Los Angeles • Investigative Journalism
To enter the program, defendants must plead guilty and waive their right to a jury trial. If they cannot pay for treatment, judges may order supervised work for government agencies or nonprofit organizations in lieu of certain costs.
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The mayor’s vulnerabilities have opened the door for challengers looking to capitalize on voter frustration over homelessness, public safety, City Hall leadership and the city’s response to the devastating 2025 Palisades fire. $
By Stephen Oduntan
“South Central is mostly Black and Latino, and when we think about culturally competent providers, they aren’t always available,” Elhawary said. “In a community like ours, we’re still facing significant barriers—not only to health care services, but especially mental health services.”
By Stephen Oduntan
But documents reviewed by LA Focus show concerns over billboard blight in Inglewood long predate WOW Media, the Rams, the Clippers, SoFi Stadium and even Mayor James T. Butts Jr.
By Stephen Oduntan
At the system level, those pathways may be narrowing. Matthew Tecle, executive director of Safe Parking LA, said the network of programs designed to help people transition out of homelessness is becoming increasingly constrained. “What I’m seeing now is similar to a car being stripped for parts,” Tecle said. “The homeless services system is undergoing a massive contraction.”
By Stephen Oduntan
“They’re not spending money with us, period,” said John Warren, chairman of the National Newspaper Publishers Association — a trade organization comprised of the nation’s 250-plus Black-owned newspapers. “They don’t think we’re important.”
By Stephen Oduntan
Mayor James T. Butts Jr., a former police chief, framed the proposal as a necessary step toward modernizing public safety in a city preparing to host major global events.
By Stephen Oduntan
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Los Angeles County supervisors rejected a community appeal and allowed a controversial Windsor Hills condominium project to move forward, despite residents raising concerns about safety, infrastructure and environmental risks.
By Stephen Oduntan