LOS ANGELES, CA — A reshuffling of City Council committees is fueling accusations of political retaliation after Councilwoman Nithya Raman lost her leadership role on the panel overseeing housing and homelessness.
The dispute leads this week's roundup of decisions, debates and developments inside Los Angeles city and county government.
The council approved a plan Tuesday splitting the Housing and Homelessness Committee into separate Housing and Homelessness and Health committees. Raman, who is challenging Mayor Karen Bass in the November election, called her removal as chair of the existing committee "politically motivated" and suggested she was being punished for running against the mayor and calling for an audit of the city's homelessness programs. Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, a close Bass ally, rejected that characterization, saying the move was "hardly a punishment."
Meantime, Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado called on Bass to impose meaningful consequences if Lineage Logistics fails to meet a 5 p.m. Friday deadline to remove food waste from its fire-damaged warehouse. As of Wednesday, Lineage reported that it had removed about 93% of the bulk food waste. Jurado said she would be relieved if the remaining waste is gone by the weekend or early next week, but argued that missing the deadline should still bring consequences after nearly two months of odors, flies, truck traffic and other disruptions for nearby residents and businesses.
A massive downtown development also moved forward with new promises for the surrounding community. Developers behind Fourth and Central reached a community benefits agreement with the Little Tokyo Community Council, which had previously opposed the project. The development, approved by the City Council in June, would replace cold storage facilities, parking lots and warehouses with 1,521 apartments, office and retail space, restaurants and two acres of public open space across 10 buildings near Little Tokyo, Skid Row and the Arts District.
And tenants rallied at City Hall this week to push for a ban on a billing practice they say can add hundreds of dollars to their monthly housing costs. Organizers are targeting ratio utility billing systems, or RUBS, which allow landlords to divide utility and other service costs among tenants using formulas rather than individual meters. Tenant advocates called the process opaque and said some renters can wind up paying an additional $200 to $400 a month.
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LA Council Advances Plan To Strengthen Enforcement Of Wage Theft
One councilman called LA the "wage theft capital of the world."
Judge Denies Trump Administration's Bid To Dismiss Immigration Raids Lawsuit
A Los Angeles federal judge has rejected the Trump administration's attempt to end the closely watched lawsuit.
Judge Blocks Trump Plan To Suspend Federal Funding For LA County Homelessness Agency
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LAUSD Students Return To Classes Under New Screen-Time Rules
The restrictions are part of a broader district policy aimed at reducing student screen time across all grade levels.
LA County OKs Pilot Program To Speed Mental Health Crisis Response
The goal is to allow crisis response teams to spend more time responding to emergencies in homes and public places, officials said.
Council Commission OKs Proposed $2 Increase To LA Zoo General Admission
The three-member Arts, Parks, Libraries and Community Enrichment Committee voted unanimously to approve the draft ordinance.
LA Council Approves Amendment To Master Agreement With LA28 For Reimbursement
The agreement, already 10 months late, has grown one step closer to being finalized.
$70.2M In LA Waterfront Projects Approved By Harbor Commission
The improvements are being planned ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
Port Of Los Angeles Approves Expanded Clean Ship, Truck Incentives
The plan includes a $20 million investment in charging and fueling infrastructure for zero-emission trucks.
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