The Thorn West is a state and local news roundup compiled by members of DSA-LA. Our goal is to provide a weekly update on the latest developments in state and local politics, and to track the issues that are most important to our membership.

Issue No. 220 - November 22, 2024

City Politics

• A package of municipal reform ballot measures, including a measure to implement independent redistricting, have all passed with wide margins. At the county level, Measure G, which increases the number of county supervisors from five to nine, has also passed, with a narrower margin.

Immigration

• In response to the election of Donald Trump, who campaigned on promises of a nightmarish wave of deportations, the city council passed a long-discussed ordinance declaring Los Angeles a “sanctuary city” for the city’s immigrant communities. The ordinance does not protect Angelenos from federal agencies, but does prevent city employees and agencies from collaborating with them on deportations. Read DSA-LA’s statement of support here.

Housing Rights

• The city council’s planning and land use committee has unanimously approved a new zoning plan. The plan adds housing capacity, as mandated by state law, but is controversial because the vast majority of the additions are in already-dense areas, as opposed to areas currently zoned for only single family homes. The zoning plan will next head to the full city council for a final vote.

• An audit from the LA Controller’s office revealed that the city underspent its budget on homeless services by $500 million in 2023. 

• A separate, countywide audit of Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), initiated by the Board of Supervisors, also turned up financial mismanagement. Supervisor Lindsay Horvath responded with a motion calling for responsibilities and funding to be diverted from LAHSA to a new county department. LAHSA has partially disputed the audit’s findings.

• LA Public Press uses the occasion of the passage of Measure A to discuss another new county agency, the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA). Measure A raises money to fund LACAHSA, and other housing and homelessness programs.

• An upcoming council vote could adjust the formula that determines the allowable rent increase in LA’s rent-stabilized housing. DSA-LA is organizing members to write to their councilmembers: toolkit here.

Police Violence and Community Resistance

• Incoming Police Commissioner Jim McDonnell, along with the LA TImes, embraced the conspiracy theory that the recently measured decreases in crime are an illusion, and that people have simply stopped reporting crimes because of criminal justice reform.

• In an interview with CBS, incoming LA County prosecutor Nathan Hochman recommitted to rolling back policies of decarceration for low-level, non-violent offenses.

Labor

• With more ballots counted, it is clear that Proposition 32, which would have raised California’s minimum wage from $16 to $18 an hour, has fallen just short of passing. It was the first minimum wage ballot measure to fail, in any US state, since 1996.

Environmental Justice

• The atmospheric storm that brought heavy rainfall to Northern California is likely to only result in light rain over the weekend in the Los Angeles area.