Latest news with #Blumenfield
CBS News
4 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Tarzana elementary school vandalized with hateful graffiti, swastikas
An investigation is underway after the fence outside of Wilbur Charter Elementary in Tarzana was tagged with hateful graffiti over the weekend, leaving students and parents outraged. The graffiti, a string of swastikas spray painted on the fence wrap outside of the school, were quickly removed by school officials, but not before the word spread spread throughout the city's Jewish community. "To see this, literally in our own community, was just really difficult," said Michelle Eskenazi-Wasser, who lives in the area. Nearby security camera footage shows one person who looks to be writing or spray painting on the banner. They can be seen walking along the fence, writing or painting on several occasions before getting into a car and leaving. "Terrible. Disgusting. I couldn't believe that. I was at home, I saw it on my phone, and I immediately came over here to see it," said Aaron Sharifi, another Tarzana resident. "To see it in person in my neighborhood, in our neighborhood, it's just terrible." This is the latest incident of antisemitic graffiti appearing in Los Angeles County cities in recent weeks. Last weekend in Woodland Hills, similar images were left on walls near the Israeli American National Headquarters. Los Angeles City Councilman Bob Blumenfield met with some of the worried families outside of the school's campus on Sunday to address their concerns. He said that he called school district officials to make sure that the wrap was removed before children returned to campus on Monday. "Last weekend, we had more than a dozen incidents throughout the district of antisemitic hate graffiti," Blumenfield said. "When you do graffiti like this, it's not just about making graffiti, it's about trying to intimidate a community." Residents say this is the second time in about a month that something like this has happened in their neighborhood. "Right mow, their kind of has been a little bit of a pass when ti comes to Jewish, so what that does is, it makes people feel less fearful to express it," said Adeena Bleich. "I feel like anytime you give a pass to any type of hate, it gives permission to all hate to thrive." LAUSD officials shared a statement with CBS News Los Angeles upon request. In part, it said: 'This weekend, it was discovered that the campus of Wilbur Charter for Enriched Academics was vandalized with culturally offensive graffiti. Staff has removed the graffiti and is currently investigating the incident. We are deeply disturbed by this incident and remain committed to educating our students about cultural diversity and the importance of tolerance and inclusion. Mental health resources will be available on campus for those who may be impacted by this incident." Los Angeles police are investigating the incident, as well as a potential rise in antisemitic vandalism, according to Blumenfield.
Los Angeles Times
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Some tenants are evicted to make way for renovations. Here's how L.A. plans to curb that
The Los Angeles City Council is inching closer to permanently protecting renters from 'renovictions.' On July 1, the City Council unanimously voted to amend a rule that granted landlords the ability to evict tenants in order to take on a substantial remodel or renovation of their property. Under the current 'just cause' ordinance, a substantial remodel that would allow a landlord to evict tenants included structural, mechanical or plumbing work. The approved amendment will prevent landlords from using a substantial remodel as a legal reason to evict their tenants, unless they get a Government Agency Order. A Government Agency Order happens when a local government agency, including the Los Angeles Housing Department, Los Angeles Building and Safety, the Los Angeles County Health Department or the Los Angeles Fire Department, gives a landlord an order to vacate or abate a unit based on the need to address housing code violations. Tenant rights groups say some landlords will use a renovation as an excuse to evict tenants, only to charge higher rents to a whole new set of tenants after the renovation. This is called a 'renoviction.' 'To make it clear, what we're doing today is we're denying renovictions, but we're also creating a clear pathway to renovations that works for both tenants and the landlords,' said Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, an advocate of the proposed policy whose district includes Canoga Park, Reseda, Tarzana and Woodland Hills. The decision comes four months after the council voted in favor of an interim ordinance with the same goal: preventing landlords from using 'just cause' to evict tenants when implementing a remodel. The temporary protection lasts only until Aug. 1 because the city has been exploring permanent legislation for several months. In addition to the amendment, the city has instructed the Los Angeles Housing Department and the city attorney to create rules for relocation during the remodel and amend penalties for violators of the proposed ordinance. 'We want to have a clear pathway for legitimate renovations not renovictions,' Blumenfield said. In 90 days, the Los Angeles Housing Department will bring forth a proposal to the City Council to consider which will include what is required of a landlord if a tenant must be relocated during a remodel. The proposal will provide rules for: The proposal will also include an updated penalty for violators of three times compensatory damages including mental or emotional distress, reasonable attorney's fees and civil penalties of up to $10,000 but not less then $2,000 per violation, according to the city's report. Additional penalties could be added per violation if a tenant is older than 65 or is disabled.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Where are Billy and Tina? L.A. Zoo's elephant enclosure appears empty amid relocation saga
The elephant enclosure at the Los Angeles Zoo appeared to be empty Tuesday, prompting concerns from activists wondering whether Billy and Tina, the aging inhabitants, were transferred to another zoo. The L.A. Zoo announced its decision to move elephants Billy, 40, and Tina, 59, to the Tulsa Zoo last month, frustrating animal rights advocates who have argued they should be retired in a sanctuary. The possible relocation of the animals is the latest in decades of controversy surrounding the L.A. Zoo's elephant program, which experts and activists have long criticized because of its small enclosure size and history of deaths and health challenges among its inhabitants. The political advocacy group Social Compassion in Legislation shared photos of the empty enclosure on Instagram on Tuesday, writing in the caption that they "don't know where the elephants are." Representatives from the L.A. Zoo, the Tulsa Zoo and Mayor Karen Bass' office did not respond to The Times' requests for comment Tuesday. It is not clear whether Billy and Tina are in the process of being transferred. L.A. City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, a longtime advocate for the elephants, said in a phone interview with The Times on Tuesday that he does not know the status of the relocation, but that the situation was "disappointing and frustrating." Blumenfield filed a City Council motion last month seeking to pause the animals' relocation until council members could review the possibility of sending them to a sanctuary. Blumenfield said if the elephants were being transferred despite his motion and a pending lawsuit regarding the relocation, "that speaks volumes that it's obviously not the right thing." "If it's the right thing, you should be proud of it and be willing to defend it and bring it forward for public vetting and do it at a scheduled time and not be cagey about it," Blumenfield said. L.A. Zoo Director and Chief Executive Denise Verret said during recent budget hearings that the decision to move the elephants was made in the best interest of the animals and in accordance with a recommendation from the Assn. of Zoos and Aquariums, of which Verret is the chair. During a hearing May 8, Verret told Blumenfield that the L.A. and Tulsa zoos had not yet signed a contract and no date had been set for the animals' move. "It does seem like a very quick turnaround, if that, in fact, is what's happening," Blumenfield said. "And it does make you wonder if folks are trying to get this done quickly to avoid further scrutiny." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
21-05-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
Where are Billy and Tina? L.A. Zoo's elephant enclosure appears empty amid relocation saga
The elephant enclosure at the Los Angeles Zoo appeared to be empty Tuesday, prompting concerns from activists wondering whether Billy and Tina, the aging inhabitants, were transferred to another zoo. The L.A. Zoo announced its decision to move elephants Billy, 40, and Tina, 59, to the Tulsa Zoo last month, frustrating animal rights advocates who have argued they should be retired in a sanctuary. The possible relocation of the animals is the latest in decades of controversy surrounding the L.A. Zoo's elephant program, which experts and activists have long criticized because of its small enclosure size and history of deaths and health challenges among its inhabitants. The political advocacy group Social Compassion in Legislation shared photos of the empty enclosure on Instagram on Tuesday, writing in the caption that they 'don't know where the elephants are.' Representatives from the L.A. Zoo, the Tulsa Zoo and Mayor Karen Bass' office did not respond to The Times' requests for comment Tuesday. It is not clear whether Billy and Tina are in the process of being transferred. L.A. City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, a longtime advocate for the elephants, said in a phone interview with The Times on Tuesday that he does not know the status of the relocation, but that the situation was 'disappointing and frustrating.' Blumenfield filed a City Council motion last month seeking to pause the animals' relocation until council members could review the possibility of sending them to a sanctuary. Blumenfield said if the elephants were being transferred despite his motion and a pending lawsuit regarding the relocation, 'that speaks volumes that it's obviously not the right thing.' 'If it's the right thing, you should be proud of it and be willing to defend it and bring it forward for public vetting and do it at a scheduled time and not be cagey about it,' Blumenfield said. L.A. Zoo Director and Chief Executive Denise Verret said during recent budget hearings that the decision to move the elephants was made in the best interest of the animals and in accordance with a recommendation from the Assn. of Zoos and Aquariums, of which Verret is the chair. During a hearing May 8, Verret told Blumenfield that the L.A. and Tulsa zoos had not yet signed a contract and no date had been set for the animals' move. 'It does seem like a very quick turnaround, if that, in fact, is what's happening,' Blumenfield said. 'And it does make you wonder if folks are trying to get this done quickly to avoid further scrutiny.'
