the “ ship was listing.
” Bass was appealing , this person said , also because she was not as obviously ambitious for the presidency herself as some of the other contenders , such as Harris , a former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The person , who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the confidential process , quoted Biden as saying of the decision : “ I ’ m looking for someone who can do the job , not someone who wants the other job.
” Bass doesn ’ t have as high a national profile as some of the other women under consideration .
But she is well respected among Democrats in California as a former speaker of the state Assembly and on Capitol Hill as the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent weeks as she has taken the reins — at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s request — on a bill to set national standards for policing in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Among other provisions , the bill would ban chokeholds and make civil suits against officers accused of misconduct easier to bring to court .
The Biden campaign ’ s interest in Bass is recent .
Two weeks ago , a Bass spokesman told The Times that the congresswoman “ is not aware that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vetting .
Her office declined to comment Tuesday .
Bass ’ vetting was first reported by CBS News .
When asked about the reports on Tuesday by MSNBC , Bass deferred to the Biden camp .
“ Out of respect for the campaign , if there is any question in that regard , I think they should be directed there , ” she said .
“ My sole focus is on the next 48 hours : one , what happens in the Senate , and , two , getting the bill over to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The Biden committee that is vetting potential candidates for vice president has already been in touch with several women in the highly secretive process .
Among those under consideration in addition to Harris are Rep. Val Demings of Florida , former national security advisor Susan Rice and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms , all of whom are African American ; New Mexico Gov .
Michelle Lujan Grisham , who is Latina ; and Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois , who is mixed race .
Biden is also considering some white women , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota recently withdrew her name from consideration — her prospects were fading — and said she believed Biden should pick a woman of color as his running mate .
Though a progressive Democrat , Bass has close relationships with Republicans , including House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows .
Bass ’ name has been floated for the vice presidency by prominent Democrats , including former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa .
The former mayor , who has known Bass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her level of experience “ matches up to anyone.
” “ The Biden team is going to make this decision based on the skill set , experience and their ability to step in the shoes of the president should that be necessary — and I think that she certainly fits that bill , ” Villaraigosa said .
Earlier this month , Rep. James E. Clyburn ( D-S.C. ) , the House Democratic whip , urged the Biden camp to choose a Black woman and said that Bass “ would be a big plus.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ House in California ?
That ’ s got to be a plus , ” he said .
“ She is a great person .
”

Rep. Karen Bass is undergoing vetting to be former Vice President Joe Biden’s running mate, according to two people familiar with the process.
Bass, 66, who has represented Los Angeles in the House for five terms, joins a slate of prominent women of color who are in the mix to stand with Biden on the Democratic ticket. She would be the second Californian in the mix, joining Sen. Kamala Harris, who is widely seen to be as among the front-runners.
Biden has said he expects to decide on a running mate around the beginning of August. He has committed to picking a woman and is being urged by a wide swath of Democrats to pick a woman of color.
One of the people who confirmed that Bass was being vetted said she had earned goodwill within the Biden camp for actively supporting him earlier in the campaign when the “ship was listing.”
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Bass was appealing, this person said, also because she was not as obviously ambitious for the presidency herself as some of the other contenders, such as Harris, a former rival to Biden for the 2020 nomination. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the confidential process, quoted Biden as saying of the decision: “I’m looking for someone who can do the job, not someone who wants the other job.”
Bass doesn’t have as high a national profile as some of the other women under consideration. But she is well respected among Democrats in California as a former speaker of the state Assembly and on Capitol Hill as the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Her legislative prominence has grown in recent weeks as she has taken the reins — at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s request — on a bill to set national standards for policing in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Among other provisions, the bill would ban chokeholds and make civil suits against officers accused of misconduct easier to bring to court.
The Biden campaign’s interest in Bass is recent. Two weeks ago, a Bass spokesman told The Times that the congresswoman “is not aware that she in the mix” regarding vice presidential vetting. Her office declined to comment Tuesday.
Bass’ vetting was first reported by CBS News.
When asked about the reports on Tuesday by MSNBC, Bass deferred to the Biden camp.
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“Out of respect for the campaign, if there is any question in that regard, I think they should be directed there,” she said. “My sole focus is on the next 48 hours: one, what happens in the Senate, and, two, getting the bill over to [the] Senate from the House.”
Biden’s campaign declined to comment.
The Biden committee that is vetting potential candidates for vice president has already been in touch with several women in the highly secretive process.
Among those under consideration in addition to Harris are Rep. Val Demings of Florida, former national security advisor Susan Rice and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, all of whom are African American; New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who is Latina; and Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, who is Asian American.
Biden is also considering some white women, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. But Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota recently withdrew her name from consideration — her prospects were fading — and said she believed Biden should pick a woman of color as his running mate.
Though a progressive Democrat, Bass has close relationships with Republicans, including House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.
Bass’ name has been floated for the vice presidency by prominent Democrats, including former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
The former mayor, who has known Bass since the 1970s, said Tuesday that her level of experience “matches up to anyone.”
“The Biden team is going to make this decision based on the skill set, experience and their ability to step in the shoes of the president should that be necessary — and I think that she certainly fits that bill,” Villaraigosa said.
Earlier this month, Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.), the House Democratic whip, urged the Biden camp to choose a Black woman and said that Bass “would be a big plus.”
“A former speaker of the House in California? That’s got to be a plus,” he said. “She is a great person.”


latimes--2020-06-23--As efforts collapse to place homeless in hotels, L.A. officials propose new, $800-million plan

Even as the COVID-19 pandemic is slashing tax revenue across the board , officials Tuesday unveiled an $ 800-million plan to house Los Angeles County ’ s homeless people who are most vulnerable to the disease .
The three-year program proposed by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority would employ a combination of bridge housing , rental subsidies and rehousing services , all leading to permanent placements for 15,000 people who are considered most vulnerable to COVID-19 because of their age or health conditions .
The plan is a recasting of the county ’ s goal to shelter those people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s Project Roomkey .
That program has fallen short , with the county securing enough rooms for close to 4,000 people .
While the homeless authority must start rehousing those 4,000 as leases begin expiring next month , it has also committed to finding homes for the remaining 11,000 who never got into a hotel room .
“ We need sustainable housing solutions for this vulnerable population , ” LAHSA Executive Director Heidi Marston said in a written statement .
“ We set the goal of rehousing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the estimated number of people experiencing homelessness who are 65 or older , or who have an underlying health condition , making them highly susceptible to hospitalization or death should they contract COVID-19 .
This is about saving lives .
We are not backing away from that number .
We know how to house them .
We need the resources from the city , county , state and federal government to do it.
” Funding for the plan remains uncertain .
The report outlines a number of potential sources that would rely heavily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largely administered through the city and county .
LAHSA ’ s report , submitted Tuesday to the Board of Supervisors , concedes that the organization must compete with other demands on those funds .
The plan would require $ 600 million of new funding , on top of $ 200 million from existing homeless programs .
Those existing programs , however , which rely heavily on the Measure H homeless sales tax , are facing a budget crunch because of lost business activity resulting from the coronavirus .
County officials estimate that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ H will be cut by around $ 200 million over the next two years .
The Measure H money pays for a range of services , including rental subsidies , prevention , outreach and case management for shelters and permanent housing .
“ I am committed to working with my colleagues to make a significant down payment on this plan , but I am not wearing rose-colored glasses , ” L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl said in a written statement .
“ L.A .
County alone can not sustain the cost of housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and women .
To preserve housing for these vulnerable residents , we will need the support of city , state and federal governments as well.
” LAHSA ’ s plan envisions an initial phase through next June to provide bridge housing with temporary rental subsidies for nearly all of the 15,000 , with a small number moving directly into permanent housing with long-term subsidies .
Over the next two years , those in bridge housing would be assessed for permanent placements .
Those having higher needs would go into supportive housing , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let them transition into permanent housing .
About $ 45 million of the funds are meant to retain hotel and motel rooms after the initial 90-day leases expire .
The Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement for 75 % of that cost is set to expire this month , but LAHSA hopes to retain at least some of the rooms to aid the transition .
The plan calls for about 800 people currently in those rooms to be moved into bridge housing each month to complete the leasing program by November .
Efforts will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long-term leases on some of those hotels and motels .
Last week , Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti sounded cautiously optimistic that the city and county would be able to lock down larger properties by either purchasing or renting them .
“ If rents come down , if housing options go up , this could be done more cheaply , more quickly and into real housing that ’ s already built today , ” Garcetti said last week after making an appearance in U.S. District Judge David O. Carter ’ s courtroom .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city and county that would see the county fund services for the creation of 6,000 beds for homeless people in the city of Los Angeles over the next 18 months .
It wasn ’ t clear how the agreement would blend with the LAHSA plan announced Tuesday .
Neither Garcetti nor his team has yet said what specific types of shelter would be made available , but the agreement stipulates that people living near freeways and people over the age of 65 would be prioritized .
The emphasis on those groups , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could displace others who currently receive the highest priority for housing based on a complex scoring system that takes into account disabilities such as mental illness and substance use .
“ These are our parents and grandparents , our neighbors with disabilities and chronic conditions — we must not let them down , ” said LAHSA Commission Chair Sarah Dusseault .
“ Anything short of housing the 15,000 most vulnerable people experiencing homelessness puts this population , already so exposed , at risk of a COVID-19 outbreak .
We can ’ t let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan include a 50 % increase in LAHSA ’ s prevention program , beefed-up tenant protections and efforts to more quickly fill vacancies in existing supportive housing , which sometimes remains empty for months after tenants leave .
Homelessness has surged again in Los Angeles this year .
The annual point-in-time count released earlier this month estimated the county ’ s homeless population at 66,433 , up nearly 13 % , the second consecutive double-digit percentage increase .
The estimate for the city was 41,290 , up almost 14 % — only slightly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 16 % .
Those numbers are from January , before the pandemic forced people inside and ground the economy to a halt .
Economists and housing experts expect that the rise in unemployment will mean more people are forced to live on the street .
“ Last week , the county and city reached a new milestone in their long-standing partnership to address homelessness — committing unprecedented resources to bring more Angelenos indoors who currently live on the streets , ” said Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas .
“ Now is the time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and this partnership — and federal and state resources must be part of this collective effort.
” Hours after the announcement , David Rodriguez , 45 , straddled his bike off Hollywood Boulevard in Los Feliz near an encampment that has progressively become more congested during the pandemic .
It ’ s behind a Goodwill and across from a construction site , which has pushed the tents closer together .
Rodriguez , who is homeless and lives nearby , said that since the pandemic began , the city had brought portable toilets and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sidewalk with a mop and soap .
They ’ re all keenly aware of how quickly the virus could strike , Rodriguez said .
Volunteers continue to dole out food , but he said it has still been hard to get meals .
He receives general relief from the state but has yet to receive his $ 1,200 stimulus check from the federal government .
Homeless in Hollywood for 12 years , Rodriguez would welcome a hotel room that could turn into something permanent .
He believed many of his friends would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came without many strings attached .
Rodriguez had heard of Project Roomkey and said he met recently with an outreach worker about applying for a room .
He had also seen billboards touting the permanent supportive housing being built from Proposition HHH funds .
The lack of visible progress frustrated him and made him less than optimistic that he ’ d get a chance to move indoors .
“ My friends haven ’ t got housed yet .
None of them , ” Rodriguez said .
“ If there ’ s an opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside , I think they would give it a go .
I would try .
”

Wendy Brown, 58, who spent three years sleeping on sidewalks, walks through the hallway where she now resides at the Cadillac Hotel in Venice. As part of Project Roomkey, she is sleeping in a $240-a-night room off the boardwalk.
Even as the COVID-19 pandemic is slashing tax revenue across the board, officials Tuesday unveiled an $800-million plan to house Los Angeles County’s homeless people who are most vulnerable to the disease.
The three-year program proposed by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority would employ a combination of bridge housing, rental subsidies and rehousing services, all leading to permanent placements for 15,000 people who are considered most vulnerable to COVID-19 because of their age or health conditions.
The plan is a recasting of the county’s goal to shelter those people in leased hotels and motels as part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Project Roomkey. That program has fallen short, with the county securing enough rooms for close to 4,000 people.
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While the homeless authority must start rehousing those 4,000 as leases begin expiring next month, it has also committed to finding homes for the remaining 11,000 who never got into a hotel room.
California L.A. falls far short of COVID-19 promise to house 15,000 homeless people in hotels An ambitious Los Angeles County plan to lease hotel and motel rooms for 15,000 medically vulnerable homeless people is falling far short of its goal and may never provide rooms for more than a third of the intended population.
“We need sustainable housing solutions for this vulnerable population,” LAHSA Executive Director Heidi Marston said in a written statement. “We set the goal of rehousing 15,000 people, because that’s the estimated number of people experiencing homelessness who are 65 or older, or who have an underlying health condition, making them highly susceptible to hospitalization or death should they contract COVID-19. This is about saving lives. We are not backing away from that number. We know how to house them. We need the resources from the city, county, state and federal government to do it.”
Funding for the plan remains uncertain. The report outlines a number of potential sources that would rely heavily on federal and state coronavirus relief programs largely administered through the city and county. LAHSA’s report, submitted Tuesday to the Board of Supervisors, concedes that the organization must compete with other demands on those funds.
The plan would require $600 million of new funding, on top of $200 million from existing homeless programs. Those existing programs, however, which rely heavily on the Measure H homeless sales tax, are facing a budget crunch because of lost business activity resulting from the coronavirus.
County officials estimate that the $359 million expected annually from Measure H will be cut by around $200 million over the next two years.
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The Measure H money pays for a range of services, including rental subsidies, prevention, outreach and case management for shelters and permanent housing.
“I am committed to working with my colleagues to make a significant down payment on this plan, but I am not wearing rose-colored glasses,” L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl said in a written statement.
“L.A. County alone cannot sustain the cost of housing these thousands of sick and elderly men and women. To preserve housing for these vulnerable residents, we will need the support of city, state and federal governments as well.”
LAHSA’s plan envisions an initial phase through next June to provide bridge housing with temporary rental subsidies for nearly all of the 15,000, with a small number moving directly into permanent housing with long-term subsidies.
Over the next two years, those in bridge housing would be assessed for permanent placements. Those having higher needs would go into supportive housing, while others would receive longer-term subsidies designed to let them transition into permanent housing.
About $45 million of the funds are meant to retain hotel and motel rooms after the initial 90-day leases expire. The Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement for 75% of that cost is set to expire this month, but LAHSA hopes to retain at least some of the rooms to aid the transition.
The plan calls for about 800 people currently in those rooms to be moved into bridge housing each month to complete the leasing program by November. Efforts will also be made to purchase or obtain long-term leases on some of those hotels and motels. Last week, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti sounded cautiously optimistic that the city and county would be able to lock down larger properties by either purchasing or renting them.
“If rents come down, if housing options go up, this could be done more cheaply, more quickly and into real housing that’s already built today,” Garcetti said last week after making an appearance in U.S. District Judge David O. Carter’s courtroom.
Carter last week announced an agreement between the city and county that would see the county fund services for the creation of 6,000 beds for homeless people in the city of Los Angeles over the next 18 months. It wasn’t clear how the agreement would blend with the LAHSA plan announced Tuesday.
Neither Garcetti nor his team has yet said what specific types of shelter would be made available, but the agreement stipulates that people living near freeways and people over the age of 65 would be prioritized. The emphasis on those groups, at least in the short term, could displace others who currently receive the highest priority for housing based on a complex scoring system that takes into account disabilities such as mental illness and substance use.
“These are our parents and grandparents, our neighbors with disabilities and chronic conditions — we must not let them down,” said LAHSA Commission Chair Sarah Dusseault. “Anything short of housing the 15,000 most vulnerable people experiencing homelessness puts this population, already so exposed, at risk of a COVID-19 outbreak. We can’t let that happen.”
Other elements of the plan include a 50% increase in LAHSA’s prevention program, beefed-up tenant protections and efforts to more quickly fill vacancies in existing supportive housing, which sometimes remains empty for months after tenants leave.
Homelessness has surged again in Los Angeles this year. The annual point-in-time count released earlier this month estimated the county’s homeless population at 66,433, up nearly 13% from the previous year , the second consecutive double-digit percentage increase. The estimate for the city was 41,290, up almost 14% — only slightly less than last year’s increase of 16%.
Those numbers are from January, before the pandemic forced people inside and ground the economy to a halt. Economists and housing experts expect that the rise in unemployment will mean more people are forced to live on the street.
“Last week, the county and city reached a new milestone in their long-standing partnership to address homelessness — committing unprecedented resources to bring more Angelenos indoors who currently live on the streets,” said Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. “Now is the time to build on this platform, this momentum and this partnership — and federal and state resources must be part of this collective effort.”
Hours after the announcement, David Rodriguez, 45, straddled his bike off Hollywood Boulevard in Los Feliz near an encampment that has progressively become more congested during the pandemic. It’s behind a Goodwill and across from a construction site, which has pushed the tents closer together. Rodriguez, who is homeless and lives nearby, said that since the pandemic began, the city had brought portable toilets and two washing stations. Another man cleaned the sidewalk with a mop and soap.
They’re all keenly aware of how quickly the virus could strike, Rodriguez said. Volunteers continue to dole out food, but he said it has still been hard to get meals. He receives general relief from the state but has yet to receive his $1,200 stimulus check from the federal government.
Homeless in Hollywood for 12 years, Rodriguez would welcome a hotel room that could turn into something permanent. He believed many of his friends would as well, so long as it came without many strings attached.
Rodriguez had heard of Project Roomkey and said he met recently with an outreach worker about applying for a room. He had also seen billboards touting the permanent supportive housing being built from Proposition HHH funds. The lack of visible progress frustrated him and made him less than optimistic that he’d get a chance to move indoors.
“My friends haven’t got housed yet. None of them,” Rodriguez said. “If there’s an opportunity, and people aren’t forced inside, I think they would give it a go. I would try.”


latimes--2020-06-23--L.A. City Council passes $100-million coronavirus rent relief program

Nearly 50,000 Los Angeles families hurt by the economic and health fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic could get help from a $ 100-million rent relief program passed by the City Council on Tuesday .
The money would provide up to $ 2,000 in rental assistance for low-income households who have lost work , fallen ill or had to assist sick family members during the crisis .
“ I am reminded every day during this ongoing pandemic that people , especially those in disenfranchised communities , are struggling , ” City Council President Nury Martinez , who authored the measure , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program will help tens of thousands of Angelenos , and that ’ s wonderful news.
” The efforts aims to address the economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak , which has led to a nearly 21 % unemployment rate in L.A. County .
While the $ 100-million effort is the largest passed by any U.S. city to help tenants pay their rent , it would still fall short of reaching all who have been affected by the pandemic in Los Angeles .
According to one estimate by UCLA ’ s Luskin Institute on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 365,000 households countywide have lost their jobs , do not have access to unemployment benefits and are at risk of losing their homes once anti-eviction moratoriums expire .
To qualify for the city program , tenants will have to prove they ’ ve been affected financially or had health problems due to the coronavirus .
The city will pay a tenant ’ s rent up to $ 1,000 per month , with a maximum payment of $ 2,000 per household .
The money would go directly to the tenants ’ landlords .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 80 % of the median income in the area — $ 83,500 for a family of four — to be eligible .
In an effort to direct the money to those who most need it , half the funding will be reserved for those making no more than 30 % of the area median income , or $ 31,300 for a family of four .
The city expects the bulk of the subsidies , which come from the $ 694 million the city received from the federal government ’ s coronavirus stimulus program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out between August and October , according to a report from the Housing and Community Investment Department .
Approximately 16,000 families will receive assistance in each of those months , the report estimated .
Currently , nearly all evictions in California are on hold because the state court system is not processing cases except for those deemed emergencies .
The city of Los Angeles has passed additional tenant protections , barring evictions for those unable to pay rent due to the coronavirus and allowing renters a year after the expiration of the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due rent .
If tenants and landlords receive funding from the city ’ s rental assistance program , landlords must agree not to raise rent during that repayment period .
L.A. County also began advancing rental assistance efforts on Tuesday , with supervisors asking staff members to develop a similar program with $ 20 million in funding .
So far , tenants in Los Angeles and nationwide appear to have been able to keep up with their rent payments much more than many analysts had anticipated , given the economic hardships caused by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council , a Washington , D.C.-based landlord trade group , found that more than 92 % of tenants have paid at least part of this month ’ s rent , a figure unchanged from last June .
The council ’ s survey covers 11.4 million professionally managed apartments — about a quarter of the nation ’ s rental market .
In California , nearly 83 % of adults living in rental homes reported paying their rent last month in a U.S. Census Bureau survey conducted between June 4 and June 9 .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress increased unemployment benefits to provide those who have lost jobs with an additional $ 600 a week , which the housing council credits with helping tenants make their payments .
Those expanded unemployment benefits , however , are scheduled to expire at the end of July , leading some to worry that many more tenants will quickly fall behind .
“ We need substantially more assistance from the White House and our federal government if we are going to meet the housing needs of Angelenos and people throughout the nation , ” @ @ @

Nearly 50,000 Los Angeles families hurt by the economic and health fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic could get help from a $100-million rent relief program passed by the City Council on Tuesday.
The money would provide up to $2,000 in rental assistance for low-income households who have lost work, fallen ill or had to assist sick family members during the crisis.
“I am reminded every day during this ongoing pandemic that people, especially those in disenfranchised communities, are struggling,” City Council President Nury Martinez, who authored the measure, said in a statement. “This program will help tens of thousands of Angelenos, and that’s wonderful news.”
The efforts aims to address the economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak, which has led to a nearly 21% unemployment rate in L.A. County. While the $100-million effort is the largest passed by any U.S. city to help tenants pay their rent, it would still fall short of reaching all who have been affected by the pandemic in Los Angeles. According to one estimate by UCLA’s Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy, for instance, about 365,000 households countywide have lost their jobs, do not have access to unemployment benefits and are at risk of losing their homes once anti-eviction moratoriums expire.
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To qualify for the city program, tenants will have to prove they’ve been affected financially or had health problems due to the coronavirus. The city will pay a tenant’s rent up to $1,000 per month, with a maximum payment of $2,000 per household. The money would go directly to the tenants’ landlords.
Tenants also must make no more than 80% of the median income in the area — $83,500 for a family of four — to be eligible. In an effort to direct the money to those who most need it, half the funding will be reserved for those making no more than 30% of the area median income, or $31,300 for a family of four.
The city expects the bulk of the subsidies, which come from the $694 million the city received from the federal government’s coronavirus stimulus program passed in March, to be given out between August and October, according to a report from the Housing and Community Investment Department. Approximately 16,000 families will receive assistance in each of those months, the report estimated.
Currently, nearly all evictions in California are on hold because the state court system is not processing cases except for those deemed emergencies. The city of Los Angeles has passed additional tenant protections, barring evictions for those unable to pay rent due to the coronavirus and allowing renters a year after the expiration of the state of emergency to make up any past due rent. If tenants and landlords receive funding from the city’s rental assistance program, landlords must agree not to raise rent during that repayment period.
L.A. County also began advancing rental assistance efforts on Tuesday, with supervisors asking staff members to develop a similar program with $20 million in funding.
So far, tenants in Los Angeles and nationwide appear to have been able to keep up with their rent payments much more than many analysts had anticipated, given the economic hardships caused by the virus.
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The National Multifamily Housing Council, a Washington, D.C.-based landlord trade group, found that more than 92% of tenants have paid at least part of this month’s rent, a figure unchanged from last June. The council’s survey covers 11.4 million professionally managed apartments — about a quarter of the nation’s rental market.
In California, nearly 83% of adults living in rental homes reported paying their rent last month in a U.S. Census Bureau survey conducted between June 4 and June 9.
As part of the federal stimulus plan, Congress increased unemployment benefits to provide those who have lost jobs with an additional $600 a week, which the housing council credits with helping tenants make their payments. Those expanded unemployment benefits, however, are scheduled to expire at the end of July, leading some to worry that many more tenants will quickly fall behind.
“We need substantially more assistance from the White House and our federal government if we are going to meet the housing needs of Angelenos and people throughout the nation,” Martinez said.
Times staff writer Jaclyn Cosgrove contributed to this report.