latimes--2020-02-19--Does California need 'another cook in the kitchen' to fix homelessness? Newsom says yes

California lawmakers will gather Wednesday to hear Gov .
Gavin Newsom deliver his annual State of the State address and will no doubt applaud any promise he makes to zero in on homelessness .
But that doesn ’ t mean they ’ ll agree with him .
There is a growing rift in Sacramento political circles over how best to address a crisis that has swelled so much in the past year that more than 151,000 people are now living on the streets and in shelters across the state .
Newsom has already proposed spending an additional $ 750 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — on top of the more than $ 1 billion that the state is still doling out from previous allocations — and $ 695 million to expand homeless services under Medi-Cal .
On Wednesday , the governor also may elaborate on a new plan that , he says , will create more accountability by carving the state into still-undecided regions .
State officials would then pick an entity in each region to distribute the $ 750 million , bypassing the existing reliance on allotting money directly to cities and counties , and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Meanwhile , another plan floated by Assemblyman Miguel Santiago ( D-Los Angeles ) and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority would allocate $ 2 billion a year to combat homelessness , instead of the one-time jolt of funding that Newsom prefers .
Santiago says the plan , which he expects to be introduced as a bill on Friday , is complementary to what the governor wants .
But the differing approach is a likely harbinger of broader dissent that could dominate discussions at the Capitol in coming months as the state budget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ existing efforts on homelessness are failing .
And , for Angelenos in particular , the discussions could add another layer of confusion as Mayor Eric Garcetti continues to negotiate his own deal with the Trump administration to address homelessness in L.A .
These talks have been happening independent of the governor ’ s office for months and , last week , U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson met with Garcetti to announce a working group that could lead to more funding and access to federal land , though under what conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unprecedented level of intensity focused on the homeless crisis in this state , so this will not be going away any time soon , ” said L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas , a co-chair of Newsom ’ s statewide task force on homelessness .
“ We are obligated to deliver and I think the governor is laser-focused on that.
” At the core of the debate , at least among state officials , is a need for accountability , to show that taxpayer money is successfully reducing the number of people on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s not .
Instead , more people continue to become homeless than are helped into housing .
In 2018 , for example , 133 people escaped homelessness each day in L.A. , but another 150 people became homeless , according to Los Angeles County .
Will another single shot of money , as the governor wants , make a difference ?
And can any sum help when those charged with spending it can ’ t seem to agree on what needs to be done ?
“ Homelessness is a crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government to not only step up with more resources , but also to ensure money spent is having the largest possible effect at getting people off the street , ” said Jason Elliott , senior counselor to the Governor for Housing and Homelessness .
There are , however , two points on which elected officials — from the governor to mayors — can agree : There is little effective or uniform tracking of current spending at any level of government , and there are few repercussions for local governments that spend money without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Assembly called for an audit of state homeless funding to decipher where it has gone .
Newsom , in particular , is under increasing pressure to show results .
Even before taking office , he promised to select a point person in his administration to tackle the issue cohesively .
But that effort has yet to solidify , leading to criticism .
President Trump , in particular , has called out the state for driving the nation ’ s rise in homelessness .
Trump , who is visiting California this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be necessary .
The governor has suggested that his latest plan will lead to real progress , breaking through red tape and increasing collaboration by giving the state more control of where its money goes .
The existing mishmash has allowed some jurisdictions to duck their fair share of work , some officials argue .
And it stymies local governments that do want to act because , at the ground level , successfully helping a homeless person often requires multiple levels of government working together .
“ The various funding streams are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said at an event last week at USC .
“ It ’ s an alphabet soup.
” An emergency shelter , for example , could be opened by a city — but mental health services would likely come through the county .
There are many places in the state where local leaders — mayors , city council members or members of county boards of supervisors — contend neighboring cities and counties won ’ t cooperate .
Under the governor ’ s plan to split the state into regions , the organizations holding the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nonprofits , local governments or something else — but the California Department of Social Services , now a relatively small player , would become an overseer with a goal of compelling collaboration .
“ Californians deserve to have every level of government working together — across parochial boundaries — to avoid duplication of services and maximize results across metropolitan areas , ” Elliott said .
But some legislators view Newsom ’ s plan as reinventing the wheel in the middle of an emergency .
Rather than eliminate confusion , the plan has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by adding another source of money and another layer of bureaucracy .
“ This is just one aspect of the governor ’ s proposal that has us scratching our heads , ” said Michelle Cabrera , executive director of the County Behavioral Health Directors Assn .
“ What we are hearing is not , ‘ Gosh , we really need another cook in the kitchen.
’ ” Currently , there is not much the state can do to force local governments to coordinate , but Newsom ’ s plan would formalize that ability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s homelessness task force , led by Ridley-Thomas and Steinberg , also has suggested creating a constitutional amendment as another way to achieve that goal .
It would allow the state to sue local governments if they fail to meet agreed-upon benchmarks for housing homeless people .
That plan would require a two-thirds majority in the Legislature to place it on the ballot .
Newsom has expressed interest in the idea , but hasn ’ t endorsed it .
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said cooperation between her city and the county of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she agrees that the current system involves “ too much bureaucratic red tape and siloing of different governmental roles ” that can be used as excuses for inaction .
She added that the push to keep local control of money “ is often used as a thinly veiled rallying cry for NIMBYs and exclusion.
” Still , when asked about Newsom ’ s plan , Schaaf said she was hesitant to embrace a regional structure with few details , given the potential for losing the ability to make local decisions when Oakland is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to scream at their government , they come to City Hall , ” she said .
“ They come to the mayor ’ s office — and in my case , they sometimes come to my house.
” There are signs that Newsom ’ s plan might not get quick approval .
At a committee hearing last week , lawmakers were skeptical .
“ It wasn ’ t clear what the new approach was addressing , ” said Assemblyman Phil Ting ( D-San Francisco ) after the hearing .
“ People already feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Why do we need more state employees to administer a new pot of money ?
” Santiago said that without annual funding , “ it ’ s a hard mountain to climb because you need to be able to plan for next year ’ s services.
” “ We have ongoing money for education , we have ongoing money for transportation , we have ongoing money for healthcare , ” he said .
“ We have got to have ongoing money for homelessness because if we don ’ t , the problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely engage with the Legislature in coming weeks .
But legislators will likely forge ahead with their own proposals too .
As they debate , consensus remains elusive for those working on the front lines of the crisis .
“ I think that as we hit fever pitch , people are throwing spaghetti up against the wall , ” Cabrera said .

Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins talk with Freda Childs, who has been homeless off and on for the past 10 years, outside San Diego City Hall.
California lawmakers will gather Wednesday to hear Gov. Gavin Newsom deliver his annual State of the State address and will no doubt applaud any promise he makes to zero in on homelessness. But that doesn’t mean they’ll agree with him.
There is a growing rift in Sacramento political circles over how best to address a crisis that has swelled so much in the past year that more than 151,000 people are now living on the streets and in shelters across the state.
Newsom has already proposed spending an additional $750 million to get people into housing this year — on top of the more than $1 billion that the state is still doling out from previous allocations — and $695 million to expand homeless services under Medi-Cal.
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On Wednesday, the governor also may elaborate on a new plan that, he says, will create more accountability by carving the state into still-undecided regions. State officials would then pick an entity in each region to distribute the $750 million, bypassing the existing reliance on allotting money directly to cities and counties, and other local organizations. The details are vague.
Meanwhile, another plan floated by Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority would allocate $2 billion a year to combat homelessness, instead of the one-time jolt of funding that Newsom prefers.
Santiago says the plan, which he expects to be introduced as a bill on Friday, is complementary to what the governor wants. But the differing approach is a likely harbinger of broader dissent that could dominate discussions at the Capitol in coming months as the state budget is hammered out amid growing criticism that existing efforts on homelessness are failing.
And, for Angelenos in particular, the discussions could add another layer of confusion as Mayor Eric Garcetti continues to negotiate his own deal with the Trump administration to address homelessness in L.A. These talks have been happening independent of the governor’s office for months. Last week, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson met with Garcetti to announce a working group that could lead to more funding and access to federal land, though under what conditions remains unclear.
“There is an unprecedented level of intensity focused on the homeless crisis in this state, so this will not be going away any time soon,” said L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas, a co-chair of Newsom’s statewide task force on homelessness. “We are obligated to deliver and I think the governor is laser-focused on that.”
At the core of the debate, at least among state officials, is a need for accountability, to show that taxpayer money is successfully reducing the number of people on the streets when, in many places, it’s not. Instead, more people continue to become homeless than are helped into housing. In 2018, for example, 133 people escaped homelessness each day in L.A. County, but another 150 people became homeless.
Will another single shot of money, as the governor wants, make a difference? And can any sum help when those charged with spending it can’t seem to agree on what needs to be done?
Advertisement
“Homelessness is a crisis, one that demands every level of government to not only step up with more resources, but also to ensure money spent is having the largest possible effect at getting people off the street,” said Jason Elliott, senior counselor to the Governor for Housing and Homelessness.
There are, however, two points on which elected officials — from the governor to mayors — can agree: There is little effective or uniform tracking of current spending at any level of government, and there are few repercussions for local governments that spend money without results. This week, one member of the Assembly called for an audit of state homeless funding to decipher where it had gone.
Newsom, in particular, is under increasing pressure to show results. Even before taking office, he promised to select a point person in his administration to tackle the issue cohesively. But that effort has yet to solidify, leading to criticism.
President Trump, in particular, has called out the state for driving the nation’s rise in homelessness. On Tuesday, during his visit to Los Angeles, the president said federal intervention might be necessary if L.A. doesn’t “clean it up fast.”
“If they can’t do it themselves, we’re going to do it,” Trump said. “The federal government is going to take it over, we’re going to do it.”
The governor has suggested that his latest plan will lead to real progress, breaking through red tape and increasing collaboration by giving the state more control of where its money goes. The existing mishmash has allowed some jurisdictions to duck their fair share of work, some officials argue. And it stymies local governments that do want to act because, at the ground level, successfully helping a homeless person often requires multiple levels of government working together.
“The various funding streams are fragmented,” Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said at an event last week at USC. “It’s an alphabet soup.”
An emergency shelter, for example, could be opened by a city — but mental health services would likely come through the county. There are many places in the state where local leaders — mayors, city council members or members of county boards of supervisors — contend neighboring cities and counties won’t cooperate.
Under the governor’s plan to split the state into regions, the organizations holding the purse strings of state funding could be nonprofits, local governments or something else — but the California Department of Social Services, now a relatively small player, would become an overseer with a goal of compelling collaboration.
“Californians deserve to have every level of government working together — across parochial boundaries — to avoid duplication of services and maximize results across metropolitan areas,” Elliott said.
But some legislators view Newsom’s plan as reinventing the wheel in the middle of an emergency. Rather than eliminate confusion, the plan has been criticized as a way to create it by adding another source of money and another layer of bureaucracy.
“This is just one aspect of the governor’s proposal that has us scratching our heads,” said Michelle Cabrera, executive director of the County Behavioral Health Directors Assn. “What we are hearing is not, ‘Gosh, we really need another cook in the kitchen.’”
Currently, there is not much the state can do to force local governments to coordinate, but Newsom’s plan would formalize that ability to intervene.
Separately, the governor’s homelessness task force, led by Ridley-Thomas and Steinberg, also has suggested creating a constitutional amendment as another way to achieve that goal. It would allow the state to sue local governments if they fail to meet agreed-upon benchmarks for housing homeless people. That plan would require a two-thirds majority in the Legislature to place it on the ballot. Newsom has expressed interest in the idea but hasn’t endorsed it.
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said cooperation between her city and the county of Alameda had been a problem, and she agrees that the current system involves “too much bureaucratic red tape and siloing of different governmental roles” that can be used as excuses for inaction. She added that the push to keep local control of money was “often used as a thinly veiled rallying cry for NIMBYs and exclusion.”
Still, when asked about Newsom’s plan, Schaaf said she was hesitant to embrace a regional structure with few details, given the potential for losing the ability to make local decisions when Oakland is her responsibility.
“When people want to scream at their government, they come to City Hall,” she said. “They come to the mayor’s office — and in my case, they sometimes come to my house.”
There are signs that Newsom’s plan might not get quick approval. At a committee hearing last week, lawmakers were skeptical.
“It wasn’t clear what the new approach was addressing,” said Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) after the hearing. “People already feel like we have plenty of state employees. Why do we need more state employees to administer a new pot of money?”
Santiago said that, without annual funding, “it’s a hard mountain to climb because you need to be able to plan for next year’s services.”
“We have ongoing money for education, we have ongoing money for transportation, we have ongoing money for healthcare,” he said. “We have got to have ongoing money for homelessness because, if we don’t, the problem will continue to grow.”
Newsom will likely engage with the Legislature in coming weeks. But legislators will probably forge ahead with their own proposals too. As they debate, consensus remains elusive for those working on the front lines of the crisis.
“I think that as we hit fever pitch, people are throwing spaghetti up against the wall,” Cabrera said.


latimes--2020-02-19--1 firefighter killed, 1 missing battling Porterville library fire

One firefighter was fatally injured and another was missing Tuesday evening after dozens of first responders rushed to put out a fire that engulfed the Porterville , Calif. , library .
Officials said at a news conference that they were still working to notify the next of kin of the firefighter who was killed while battling the blaze .
“ We also have one additional firefighter who is currently unaccounted for at this time , ” said Tulare County Fire Chief Charlie Norman .
“ We ’ re working through suppression , and when it ’ s safe to operate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ building and hopefully find that firefighter in very short order.
” At 4:14 p.m. , the Porterville Fire Department was dispatched to the fire at the library , which sits one block from a city fire station .
Firefighters quickly called for additional resources as flames shot through the roof of the library .
More than 50 firefighters from several departments , including Cal Fire and Fresno County Fire , responded to the blaze , which was still burning late Tuesday evening .
Norman said although he wasn ’ t familiar with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant amount of fuel , and firefighters anticipated being on scene for several more hours .
The cause of the fire is under investigation , and fire investigators were on the scene looking into any potential criminal element of the fire , said Porterville Police Chief Eric Kroutil .
Officials declined to expand on whether any patrons or staff were inside the library when it caught fire .
The library is typically open until 8 p.m. on Tuesdays , according to its website .
The library ’ s building was built in 1953 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system , said Tulare County Fire Capt .
Joanne Bear , the acting public information officer for incident .
About a month ago , local leaders held a special joint meeting of the Porterville City Council and the Library and Literacy Commission to discuss the need for a new library , the Porterville Recorder reported .
At that meeting , Porterville Mayor Martha Flores asked how much the library ’ s operating costs were , the newspaper reported .
City Manager John Lollis said the cost was about $ 1.25 million .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 33 million , he said .

One firefighter was fatally injured and another was missing Tuesday evening after dozens of first responders rushed to put out a fire that engulfed the Porterville, Calif., library.
Officials said at a news conference that they were still working to notify the next of kin of the firefighter who was killed while battling the blaze.
“We also have one additional firefighter who is currently unaccounted for at this time,” said Tulare County Fire Chief Charlie Norman. “We’re working through suppression, and when it’s safe to operate, we will get back in the building and hopefully find that firefighter in very short order.”
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At 4:14 p.m., the Porterville Fire Department was dispatched to the fire at the library, which sits one block from a city fire station. Firefighters quickly called for additional resources as flames shot through the roof of the library. More than 50 firefighters from several departments, including Cal Fire and Fresno County Fire, responded to the blaze, which was still burning late Tuesday evening.
Norman said although he wasn’t familiar with the specific building, libraries typically have a significant amount of fuel, and firefighters anticipated being on scene for several more hours.
Heartbreaking 🔥 Firefighters continue to battle a massive fire at the #Porterville Library.
Courtesy: Naji Abdullah. pic.twitter.com/lZH6g28XwA — Kirsten Mitchell (@Kirsten_TV) February 19, 2020
The cause of the fire is under investigation, and fire investigators were on the scene looking into any potential criminal element of the fire, said Porterville Police Chief Eric Kroutil.
Officials declined to expand on whether any patrons or staff were inside the library when it caught fire. The library is typically open until 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, according to its website.
The library’s building was built in 1953 and was not equipped with a sprinkler system, said Tulare County Fire Capt. Joanne Bear, the acting public information officer for incident.
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About a month ago, local leaders held a special joint meeting of the Porterville City Council and the Library and Literacy Commission to discuss the need for a new library, the Porterville Recorder reported.
At that meeting, Porterville Mayor Martha Flores asked how much the library’s operating costs were, the newspaper reported. City Manager John Lollis said the cost was about $1.25 million. A new library would cost an estimated $33 million, he said.


latimes--2020-02-18--Three men killed in Perris cemetery; crime could be cartel related

The bodies of three men killed in a Perris cemetery were found Monday morning near the grave of a man killed in Mexico in December , prompting investigators to look into whether the killings are connected .
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said in a news conference Tuesday that the killing of the three Perris residents — Jaime Covarrubias Espindola , 50 ; Jose Maria Aguilar-Espejel , 38 ; and Rodrigo Aguilar-Espejel , 28 — was possibly linked to cartel violence .
“ I mean , three people killed at the same time , that was a message for something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or whether it was to them , ” Bianco said .
The men ’ s bodies were discovered sometime before 10:30 a.m. at the Perris Valley Cemetery in the 900 block of North Perris Boulevard , according to the Riverside County Sheriff ’ s Department .
Reports out of Mexico say the man buried in the Perris cemetery was killed in December , the Press-Enterprise reported .
When asked whether it seemed that the men were executed , Bianco told reporters : “ All three were killed at the same time there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what you would call it , but it certainly seems that way .
”

A triple homicide investigation was underway Monday in Perris after the bodies of three men were discovered near a grave site at a cemetery.
The bodies of three men killed in a Perris cemetery were found Monday morning near the grave of a man killed in Mexico in December, prompting investigators to look into whether the killings are connected.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said in a news conference Tuesday that the killing of the three Perris residents — Jaime Covarrubias Espindola, 50; Jose Maria Aguilar-Espejel, 38; and Rodrigo Aguilar-Espejel, 28 — was possibly linked to cartel violence.
“I mean, three people killed at the same time, that was a message for something, whether it was for someone else, or whether it was to them,” Bianco said.
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The men’s bodies were discovered sometime before 10:30 a.m. at the Perris Valley Cemetery in the 900 block of North Perris Boulevard, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
Reports out of Mexico say the man buried in the Perris cemetery was killed in December, the Press-Enterprise reported.
When asked whether it seemed that the men were executed, Bianco told reporters: “All three were killed at the same time there. You can get into semantics of what you would call it, but it certainly seems that way.”
Times staff writer Rosanna Xia contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-02-18--Bill would force companies to keep insuring homeowners in wildfire zones. Will it work?

Insurance companies fleeing high-risk fire zones would have to stay put and even offer discounts if homeowners in those areas prepare for wildfires on a community-wide scale , under a new bill proposed in Sacramento on Tuesday .
The bill , AB 2367 , has the backing of state Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara .
It would mandate that starting in 2021 , insurers would have to renew policies and continue to write new ones in communities that meet state standards for firescaping , or home hardening , that would be established before the law takes effect .
“ Homeowners who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardening their homes and mitigating for fire danger , are still seeing their insurance canceled or non-renewed , ” said state Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez ( D-San Diego ) , co-author of the bill .
“ We can ’ t allow insurance companies to continue to drop responsible homeowners from San Diego to the Sierras just because they can.
” The bill is the latest move from Sacramento to force insurance companies to continue issuing policies in the state ’ s wildland-urban interface , the gray zone where millions of homeowners reside between suburbia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , roughly one-third of the 13.6 million homes in California were located in this wildfire zone , according to federal data .
Since 2015 , insurers have increasingly either boosted premiums or declined to renew homeowner policies in areas recently hit by wildfires or considered at high risk of experiencing one .
Assemblywoman Monique Limón ( D-Santa Barbara ) , said that since the 2017 Thomas fire , homeowners in her district had experienced “ unprecedented rates of insurance non-renewals even when the community has been working towards reducing the risk.
” Because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proponents say , homeowners are finding it increasingly difficult to stay , rebuild or sell their home due to limited options .
“ The key here in the long run is mitigation and how do we lessen the risk for homeowners , lessen the risk to the community , ” Lara said .
“ What we ’ ve seen lately is consumers investing in thousands of dollars [ in fire mitigation ] without any guarantee they ’ ll get any coverage or that they won ’ t get dropped .
This will get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get mitigation , inspections , then let ’ s guarantee you.
” Not everyone is convinced the bill is the best path forward .
Rex Frazier , president of the Personal Insurance Federation of California , an association of state insurers , questioned the premise that community-wide efforts are sure to reduce the risks of home losses .
“ We ’ re trying to figure out what is within the individual ’ s and the community ’ s power to stop property loss , ” he said .
“ For wildfire , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exists that can reliably predict what demonstrably reduces the risks of a homeowner .
We ’ re not talking about ordinary home fires ; we ’ re talking about mega-events .
Even homes built to the 2008 standards in Paradise , only 50 % of those homes survived.
” There are still a number of details to be worked out before the bill takes effect .
A task force that includes officials with the California Office of Emergency Services , State Fire Marshal , California Department of Forestry and Fire Management and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Research would need to come up with standards for home and community-wide firescaping , a method of maintaining land and property to reduce fire behavior and possible ignitions .
The task force would consult with the insurance industry and the standards would differ depending on each community ’ s risks , Lara said .
Although there ’ s money in the budget to explore the issue , Lara said , it ’ s unclear ultimately who will be responsible for certifying that fire defense standards are met and then maintained .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disabled residents would meet the standards if they can not afford to do them or are physically unable to .
The law would apply only to existing homes where there ’ s been an abrupt change in insurance availability , officials said .
Some experts see the legislation as a partial step in the right direction .
“ The high-profile nature of the law makes it valuable in raising the profile of the issue , ” said Lisa Dale , who teaches sustainable development at Columbia University ’ s Earth Institute .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these dynamics and it ’ s putting homeowners on notice that they ’ re going to be responsible for managing their own risk.
” That said , she added , “ I ’ m very skeptical it will get us the outcomes we want .
”

Few homes were under construction in the Fountain Grove subdivision of Santa Rosa, Calif., October 2018 in the aftermath of the Tubbs fire.
Insurance companies fleeing high-risk fire zones would have to stay put and even offer discounts if homeowners in those areas prepare for wildfires on a community-wide scale, under a new bill proposed in Sacramento on Tuesday.
The bill, AB 2367, has the backing of state Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. It would mandate that starting in 2021, insurers would have to renew policies and continue to write new ones in communities that meet state standards for firescaping, or home hardening, that would be established before the law takes effect.
“Homeowners who have done all the right things, hardening their homes and mitigating for fire danger, are still seeing their insurance canceled or non-renewed,” said state Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego), co-author of the bill. “We can’t allow insurance companies to continue to drop responsible homeowners from San Diego to the Sierras just because they can.”
The bill is the latest move from Sacramento to force insurance companies to continue issuing policies in the state’s wildland-urban interface, the gray zone where millions of homeowners reside between suburbia and the forest. As of 2010, roughly one-third of the 13.6 million homes in California were located in this wildfire zone, according to federal data.
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Since 2015, insurers have increasingly either boosted premiums or declined to renew homeowner policies in areas recently hit by wildfires or considered at high risk of experiencing one.
Assemblywoman Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara), said that since the 2017 Thomas fire, homeowners in her district had experienced “unprecedented rates of insurance non-renewals even when the community has been working towards reducing the risk.”
Because of that, the bill’s proponents say, homeowners are finding it increasingly difficult to stay, rebuild or sell their home due to limited options.
“The key here in the long run is mitigation and how do we lessen the risk for homeowners, lessen the risk to the community,” Lara said. “What we’ve seen lately is consumers investing in thousands of dollars [in fire mitigation] without any guarantee they’ll get any coverage or that they won’t get dropped. This will get a fair balance: let’s get mitigation, inspections, then let’s guarantee you.”
Not everyone is convinced the bill is the best path forward. Rex Frazier, president of the Personal Insurance Federation of California, an association of state insurers, questioned the premise that community-wide efforts are sure to reduce the risks of home losses.
“We’re trying to figure out what is within the individual’s and the community’s power to stop property loss,” he said. “For wildfire, there’s no science right now that exists that can reliably predict what demonstrably reduces the risks of a homeowner. We’re not talking about ordinary home fires; we’re talking about mega-events. Even homes built to the 2008 standards in Paradise, only 50% of those homes survived.”
There are still a number of details to be worked out before the bill takes effect.
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A task force that includes officials with the California Office of Emergency Services, State Fire Marshal, California Department of Forestry and Fire Management and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research would need to come up with standards for home and community-wide firescaping, a method of maintaining land and property to reduce fire behavior and possible ignitions. The task force would consult with the insurance industry and the standards would differ depending on each community’s risks, Lara said.
Although there’s money in the budget to explore the issue, Lara said, it’s unclear ultimately who will be responsible for certifying that fire defense standards are met and then maintained. It’s also not clear how low-income or disabled residents would meet the standards if they cannot afford to do them or are physically unable to. The law would apply only to existing homes where there’s been an abrupt change in insurance availability, officials said.
Some experts see the legislation as a partial step in the right direction.
“The high-profile nature of the law makes it valuable in raising the profile of the issue,” said Lisa Dale, who teaches sustainable development at Columbia University’s Earth Institute. “It’s signaling a market-shift in these dynamics and it’s putting homeowners on notice that they’re going to be responsible for managing their own risk.”
That said, she added, “I’m very skeptical it will get us the outcomes we want.”


latimes--2020-02-18--L.A. bans exotic animals from house parties

The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to ban the use of exotic animals for entertainment purposes , effectively putting an end to traditional circuses and similar ventures within the city .
“ The issue of wild , exotic animals being abused came to my doorstep four years ago , when a baby giraffe and elephant were being marched up the Hollywood Hills for a house party , ” said Councilman David Ryu .
“ It is time that the city of Los Angeles makes absolutely clear that this abuse of animals is shameful , and we will not stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was passed on a 14-0 vote , also prohibits people from riding wild and exotic animals or using them in other entertainment purposes , whether a fee is charged or not .
The ban does not apply to typically domesticated animals such as horses .
Wildlife conservationists who obtain applicable permits and the Los Angeles Zoo , which exhibit animals for educational purposes but do not require them to perform tricks , are exempt from the ban .
It ’ s the strongest city ordinance in the nation that protects wild and exotic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the councilman , exotic animals such as elephants , giraffes and lions have been brought to lavish house parties in the Hollywood Hills for years .
California lawmakers voted in 2019 to ban bears , tigers , elephants , monkeys or other wild animals in circus acts .
Rachel Matthews , deputy director of captive animal law enforcement for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals , said the organization strongly supported the ban approved Tuesday .
“ Using petrified penguins , bewildered big cats and other wild animals as party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deprived lives in chains , cages and trailers , and can endanger partygoers when the animals get spooked , ” she said .
“ PETA supported this progressive ban every step of the way , and we look forward to seeing the lights go out on the days of dragging bears , giraffes , elephants and lions to house parties .
”

Protesters with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals outside Los Angeles City Hall in 2016.
The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to ban the use of exotic animals for entertainment purposes, effectively putting an end to traditional circuses and similar ventures within the city.
“The issue of wild, exotic animals being abused came to my doorstep four years ago, when a baby giraffe and elephant were being marched up the Hollywood Hills for a house party,” said Councilman David Ryu. “It is time that the city of Los Angeles makes absolutely clear that this abuse of animals is shameful, and we will not stand for it.”
The ban, which was passed on a 14-0 vote, also prohibits people from riding wild and exotic animals or using them in other entertainment purposes, whether a fee is charged or not.
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The ban does not apply to typically domesticated animals such as horses.
Wildlife conservationists who obtain applicable permits and the Los Angeles Zoo, which exhibit animals for educational purposes but do not require them to perform tricks, are exempt from the ban.
It’s the strongest city ordinance in the nation that protects wild and exotic animals, according to Ryu.
According to the councilman, exotic animals such as elephants, giraffes and lions have been brought to lavish house parties in the Hollywood Hills for years.
California lawmakers voted in 2019 to ban bears, tigers, elephants, monkeys or other wild animals in circus acts.
Rachel Matthews, deputy director of captive animal law enforcement for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said the organization strongly supported the ban approved Tuesday.
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“Using petrified penguins, bewildered big cats and other wild animals as party props sentences sensitive animals to miserable, deprived lives in chains, cages and trailers, and can endanger partygoers when the animals get spooked,” she said. “PETA supported this progressive ban every step of the way, and we look forward to seeing the lights go out on the days of dragging bears, giraffes, elephants and lions to house parties.”


latimes--2020-02-18--Second defendant pleads guilty in 1993 Westlake apartment arson that killed 10

A former drug dealer who played a pivotal role in a deadly arson that claimed 10 lives in a Los Angeles apartment complex in 1993 pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter Tuesday , officials said .
Johanna Lopez , who has been in police custody since 2011 , pleaded guilty to two counts of voluntary manslaughter and is expected to be sentenced to 22 years in prison later this year , said Greg Risling , a spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney ’ s Office .
Lopez , 54 , had been paying the 18th Street Gang for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Westlake in 1993 when she ran afoul of an apartment manager who began taking steps to curtail drug sales in her building , according to court records .
Lopez urged two gang members to intervene on her behalf , a transcript of a preliminary hearing in her case disclosed .
Soon after , a fire engulfed the complex , which was largely populated by Latino immigrants .
In 2017 , Los Angeles Police arrested Ramiro “ Greedy ” Valerio , 43 , and Joseph Monge , 41 and charged them with 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspect , whose identity was never revealed , is believed to have fled to Mexico .
The murder counts included the 10 people killed in the fire and the fetuses carried by the two pregnant women who died , prosecutors said .
Monge , an 18th Street Gang member , pleaded guilty to manslaughter earlier this month .
Valerio is due in court in late March , records show .
The blaze , one of the worst arson fires in the city ’ s history , killed three women and seven children : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three children — Rosia , 7 , Jesus and Jose , both 4 ; Alejandrina Roblero , 29 , and her three children — Leyver , 11 , William and Yadira , both 6 ; and Rosalia Ruiz , 21 , and Lancy Mateo , 1 .
The fire started on the second floor of the complex and spread rapidly because a number of safety doors had been propped open , fire officials said in the weeks after the blaze .
The complex had been repeatedly cited for safety violations , including having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s sudden spread left residents frantic to escape .
Some formed human chains to help older neighbors escape , and in some instances , parents threw their children out windows , hoping someone would catch them .
One man watched in horror as his wife and three of his children ran into the smoke , where they perished .
More than 100 residents were displaced , and at least 40 were injured .

In 2017, Los Angeles Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey announced the arrest of three suspects in connection with the 1993 arson.
A former drug dealer who played a pivotal role in a deadly arson that claimed 10 lives in a Los Angeles apartment complex in 1993 pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter Tuesday, officials said.
Johanna Lopez, who has been in police custody since 2011, pleaded guilty to two counts of voluntary manslaughter and is expected to be sentenced to 22 years in prison later this year, said Greg Risling, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Lopez, 54, had been paying the 18th Street Gang for the right to sell drugs in a section of Westlake in 1993 when she ran afoul of an apartment manager who began taking steps to curtail drug sales in her building, according to court records. Lopez urged two gang members to intervene on her behalf, a transcript of a preliminary hearing in her case disclosed.
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Soon after, a fire engulfed the complex, which was largely populated by Latino immigrants.
In 2017, Los Angeles Police arrested Ramiro “Greedy” Valerio, 43, and Joseph Monge, 41 and charged them with 12 counts of capital murder. A fourth suspect, whose identity was never revealed, is believed to have fled to Mexico. The murder counts included the 10 people killed in the fire and the fetuses carried by the two pregnant women who died, prosecutors said.
Monge, an 18th Street Gang member, pleaded guilty to manslaughter earlier this month. Valerio is due in court in late March, records show.
The blaze, one of the worst arson fires in the city’s history, killed three women and seven children: Olga Leon, 24, and her three children — Rosia, 7, Jesus and Jose, both 4; Alejandrina Roblero, 29, and her three children — Leyver, 11, William and Yadira, both 6; and Rosalia Ruiz, 21, and Lancy Mateo, 1.
The fire started on the second floor of the complex and spread rapidly because a number of safety doors had been propped open, fire officials said in the weeks after the blaze. The complex had been repeatedly cited for safety violations, including having dysfunctional smoke detectors.
The inferno’s sudden spread left residents frantic to escape. Some formed human chains to help older neighbors escape, and in some instances, parents threw their children out windows, hoping someone would catch them. One man watched in horror as his wife and three of his children ran into the smoke, where they perished.
More than 100 residents were displaced, and at least 40 were injured.


latimes--2020-02-18--Greeted in L.A. by jeers and cheers, Trump slams city leaders

Two weeks before California ’ s primary election , Donald Trump landed in the blue state Tuesday for the fourth time in his presidency to meet with organizers of the 2028 Olympic Games before attending a fundraising dinner in Beverly Hills .
He used the occasion to again slam the city ’ s political leadership for failing to slow the homelessness epidemic .
During a briefing on preparations for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles , the president said that if L.A. doesn ’ t “ clean it up fast , ” he will intervene .
“ If they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re going to do it , ” Trump said .
“ The federal government is going to take it over , we ’ re going to do it.
” The president arrived at Los Angeles International Airport shortly after 4:15 p.m. On the tarmac were several political figures , including the mayors of Anaheim and Lancaster .
Trump then headed to Beverly Hills .
The ride to the venue was dotted with supporters who waved and protesters who did not wave , including a man who held up a sign reading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ JAIL TRUMP , ” according to White House press pool reports .
When he got to the Montage Beverly Hills to meet with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Olympics organizers , he was greeted by a group of supporters .
Trump said he was called by the committee when he was president-elect and asked to make a call because the Obama administration hadn ’ t made a necessary decision .
“ They were starving for love , and we gave them the love , ” Trump said of committee trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I hope you remember me in 2028 .
You promise , Casey ?
” he asked the 2028 committee chairman .
The chairman said he promised , according to pool reports .
Trump then signed a document he said was the federal government ’ s “ total support ” of L.A. for the Olympics .
Afterward , Trump took questions from reporters .
He was soon asked about the rising number of California residents experiencing homelessness .
“ We ’ re really taking a role in it , ” Trump said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ what ’ s happening to L.A. , I see what ’ s happening to San Francisco , I see what ’ s happening to some great cities ... you have needles , you have things that we don ’ t want to discuss all over the streets.
” He added that sanctuary cities are “ very dangerous ” and that L.A. and San Francisco had one thing in common : “ the leadership.
” “ There ’ s no reason this should ’ ve happened , ” Trump said about rising homelessness .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the day when , as he was traveling to Los Angeles , Trump took aim at Mayor Eric Garcetti , who on Friday spoke out against a new immigration crackdown by the Trump administration .
Federal immigration officials announced a new push to add more resources in sanctuary cities .
U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to deploy 50 Border Patrol agents and 50 field operations customs officers in nine areas , according to the agency .
Specially trained officers will be sent to cities including Los Angeles , Chicago and New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore released a video saying local police won ’ t be working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement .
“ Regardless of your immigration status , I want every Angeleno to know your city is on your side .
Here in Los Angeles , our police department does not coordinate with ICE or , ” Garcetti said on Twitter .
Trump on Tuesday fired back with a tweet : “ The Mayor ’ s efforts to shield illegal aliens endangers the lives of the public and law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ field to apprehend those released .
He shouldn ’ t be urging illegals to beat the system , he should be urging them to safely turn themselves in !
” On Wednesday , Trump is planning to meet with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in Bakersfield “ to speak with hard-working farmers in the Central Valley about efforts to dramatically improve the supply and delivery of water in California and other Western states , ” the White House said .
“ We have a real concern in California because we send most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead of ] sending it down to Southern California , to our farmlands in the San Joaquin Valley and others , ” McCarthy said .
“ This president has worked greatly using science — not based on politics but on science — to allow to have more of that water stay with the Californians and America to make sure we ’ re secure in our food supply as we move forward.
” While in Bakersfield , Trump is expected to oversee the signing of an Interior Department decision that rolls back endangered species @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Central Valley farmers and Southern California cities .
Trump has previously attacked the fish protections as a waste of water , echoing the complaints of Central Valley Republicans .
In 2018 , he directed federal agencies to boost irrigation deliveries to the valley , a move that particularly benefited the Westlands Water District .
The sprawling agricultural district is a former client of Interior Secretary David Bernhardt , who was a partner in one of the nation ’ s top-grossing lobbying and law firms before joining the Trump administration .
The endangered species @ @ @ @ @ @ @ icy relationship with Washington and state officials have said they may sue to block it .
Later Wednesday , Trump will visit Rancho Mirage in Riverside County for a fundraising golf event hosted by Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison .
He ’ ll then fly to Phoenix for a Wednesday night campaign rally before heading to Colorado Springs , Colo. , for a rally on Thursday and circling back to Las Vegas for another on Friday .
According to an event invitation obtained by the Desert Sun , supporters can pay $ 100,000 for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , or $ 250,000 for an additional round-table discussion .
The contributions go to “ Trump Victory , ” a fundraising committee involving the Trump campaign , the Republican National Committee and state Republican chapters .
Trump last visited California in September , with trips to Palo Alto , Los Angeles and San Diego .
During his trip , he criticized the state ’ s homelessness crisis and visited the border area of Otay Mesa , which separates San Diego from Mexico , and met with officials from U.S. Customs and Border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Throughout his trip , he was met by protesters and supporters .
While in Los Angeles during that visit , Trump stayed at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown inside the Wilshire Grand Center skyscraper .
Times staff writers Bettina Boxall and Jaclyn Cosgrove and the Associated Press contributed to this report .

A confrontation between a protester and a Trump supporter outside the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills on Tuesday.
Two weeks before California’s primary election, Donald Trump landed in the blue state Tuesday for the fifth time in his presidency to meet with organizers of the 2028 Olympic Games before attending a fundraising dinner in Beverly Hills.
He used the occasion to again slam the city’s political leadership for failing to slow the homelessness epidemic.
For the record: An earlier version of this article stated that this was President Trump’s fourth visit to California as president. This is his fifth visit to the state.
During a briefing on preparations for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the president said that if L.A. doesn’t “clean it up fast,” he will intervene.
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“If they can’t do it themselves, we’re going to do it,” Trump said. “The federal government is going to take it over, we’re going to do it.”
The president arrived at Los Angeles International Airport shortly after 4:15 p.m. On the tarmac were several political figures, including the mayors of Anaheim and Lancaster.
Trump then headed to Beverly Hills. The ride to the venue was dotted with supporters who waved and protesters who did not wave, including a man who held up a sign reading “ROTTEN ORANGE.” Another sign read “JAIL TRUMP,” according to White House press pool reports. When he got to the Montage Beverly Hills to meet with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Olympics organizers, he was greeted by a group of supporters.
Trump said he was called by the committee when he was president-elect and asked to make a call because the Obama administration hadn’t made a necessary decision.
“They were starving for love, and we gave them the love,” Trump said of the committee trying to get an Olympics in the U.S.
“I hope you remember me in 2028. You promise, Casey?” he asked the 2028 committee chairman. The chairman said he promised, according to pool reports.
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Trump then signed a document he said was the federal government’s “total support” of L.A. for the Olympics.
Afterward, Trump took questions from reporters. He was soon asked about the rising number of California residents experiencing homelessness.
“We’re really taking a role in it,” Trump said. “I see it, I see what’s happening to L.A., I see what’s happening to San Francisco, I see what’s happening to some great cities.... You have needles, you have things that we don’t want to discuss all over the streets.”
He added that sanctuary cities were “very dangerous” and that L.A. and San Francisco had one thing in common: “the leadership.”
“There’s no reason this should’ve happened,” Trump said about rising homelessness.
It was a similar tone to earlier in the day when, as he was traveling to Los Angeles, Trump took aim at Mayor Eric Garcetti, who on Friday spoke out against a new immigration crackdown by the Trump administration.
Federal immigration officials announced a new push to add more resources in sanctuary cities. U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to deploy 50 Border Patrol agents and 50 field operations customs officers in nine areas, according to the agency. Specially trained officers will be sent to cities including Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.
Trump has arrived in Los Angeles.
He'll head to Santa Monica Airport next, then meet with 2028 Olympics organizers followed by a fundraising dinner in Beverly Hills pic.twitter.com/LtdPCxSYh2 — Colleen Shalby (@CShalby) February 19, 2020
On Friday, Garcetti and Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore released a video saying local police wouldn’t be working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“Regardless of your immigration status, I want every Angeleno to know your city is on your side. Here in Los Angeles, our police department does not coordinate with ICE or participate in immigration enforcement,” Garcetti said on Twitter.
Trump on Tuesday fired back with a tweet: “The Mayor’s efforts to shield illegal aliens endangers the lives of the public and law enforcement who have to go into the field to apprehend those released. He shouldn’t be urging illegals to beat the system, he should be urging them to safely turn themselves in!”
President Trump greets supporters on the tarmac after departing Air Force One at LAX. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
On Wednesday, Trump is planning to meet with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in Bakersfield “to speak with hard-working farmers in the Central Valley about efforts to dramatically improve the supply and delivery of water in California and other Western states,” the White House said.
McCarthy welcomed Trump’s visit while speaking Sunday on Fox News.
“We have a real concern in California because we send most of our water out to the ocean [instead of] sending it down to Southern California, to our farmlands in the San Joaquin Valley and others,” McCarthy said. “This president has worked greatly using science — not based on politics but on science — to allow to have more of that water stay with the Californians and America to make sure we’re secure in our food supply as we move forward.”
While in Bakersfield, Trump is expected to oversee the signing of an Interior Department decision that rolls back endangered species protections that have curbed water deliveries to Central Valley farmers and Southern California cities.
Trump has previously attacked the fish protections as a waste of water, echoing the complaints of Central Valley Republicans. In 2018, he directed federal agencies to boost irrigation deliveries to the valley, a move that particularly benefited the Westlands Water District.
The sprawling agricultural district is a former client of Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, who was a partner in one of the nation’s top-grossing lobbying and law firms before joining the Trump administration.
The endangered species rollback has further strained California’s icy relationship with Washington, and state officials have said they may sue to block it.
Later Wednesday, Trump will visit Rancho Mirage in Riverside County for a fundraising golf event hosted by Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison. He’ll then fly to Phoenix for a Wednesday night campaign rally before heading to Colorado Springs, Colo., for a rally on Thursday and circling back to Las Vegas for another on Friday.
According to an event invitation obtained by the Desert Sun, supporters can pay $100,000 for the golf outing and photo opportunity with Trump, or $250,000 for an additional round-table discussion. The contributions go to “Trump Victory,” a fundraising committee involving the Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee and state Republican chapters.
Trump last visited California in September, with trips to Palo Alto, Los Angeles and San Diego. During his trip, he criticized the state’s homelessness crisis and visited the border area of Otay Mesa, which separates San Diego from Mexico, and met with officials from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Defense. Throughout his trip, he was met by protesters and supporters.
While in Los Angeles during that visit, Trump stayed at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown inside the Wilshire Grand Center skyscraper.
Times staff writers Bettina Boxall and Jaclyn Cosgrove and the Associated Press contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-02-20--USC offers free tuition to families making under $80,000 and a break for homeowners

In a “ high-octane ” drive to widen access for more middle and low-income students , USC will eliminate tuition for families earning $ 80,000 or less annually and will no longer consider home equity in financial aid calculations .
The new policies , announced Thursday by USC President Carol Folt , will place the private campus on par with the public University of California , long known as a national leader in generous financial aid policies and high numbers of low-income students .
And while other elite private universities , such as Harvard and Stanford , provide tuition-free educations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 150,000 annually , their endowments are far larger .
Harvard ’ s endowment is $ 40.9 billion and Stanford ’ s is $ 27.7 billion , compared to USC ’ s $ 5.7 billion .
“ We really want this to be an institution where great students can attend regardless of their financial background , ” Folt said in an interview .
“ Education should be the great bridge across income that really is the equalizer and makes our talented , hardworking students able to make real contributions.
” Eliminating home equity as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which Stanford also removed for the current academic year , would make a significant difference for many Californians whose home values have skyrocketed over time , but whose incomes have not increased at the same pace .
Folt said she was concerned about access to USC for such families .
She said families work hard to own a home and then find out in the financial aid process that their “ home might be the piece inhibiting their ability to put their kids through school.
” “ That just felt wrong , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be phased in with first-year students enrolling in fall 2020 and spring 2021 .
USC estimates that about one-third of each entering class of about 3,000 students will benefit from increased annual aid of about $ 30 million overall and up to $ 45,000 for each eligible recipient over the course of their undergraduate studies .
Transfer students are not eligible for the new initiative , but may still receive financial aid under previous policies .
The cost of a private college education has reached staggering heights for many families .
At USC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019-20 , including housing , food , books and materials , is $ 77,459 , with tuition alone at $ 57,256 .
By comparison , annual costs at the University of California total about $ 36,100 , with resident tuition at $ 12,570 .
USC ’ s action comes amid a general slowdown of efforts by some other universities across the nation to widen access for low-income students .
The American Talent Initiative , launched in December 2016 to enroll 50,000 additional low- and moderate-income students at high-performing institutions , made brisk progress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2018-19 , a recent report found .
Richard Kahlenberg , a senior associate at the Century Foundation , a nonpartisan think tank , said many universities rushed to expand their economic diversity in the last few decades .
But some have hit the “ reality ” that financial aid for low-income students is expensive , he said , and doesn ’ t necessarily result in higher college rankings by such organizations as U.S. News & World Report .
“ There ’ s a lot of promising rhetoric about increasing access for low-income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Kahlenberg said .
“ But in terms of actual access ... progress has been very , very slow.
” Folt said USC is committed to doubling down on efforts begun in the last decade to increase financial aid and widen access for students of modest means .
“ We ’ re really putting that on high-octane , ” she said of those efforts .
USC performs well against its peers when it comes to enrolling students of modest means .
The campus ranked 10th among 65 elite universities in the proportion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family income , according to research on the class of 2013 by Stanford University professor Raj Chetty and others .
The campus ranked 47th among 65 campuses in the proportion of students in the top quintile .
Over the last decade , USC has increased its share of low-income students to 21 % — lower than UCLA ’ s 30 % , but higher than Harvard ’ s 16 % .
And the university has expanded need-based grant funding by more than 60 % since 2010 , raising $ 635 million for additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7 billion fundraising campaign , which concluded in 2018 .
But Folt said she aims to do even more .
She said she would like to raise another $ 1 billion in financial aid over the next several years to support even more generous policies .
One possible goal , she said , would be loan-free financial aid packages , which only a handful of elite universities with large endowments currently offer .
She said she also wants to increase support for several USC programs , such as the Neighborhood Academic Initiative , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gain the skills and know-how to attend college .
Aiming to increase “ experiential equity , ” USC is also funding more summer internships , study abroad programs and student travel so lower-income students can benefit from the same kinds of enriching experiences routinely enjoyed by their more affluent peers .
Trenton Stone , USC student body president , said college affordability is the top issue of concern for many students who are struggling with rising tuition and growing student debt .
The new financial aid policies would be a godsend to students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who is from Colorado , said his family earns less than $ 80,000 annually , and the cost of living in Los Angeles is three times as high as that of his hometown of Grand Junction .
Here , he said , he is paying $ 1,000 a month to share a room , while his friends back home pay between $ 300 and $ 400 .
Although Stone , a junior majoring in international relations , global business and philosophy , would have qualified for the new tuition-free access if he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education is being financed by a full-ride scholarship from a regional nonprofit .
“ The University of Southern California is seen as a private institution with a lot of money , ” he said , “ but this opens up the possibility for so many students that come from lower-income backgrounds to see USC as a place that might be a possibility for them.
” Folt said USC chose the tuition-free threshold of $ 80,000 to bring it to parity with UC campuses and to align with California ’ s median household income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
About 20 % of USC undergraduates meet that threshold , compared to 57 % for UC schools .
USC will offer the new financial aid benefits to both California residents and students from other states but not from other countries .
The UC system eliminated need-based financial aid for out-of-state students four years ago to help fund an expansion of California students .
Currently , USC calculates financial aid packages on a case-by-case basis .
About 32 % of new first-year students receive need-based grants averaging $ 39,500 , and 24 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ A great education should not be limited by the ability to pay , ” Folt said .

The school estimates that one-third of freshmen will benefit from the new rules, which take effect this coming fall.
In a “high-octane” drive to widen access for more middle- and low-income students, USC will eliminate tuition for families earning $80,000 or less annually and will no longer consider home equity in financial aid calculations.
The new policies, announced Thursday by USC President Carol Folt, will place the private campus on par with the public University of California, long known as a national leader in generous financial aid policies and high numbers of low-income students.
And while other elite private universities, such as Harvard and Stanford, provide tuition-free educations to families earning as much as $150,000 annually, their endowments are far larger. Harvard’s endowment is $40.9 billion and Stanford’s is $27.7 billion, compared with USC’s $5.7 billion.
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“We really want this to be an institution where great students can attend regardless of their financial background,” Folt said in an interview. “Education should be the great bridge across income that really is the equalizer and makes our talented, hardworking students able to make real contributions.”
Eliminating home equity as a factor in financial aid calculations, which Stanford also removed for the current academic year, would make a significant difference for many Californians whose home values have skyrocketed over time but whose incomes have not increased at the same pace. Folt said she was concerned about access to USC for such families.
She said families work hard to own a home and then find out in the financial aid process that their “home might be the piece inhibiting their ability to put their kids through school.”
“That just felt wrong,” she said.
The new policies will be phased in with first-year students enrolling in fall 2020 and spring 2021. USC estimates that about one-third of each entering class of about 3,000 students will benefit from increased annual aid of about $30 million overall and up to $45,000 for each eligible recipient over the course of their undergraduate studies. Transfer students are not eligible for the new initiative, but may still receive financial aid under previous policies.
The cost of a private college education has reached staggering heights for many families. At USC, the total cost of attendance for 2019-20, including housing, food, books and materials, is $77,459, with tuition alone at $57,256. By comparison, annual costs at the University of California total about $36,100, with resident tuition at $12,570.
USC’s action comes amid a general slowdown of efforts by some other universities across the nation to widen access for low-income students. The American Talent Initiative, launched in December 2016 to enroll 50,000 additional low- and moderate-income students at high-performing institutions, made brisk progress in the first two years but stagnated in 2018-19, a recent report found.
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Richard Kahlenberg, a senior associate at the Century Foundation, a nonpartisan think tank, said many universities rushed to expand their economic diversity in the last few decades. But some have hit the “reality” that financial aid for low-income students is expensive, he said, and doesn’t necessarily result in higher college rankings by such organizations as U.S. News & World Report.
“There’s a lot of promising rhetoric about increasing access for low-income students and making college more affordable,” Kahlenberg said. “But in terms of actual access ... progress has been very, very slow.”
Folt said USC is committed to doubling down on efforts begun in the last decade to increase financial aid and widen access for students of modest means.
“We’re really putting that on high-octane,” she said of those efforts.
USC performs well against its peers when it comes to enrolling students of modest means. The campus ranked 10th among 65 elite universities in the proportion of students in the bottom 20% of family income, according to research on the class of 2013 by Stanford University professor Raj Chetty and others. The campus ranked 47th among 65 campuses in the proportion of students in the top quintile.
Over the last decade, USC has increased its share of low-income students to 21% — lower than UCLA’s 30%, but higher than Harvard’s 16%. And the university has expanded need-based grant funding by more than 60% since 2010, raising $635 million for additional financial aid as part of its $7 billion fundraising campaign, which concluded in 2018.
But Folt said she aims to do even more. She said she would like to raise another $1 billion in financial aid over the next several years to support even more generous policies.
One possible goal, she said, would be loan-free financial aid packages, which only a handful of elite universities with large endowments currently offer. She said she also wants to increase support for several USC programs, such as the Neighborhood Academic Initiative, which help students in surrounding low-income communities gain the skills and know-how to attend college.
Aiming to increase “experiential equity,” USC is also funding more summer internships, study abroad programs and student travel so lower-income students can benefit from the same kinds of enriching experiences routinely enjoyed by their more affluent peers.
Trenton Stone, USC student body president, said college affordability is the top issue of concern for many students who are struggling with rising tuition and growing student debt. The new financial aid policies would be a godsend to students like him, he said.
Stone, who is from Colorado, said his family earns less than $80,000 annually, and the cost of living in Los Angeles is three times as high as that of his hometown of Grand Junction. Here, he said, he is paying $1,000 a month to share a room, while his friends back home pay between $300 and $400.
“It’s pretty shocking,” he said.
Although Stone, a junior majoring in international relations, global business and philosophy, would have qualified for the new tuition-free access if he were entering USC this fall, his education is being financed by a full-ride scholarship from a regional nonprofit.
“The University of Southern California is seen as a private institution with a lot of money,” he said, “but this opens up the possibility for so many students that come from lower-income backgrounds to see USC as a place that might be a possibility for them.”
Folt said USC chose the tuition-free threshold of $80,000 to bring it to parity with UC campuses and to align with California’s median household income, which was $71,000 in 2017. About 20% of USC undergraduates meet that threshold, compared to 57% for UC schools.
USC will offer the new financial aid benefits to both California residents and students from other states but not from other countries. The UC system eliminated need-based financial aid for out-of-state students four years ago to help fund an expansion of California students.
Currently, USC calculates financial aid packages on a case-by-case basis. About 32% of new first-year students receive need-based grants averaging $39,500, and 24% receive merit-based awards averaging $20,000.
“A great education should not be limited by the ability to pay,” Folt said.


latimes--2020-02-20--The days of fast growth are ending for L.A. and California, report says

It wasn ’ t so long ago that economic growth in California and Los Angeles far surpassed that of the nation .
Those days are coming to an end , according to the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. , a nonprofit group that works with local businesses .
In 2018 , while the U.S. economy expanded by 2.9 % , California ’ s grew by 4.3 % and Los Angeles County ’ s by 3.7 % .
In 2019 , economic growth slowed to 2.3 % in the U.S. , 2.6 % in California and 1.6 % in L.A. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s growth will slow to 2 % , and L.A. County ’ s economy will expand by just 1.8 % — close to the nation ’ s 1.9 % , the LAEDC predicted Wednesday in its annual forecast , presented to business executives and government officials at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles .
“ This represents a marked slowdown , ” the report noted , citing grim state and local statistics on housing affordability and stagnant population growth , along with uncertainty over President Trump ’ s continuing trade war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far faster growth — 3 % for California and 2.7 % for Los Angeles in 2020 .
This year , LAEDC economists threw cold water on Trump ’ s frequent assertions that the U.S. economy , in the wake of corporate tax cuts , would expand by more than 3 % a year .
They predicted GDP growth would slow to 1.7 % next year .
“ Though this leaves less breathing room between an expanding economy and a contracting one , a recession in 2020 , predicted by many in 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the report said .
The assessment is in line with other forecasts .
“ Though the pace of real GDP growth has slowed this year , there are few signs that the longest U.S. expansion is on its last legs , ” the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis reported in November .
“ The consensus of professional forecasters is that real GDP growth will dip below 2 % in 2020.
” The LAEDC noted that “ notwithstanding its intent , the trade spat with China has not improved the trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it called “ an eventual demographic time bomb as the population continues to age beyond prime productivity.
” The demographic effect : “ In 2019 , the addition of new prime age workers , meaning those from age 25 to 54 , slowed despite the economy expanding .
This will likely worsen if Millennials and Generation Z continue the trend of family sizes below replacement level.
” The report compared the Golden State ’ s trajectory with that of other states .
“ In 2014 and 2015 , California was the fastest growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state product , ” it noted .
“ As of the third quarter of 2019 , California appears more susceptible to the national slowdown relative to other states , ranking only 23rd in terms of quarterly growth.
” California ’ s unemployment rate should drop from 4.1 % last year to 3.9 % by the end of 2021 , the LAEDC predicted .
The 3.9 % rate would be the same as in the last quarter of 2019 , and the lowest since 1976 , when the state changed its statistical methodology .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to LAEDC , will drive real personal income increases of roughly 2.2 % in both 2020 and 2021 .
Statewide , the health sector , along with professional and business services , will account for much of the job growth , the report said .
Technology will continue to drive the San Francisco Bay Area economy .
In L.A. County , construction will boost employment as major transportation projects get underway , including Metrolink ’ s decade-long , $ 10-billion overhaul of its passenger and freight rail network .
Transit expansion and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2028 Olympics , but LAEDC suggested “ there will likely be greater demand for workers than can be met , especially in the short-term.
” For California , as for the nation , demographics present a significant challenge .
The state ’ s population grew by less than half a percent last year .
“ Prior to the 2008 financial crisis , California had a total fertility rate well above the national average , and often above the replacement level fertility rate of 2.1 [ births per woman ] , causing increases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the LAEDC said .
“ The population is rapidly aging , which also reduces economic growth as the share of prime working age population declines.
” Traditionally , immigration has compensated for a slow out-migration of native Californians .
But Trump ’ s crackdown on immigrants and refugees has affected the state .
“ With an uncertain immigration policy environment emanating from Washington , immigration has not provided this supplement , ” the report noted .
A housing shortage is driving high costs and “ should be grounds for grave concern regarding sustainable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ In 2018 , the median home in California was 7.3 times the median household income , in contrast to the median home in the United States , which was only 3.7 times the median household income… .
Current construction trends mean this pattern is unlikely to abate in the near future.
” The forecast suggested California housing permits will fall from 107,433 in 2019 to roughly 92,000 in 2021 .
In L.A. , where officials say 60,000 new housing units a year are needed , LAEDC forecast 21,000 permits a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means that housing costs are likely to stay high in the near term , driving continued out-migration to the Inland Empire , as well as to more affordable states.
” L.A. County is home to one-fourth of Californians and produces more than one-fourth of its state ’ s gross product , the report noted .
It predicts L.A. County growth will slow to 1.6 % next year .
The county ’ s jobless rate “ sits a full point above the nation at 4.5 % , but the situation is significantly worse when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” a supplementary federal statistic that includes marginally attached and part-time workers who want to be full time , LAEDC said .
“ This underemployment rate has remained over 10 % for the last several years , stubbornly high despite broadly improving economic conditions.
” In California , that underemployment rate averaged 8.5 % last year , and it was 7 % nationally .
The LAEDC added , “ This is an important risk to the regional economy since reducing labor market slack is key to driving wage growth , and the greater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market means that wages are not going to rise as rapidly as they might otherwise .
”

It wasn’t so long ago that economic growth in California and Los Angeles far surpassed that of the nation.
Those days are coming to an end, according to the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp., a nonprofit group that works with local businesses.
In 2018, while the U.S. economy expanded by 2.9%, California’s grew by 4.3% and Los Angeles County’s by 3.7%. In 2019, economic growth slowed to 2.3% in the U.S., 2.6% in California and 1.6% in L.A. County.
This year, California’s growth will slow to 2%, and L.A. County’s economy will expand by just 1.8% — close to the nation’s 1.9%, the LAEDC predicted Wednesday in its annual forecast, presented to business executives and government officials at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
“This represents a marked slowdown,” the report noted, citing grim state and local statistics on housing affordability and stagnant population growth, along with uncertainty over President Trump’s continuing trade war. Last February, LAEDC had predicted far faster growth — 3% for California and 2.7% for Los Angeles in 2020.
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This year, LAEDC economists threw cold water on Trump’s frequent assertions that the U.S. economy, in the wake of corporate tax cuts, would expand by more than 3% a year. They predicted GDP growth would slow to 1.7% next year.
“Though this leaves less breathing room between an expanding economy and a contracting one, a recession in 2020, predicted by many in 2018, or even in 2021 is not preordained,” the report said.
The assessment is in line with other forecasts. “Though the pace of real GDP growth has slowed this year, there are few signs that the longest U.S. expansion is on its last legs,” the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis reported in November. “The consensus of professional forecasters is that real GDP growth will dip below 2% in 2020.”
The LAEDC noted that “notwithstanding its intent, the trade spat with China has not improved the trade balance,” and it emphasized what it called “an eventual demographic time bomb as the population continues to age beyond prime productivity.”
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The demographic effect: “In 2019, the addition of new prime age workers, meaning those from age 25 to 54, slowed despite the economy expanding. This will likely worsen if Millennials and Generation Z continue the trend of family sizes below replacement level.”
The report compared the Golden State’s trajectory with that of other states. “In 2014 and 2015, California was the fastest growing state in the union by real gross state product,” it noted. “As of the third quarter of 2019, California appears more susceptible to the national slowdown relative to other states, ranking only 23rd in terms of quarterly growth.”
California’s unemployment rate should drop from 4.1% last year to 3.9% by the end of 2021, the LAEDC predicted. The 3.9% rate would be the same as in the last quarter of 2019, and the lowest since 1976, when the state changed its statistical methodology.
The tightening of the labor market, according to LAEDC, will drive real personal income increases of roughly 2.2% in both 2020 and 2021.
Statewide, the health sector, along with professional and business services, will account for much of the job growth, the report said. Technology will continue to drive the San Francisco Bay Area economy. In L.A. County, construction will boost employment as major transportation projects get underway, including Metrolink’s decade-long, $10-billion overhaul of its passenger and freight rail network.
Transit expansion and development are being rushed in anticipation of the 2028 Olympics, but LAEDC suggested “there will likely be greater demand for workers than can be met, especially in the short-term.”
For California, as for the nation, demographics present a significant challenge. The state’s population grew by less than half a percent last year. “Prior to the 2008 financial crisis, California had a total fertility rate well above the national average, and often above the replacement level fertility rate of 2.1 [births per woman], causing increases in population apart from migration,” the LAEDC said.
“The population is rapidly aging, which also reduces economic growth as the share of prime working age population declines.”
Traditionally, immigration has compensated for a slow out-migration of native Californians. But Trump’s crackdown on immigrants and refugees has affected the state. “With an uncertain immigration policy environment emanating from Washington, immigration has not provided this supplement,” the report noted.
A housing shortage is driving high costs and “should be grounds for grave concern regarding sustainable economic growth,“ the LAEDC said.
“In 2018, the median home in California was 7.3 times the median household income, in contrast to the median home in the United States, which was only 3.7 times the median household income…. Current construction trends mean this pattern is unlikely to abate in the near future.”
The forecast suggested California housing permits will fall from 107,433 in 2019 to roughly 92,000 in 2021. In L.A., where officials say 60,000 new housing units a year are needed, LAEDC forecast 21,000 permits a year for 2020 and 2021.
“This means that housing costs are likely to stay high in the near term, driving continued out-migration to the Inland Empire, as well as to more affordable states.”
L.A. County is home to one-fourth of Californians and produces more than one-fourth of its state’s gross product, the report noted. It predicts L.A. County growth will slow to 1.6% next year.
The county’s jobless rate “sits a full point above the nation at 4.5%, but the situation is significantly worse when examining U-6 (unemployment) rate,” a supplementary federal statistic that includes marginally attached and part-time workers who want to be full time, LAEDC said. “This underemployment rate has remained over 10% for the last several years, stubbornly high despite broadly improving economic conditions.”
In California, that underemployment rate averaged 8.5% last year, and it was 7% nationally.
The LAEDC added, “This is an important risk to the regional economy since reducing labor market slack is key to driving wage growth, and the greater looseness in the Los Angeles County labor market means that wages are not going to rise as rapidly as they might otherwise.”


latimes--2020-02-20--What Newsom didn't mention: To really address homelessness in California, a tax hike is inevitable

OK , I ’ m waiting to hear about the tax increase that will be needed to pay for Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s ambitious plan to solve homelessness .
A tax hike is inevitable , but the T-word was conspicuously missing from Newsom ’ s frequently applauded State of the State address on Wednesday to a joint session of the California Legislature , which is tightly controlled by fellow Democrats .
Not that a tax increase wouldn ’ t be justified to remedy what Newsom correctly called “ a disgrace ” in the richest state of the richest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ details — about who gets taxed and how the money is spent — and probably require a special interest-sponsored ballot initiative .
For the Legislature to place a measure on this November ’ s ballot or to raise taxes on its own would require a two-thirds majority vote .
And that ’ s not likely to happen , especially in an election year .
“ There are 1.6 million fewer Californians living in poverty today than in 2011 , ” Newsom said , “ but no amount of progress can camouflage the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ultimate manifestation of poverty , screaming for our attention : homelessness… .
“ As Californians , we pride ourselves on our unwavering sense of compassion and justice for humankind .
But there ’ s nothing compassionate about allowing fellow Californians to live on the streets , huddled in cars or makeshift encampments.
” The governor received a standing ovation with cheers for that line .
“ The problem has persisted for decades — caused by massive failures in our mental health system and disinvestment in our social safety net , exacerbated by widening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortage .
“ The hard truth is we ignored the problem.
” And Newsom went on like that for several hundred words , redundantly reciting the problem and scolding everyone for averting their eyes — or at least trying to .
Then deep into the speech , he tucked in a vague allusion to taxes : “ The public has lost patience , you have all lost patience and I ’ ve lost patience , ” he said .
“ To reverse decades of neglect and turn around a crisis this deep-rooted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than one-time funding .
We need significantly sustainable revenue .
It ’ s the truth .
I know this is always the toughest thing… .
“ I pledge to work closely with you to identify this ongoing revenue to provide the safer , cleaner streets our communities deserve .
It ’ s time to muster the political will to meet the moment .
The people of California are demanding bold , permanent solutions… .
“ In order to get the job done , we ’ ve got to match this new money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this crisis head on [ while ] requiring that our new funding isn ’ t replacing existing spending but creating new solutions.
” Check the code words : “ sustainable revenue , ” “ ongoing revenue , ” “ new money ” that “ isn ’ t replacing existing spending.
” That ’ s a roundabout way of spelling T-A-X .
There ’ s no way to acquire new money that ’ s ongoing and doesn ’ t replace existing spending without raising taxes .
I can ’ t see the governor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the middle class .
There ’ s talk of once again slamming million-dollar earners , who are already paying by far the highest state income tax rate in the nation : 13.3 % .
Hey , good thinking .
Drive more job producers out of the Golden State .
Homelessness is everyone ’ s problem .
And if higher taxes are needed — and maybe they are , but it ’ s yet to be proved — then all of us should pay for it .
Targeting the rich is cowardly .
Assemblyman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to introduce legislation that would allocate $ 2 billion a year to fight homelessness .
But he hasn ’ t identified the money source .
Meanwhile , there ’ s growing criticism in the Capitol about how money is being spent to combat homelessness , and it ’ s not coming mainly from Republicans .
Democratic Assemblyman David Chiu of San Francisco this week advocated a hard look at homelessness spending .
“ No one today can tell me how much money is being spent on homelessness in California on all levels , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anthony Rendon ( D-Lakewood ) reported Wednesday that “ we have set aside $ 7 billion for housing solutions in recent years.
” This year , Newsom has proposed spending an additional $ 750 million to move homeless people into shelters .
He ’ s also asking for nearly $ 700 million to expand homeless services under Medi-Cal , the healthcare program for the poor .
That ’ s on top of the $ 1 billion the state has already been doling out to address homelessness .
Recently , the nonpartisan legislative analyst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homelessness , asserting it “ falls short of articulating a clear strategy.
” That presumably was what the governor ’ s State of the State address was all about .
“ We will reduce street homelessness quickly and humanely through emergency actions , ” Newsom vowed .
“ We will be laser-focused on getting the mentally ill out of tents and into treatment .
We will provide stable funding to get sustainable results .
We will tackle the underproduction of affordable housing .
And we will do all of this with real accountability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raise taxes .
But that wasn ’ t said .

California Gov. Gavin Newsom delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the legislature at the Capitol in Sacramento.
OK, I’m waiting to hear about the tax increase that will be needed to pay for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ambitious plan to solve homelessness.
A tax hike is inevitable, but the T-word was conspicuously missing from Newsom’s frequently applauded State of the State address on Wednesday to a joint session of the California Legislature, which is tightly controlled by fellow Democrats.
Not that a tax increase wouldn’t be justified to remedy what Newsom correctly called “a disgrace” in the richest state of the richest nation. But that would depend on details — about who gets taxed and how the money is spent — and probably require a special interest-sponsored ballot initiative.
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For the Legislature to place a measure on this November’s ballot or to raise taxes on its own would require a two-thirds majority vote. And that’s not likely to happen, especially in an election year.
“There are 1.6 million fewer Californians living in poverty today than in 2011,” Newsom said, “but no amount of progress can camouflage the most pernicious crisis in our midst, the ultimate manifestation of poverty, screaming for our attention: homelessness….
“As Californians, we pride ourselves on our unwavering sense of compassion and justice for humankind. But there’s nothing compassionate about allowing fellow Californians to live on the streets, huddled in cars or makeshift encampments.”
The governor received a standing ovation with cheers for that line.
“The problem has persisted for decades — caused by massive failures in our mental health system and disinvestment in our social safety net, exacerbated by widening income equality and California’s housing shortage.
“The hard truth is we ignored the problem.”
And Newsom went on like that for several hundred words, redundantly reciting the problem and scolding everyone for averting their eyes — or at least trying to.
Then deep into the speech, he tucked in a vague allusion to taxes:
Advertisement
“The public has lost patience, you have all lost patience and I’ve lost patience,” he said. “To reverse decades of neglect and turn around a crisis this deep-rooted, we’re also going to need more than one-time funding. We need significantly sustainable revenue. It’s the truth. I know this is always the toughest thing….
“I pledge to work closely with you to identify this ongoing revenue to provide the safer, cleaner streets our communities deserve. It’s time to muster the political will to meet the moment. The people of California are demanding bold, permanent solutions….
“In order to get the job done, we’ve got to match this new money with a new legal obligation to address this crisis head on [while] requiring that our new funding isn’t replacing existing spending but creating new solutions.”
Check the code words: “sustainable revenue,” “ongoing revenue,” “new money” that “isn’t replacing existing spending.” That’s a roundabout way of spelling T-A-X.
There’s no way to acquire new money that’s ongoing and doesn’t replace existing spending without raising taxes.
I can’t see the governor and Legislature raising taxes on everyone, particularly the middle class. There’s talk of once again slamming million-dollar earners, who are already paying by far the highest state income tax rate in the nation: 13.3%. Hey, good thinking. Drive more job producers out of the Golden State.
Homelessness is everyone’s problem. And if higher taxes are needed — and maybe they are, but it’s yet to be proved — then all of us should pay for it. Targeting the rich is cowardly.
Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) plans to introduce legislation that would allocate $2 billion a year to fight homelessness. But he hasn’t identified the money source.
Meanwhile, there’s growing criticism in the Capitol about how money is being spent to combat homelessness, and it’s not coming mainly from Republicans.
Democratic Assemblyman David Chiu of San Francisco this week advocated a hard look at homelessness spending.
“No one today can tell me how much money is being spent on homelessness in California on all levels,” the legislator complained.
Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) reported Wednesday that “we have set aside $7 billion for housing solutions in recent years.”
This year, Newsom has proposed spending an additional $750 million to move homeless people into shelters. He’s also asking for nearly $700 million to expand homeless services under Medi-Cal, the healthcare program for the poor. That’s on top of the $1 billion the state has already been doling out to address homelessness.
Recently, the nonpartisan legislative analyst criticized Newsom’s budget proposal on homelessness, asserting it “falls short of articulating a clear strategy.”
That presumably was what the governor’s State of the State address was all about.
“We will reduce street homelessness quickly and humanely through emergency actions,” Newsom vowed.
“We will be laser-focused on getting the mentally ill out of tents and into treatment. We will provide stable funding to get sustainable results. We will tackle the underproduction of affordable housing. And we will do all of this with real accountability and real consequences.”
And they will raise taxes. But that wasn’t said.


latimes--2020-02-19--Satellite photos dramatically illustrate the effects of a dry winter on California's Sierra Nevada s

Satellite photos dramatically illustrate the effects of a dry winter on California's Sierra Nevada snowpack

Two satellite photos released by the National Weather Service in Sacramento tell the story of California ’ s dry winter .
The photo above on the left shows the Sierra Nevada blanketed with snow on Feb. 18 , 2019 .
The photo on the right from Feb. 17 of this year shows the same portion of California with scant snow cover .
Last year at this time , the northern Sierra had a snowpack that was 129 % of normal for the date .
This year , the snowpack in the northern Sierra stood at 59 % of normal .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s biggest dams .
It is crucial for water customers throughout the state , and in particular for Southern California .
The snowpack this year is below normal , and dry weather is expected to continue for the remainder of the month as persistent high pressure in the eastern Pacific diverts storms away from California and into the Pacific Northwest .
February is normally California ’ s wettest month .
Precipitation figures suggest that California has been locked in a two-decade drought , according to climate scientist Bill Patzert .
Rainfall measured in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1999 through 2019 that are below the 143-year average , although there were a few wet years interspersed during that period .
Precipitation last year was above average , but not exceptional .

Two satellite photos released by the National Weather Service in Sacramento tell the story of California’s dry winter.
The photo above on the left shows the Sierra Nevada blanketed with snow on Feb. 18, 2019. The photo on the right from Feb. 17 of this year shows the same portion of California with scant snow cover.
Last year at this time, the northern Sierra had a snowpack that was 129% of normal for the date. This year, the snowpack in the northern Sierra stood at 59% of normal. This mountainous area includes the state’s biggest dams. It is crucial for water customers throughout the state, and in particular for Southern California.
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The snowpack this year is below normal, and dry weather is expected to continue for the remainder of the month as persistent high pressure in the eastern Pacific diverts storms away from California and into the Pacific Northwest. February is normally California’s wettest month.
(Paul Duginski / Los Angeles Times)
Precipitation figures suggest that California has been locked in a two-decade drought, according to climate scientist Bill Patzert. Rainfall measured in downtown Los Angeles shows 14 years from 1999 through 2019 that are below the 143-year average, although there were a few wet years interspersed during that period.
Precipitation last year was above average, but not exceptional.