Latest news with #LosAngelesDepartmentofBuildingandSafety
Daily Mirror
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Kanye West's burned down church being investigated amid arson probe
Kanye West bought a run-down church for $1.5million but failed to renovate it before it got burned down and now the incident is said to be under investigation Kanye West's burned down church is under investigation amid an arson probe. The $1.5million (£1.12million) derelict property was set alight in October 2024. The building in Northridge near Los Angeles was run down before it went up in flames. It burned down months after it's thought the artist now legally known as Ye, 47, let the plot to rot. The state it had been left in had caused neighbours to brandish the space an "eye sore". Now, it's claimed the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety has inspected the place twice. Reports suggest they have visited once in January, and again in March. According to the Sun, the rapper wasn't present and hasn't paid for the inspections. The publication also says LADBS has placed two liens on the space. Ye initially bought the land in January 2023. The rapper purchased the property from Cornerstone Christian Church in Northridge, Los Angeles, but months later still hadn't made any major renovations. There had been reported plans to move his Christian school Donda Academy into one of the buildings. But instead, the lot was left in disarray before it was burned down. The fire at the property occurred on October 14, 2024. There were no injuries reported, but a nearby residence did sustain superficial damage from the fires that lasted over 30 minutes. The news comes as Ye reportedly faces more tax charges. He is said to have racked up more property tax arrears on five of his lavish properties. The Sun claims the total currently stands at an eye-watering $448,254. Ye recently stormed out of an interview with Piers Morgan after just two minutes. Appearing on On Piers Morgan Uncensored, the musician cut the interview short when he accused the former Good Morning Britain man of 'patronising' him. It came after the TV presenter mistakenly said that he had 32 million followers on Twitter /X - rather than 33 million followers. The interview didn't start well - coming a day late. When the hard-to-watch interview did kick off, Piers asked how Ye's life was at the moment? Referring to the backdrop, he said: 'You see that view?... Judge it on the view on the answer how my life is, judge me by the view.' Piers responded: 'The view is Majorca, I've been there. It's a beautiful place, and for all intents and purposes, you seem very relaxed and happy. That is in direct contrast to your public image at the moment, over the last couple of years, led by your ferocious… [he begins to interrupt] Well, hang on. Let me finish the question…' Ye hit back: 'But I already disagree, it's not in contrast, there's so many people and artists that are championing the idea of someone being able to just express who they really are, and have been able to go through the war of being attacked by the banks, being attacked, you know, by the banks - that's the best way to put it. Being attacked by the banks, and to still be here with this view is, you know, that's the win. So I think that's, I'm in contrast to your contrast.'
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fires, tariffs and high interest rates: L.A. housing construction plunged at start of year
Housing construction in Los Angeles plunged during the first quarter of 2025, according to a new report, a drop off that could ultimately worsen the city's affordability crisis. Developers pulled permits for 1,325 new homes in the city of L.A. during the first three months of 2025, down nearly 57% from the same period a year earlier. In a report released Tuesday, research firm Hilgard Analytics blamed the sharp decline on a variety of factors that have made it more difficult for developers to turn a profit, including high interest rates, tariffs and economic uncertainty, as well as city transfer tax Measure ULA. Hilgard principal Joshua Baum said the January wildfires likely also played a role by causing widespread business disruptions. Declines in the first quarter were reported in most areas of the city but the steepest drop offs were in council districts that cover the west and northeast portions of the San Fernando Valley, as well as South Los Angeles. Though the fire impact could be temporary, housing construction had been falling before January, with city wide permits down 23% in 2024 from 2023, according to Hilgard which analyzes data from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety that includes permits for new single family and multifamily buildings, but not ADUs. A sustained pull back in housing development could have big implications for a city in the throes of an affordability and budgetary crisis. In general, economists say building more homes reduces upward pressure on home prices and rents, and new development also tends to boost tax revenue. On Monday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced plans to eliminate more than 2,700 city positions to help close a nearly $1-billion budget hole. "If we aren't building now, from a long run perspective, that says higher prices and higher rents at some point in time in the future," said Christopher Thornberg, founding partner of consultancy Beacon Economics. A decline in development isn't unique to the city. Housing developers have been starting fewer projects nationwide, as they deal with high interest rates and the more recent phenomenon of tariffs. Some developers say Measure ULA, a new Los Angeles city tax on large property sales, has made the environment worse in L.A. — compared to the rest of the county and nation — and caused even more projects to be killed. Hilgard Analytics did not examine housing construction outside the city of L.A. in its report. However, a recent analysis from researchers at UCLA and the Rand Corp. estimated housing construction is likely falling more in the city than elsewhere in L.A. county, citing a steeper reduction in the sales of properties where developers tend to build multifamily housing. 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
22-04-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Fires, tariffs and high interest rates: L.A. housing construction plunged at start of year
Housing construction in Los Angeles plunged during the first quarter of 2025, according to a new report, a drop off that could ultimately worsen the city's affordability crisis. Developers pulled permits for 1,325 new homes in the city of L.A. during the first three months of 2025, down nearly 57% from the same period a year earlier. In a report released Tuesday, research firm Hilgard Analytics blamed the sharp decline on a variety of factors that have made it more difficult for developers to turn a profit, including high interest rates, tariffs and economic uncertainty, as well as city transfer tax Measure ULA. Hilgard principal Joshua Baum said the January wildfires likely also played a role by causing widespread business disruptions. Declines in the first quarter were reported in most areas of the city but the steepest drop offs were in council districts that cover the west and northeast portions of the San Fernando Valley, as well as South Los Angeles. Though the fire impact could be temporary, housing construction had been falling before January, with city wide permits down 23% in 2024 from 2023, according to Hilgard which analyzes data from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety that includes permits for new single family and multifamily buildings, but not ADUs. A sustained pull back in housing development could have big implications for a city in the throes of an affordability and budgetary crisis. In general, economists say building more homes reduces upward pressure on home prices and rents, and new development also tends to boost tax revenue. On Monday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced plans to eliminate more than 2,700 city positions to help close a nearly $1-billion budget hole. 'If we aren't building now, from a long run perspective, that says higher prices and higher rents at some point in time in the future,' said Christopher Thornberg, founding partner of consultancy Beacon Economics. A decline in development isn't unique to the city. Housing developers have been starting fewer projects nationwide, as they deal with high interest rates and the more recent phenomenon of tariffs. Some developers say Measure ULA, a new Los Angeles city tax on large property sales, has made the environment worse in L.A. — compared to the rest of the county and nation — and caused even more projects to be killed. Hilgard Analytics did not examine housing construction outside the city of L.A. in its report. However, a recent analysis from researchers at UCLA and the Rand Corp. estimated housing construction is likely falling more in the city than elsewhere in L.A. county, citing a steeper reduction in the sales of properties where developers tend to build multifamily housing.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
LAFD responds to Beverly Crest home after retaining wall begins to buckle
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a home in Beverly Crest after a retaining wall in the residence's backyard began to buckle on Tuesday morning. According to preliminary information from LAFD, the incident was reported at 9:23 a.m. at a residence on Yoakum Drive, a dead-end street located off Benedict Canyon Drive. Los Angeles officials tout record progress in Palisades Fire recovery as homes start to be rebuilt The hillside retaining wall, held up by railroad ties, started to shift approximately 15 feet from a three-story home, the LAFD alert indicated. 'It appears to be an ongoing issue,' LAFD stated, adding that officials with the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety have been notified and will respond to the area. 2 women dead in crash at L.A. gas station; another victim hospitalized No injuries were immediately reported, and the home did not appear to have suffered any structural damage. Aerial footage from Sky5 also showed no apparent damage to the home. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Historic Pacific Dining Car damaged in early-morning blaze
A blaze damaged but did not topple Westlake's historic Pacific Dining Car restaurant Thursday morning, the second fire reported at the shuttered eatery in less than a year. Roughly 100 Los Angeles firefighters responded to a fire at the 1300 block of West Sixth Street. The call came in at 6:53 a.m. and first responders reached the facility at 7:06 a.m. Once inside, firefighters determined the fire started in and damaged the attic along with the roof of the structure. The building was vacant, and there were no injuries. It took about 45 minutes to knock down the blaze. Fire investigators are still determining the cause. 'It has not burned down,' Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Lyndsey Lantz said. Read more: Pacific Dining Car building, one of the city's historic monuments, seriously damaged in fire The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety was also on the scene to determine the building's structural integrity. The Spanish clay-tile-roofed restaurant, built in 1921 and moved to its current location in 1923, was designed to resemble a railroad car. It closed permanently in 2020 and was boarded and fenced up at the time of the fire. Part of the restaurant burned in August. The Pacific Dining Car was once a popular eatery among L.A.'s movers and shakers, known for fine steaks and 24-hour service. It made several cameos in movies throughout its history, including 'Training Day.' The Los Angeles City Council designated a portion of the site as a historic-cultural monument in 2023. 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.
