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Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lopez: Three years away from the Olympics, L.A. is tripping over hurdles and trying to play catchup
Los Angeles is now a mere 12 months away from serving as primary host of the World Cup soccer championships, and three years away from taking the world stage as host of both the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. Athletes and tourists by the tens of thousands will pour into the region from around the world, and I'm reminded of the classic film 'Sunset Boulevard,' in which Gloria Swanson proclaimed, 'I'm ready for my close-up.' Will L.A. be ready for its close-up? That's a question I intend to explore on a semi-regular basis, and you're invited to worry and wonder along with me by sending your comments and questions to To let you know where I'm coming from, I'm a sports fan who watches the Olympics on television despite the politics, the doping scandals and the corporatization of the Games. But I'm also a professional skeptic, and my questions extend far beyond whether we're ready for our close-up. Here are just a few: Will the benefits of hosting outweigh the burdens? Read more: Need a sidewalk fixed in L.A? It could take City Hall 10 years, if you're lucky Will the average Southern Californian get anything out of the years-long buildup and staging of the Games? And, will basic services and infrastructure near Olympic venues get upgrades at the expense of long-overdue improvements in other areas? The answer to that question is a big 'yes,' says L.A. Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, who represents the northeastern San Fernando Valley. 'What I've seen in [the latest] budget is that those areas that will be hosting some of the Olympic events will be prioritized,' she said, and that means her district is off the radar. It's worth noting that the city of Los Angeles is not running these Olympics (that's the job of LA28, a private nonprofit working in conjunction with the International Olympic Committee), nor is it hosting all the events. Olympic sites will be scattered well beyond Los Angeles proper, with volleyball in Anaheim, for instance, cricket in Pomona, cycling in Carson and swimming in Long Beach. Softball and canoe slalom competitions will be held in Oklahoma City. But as lead host and a partner in the staging of mega-events that will draw an international spotlight, the reputation of the city of Los Angeles is on the line. One financial advantage the 2028 Games will enjoy over previous Olympics is that there's no need to erect any massive, ridiculously expensive new stadiums or arenas. There'll be soccer at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, track and field at the L.A. Coliseum and baseball at Dodger Stadium, for instance. All of which will keep the overall cost of the Games down. But playing the part of primary Olympic host carries as many risks as opportunities. 'The Games have a history of damaging the cities and societies that host them,' according to an analysis last year in the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, which cited 'broken budgets that burden the public purse … the militarization of public spaces … and the expulsion of residents through sweeps, gentrifications and evictions.' Even without all that, L.A. has a raft of problems on its hands, and the close-up at the moment is not a pretty portrait. Read more: Can MacArthur Park be saved? A look to the past points the way forward Tens of thousands of people are homeless, and the agency overseeing homelessness is in turmoil amid damning financial audits, so unless there's a quick turnaround, the city will be draped in blue tarps for all the world to see. Meanwhile, planned transportation improvements are behind schedule, skyrocketing liability claim settlements are expected to cost $300 million this year, and on top of all that, it suddenly dawned on local leaders several weeks ago that the city was broke. 'Our budget situation is critical,' Mayor Karen Bass wrote in an April letter to the City Council, outlining a nearly $1-billion deficit and proposing numerous program cuts and layoffs. The City Council restored some of those trims, but the outlook is still grim, with several hundred workers losing their jobs. Bass and other local leaders maintain that playing host to mega-events will help restock the treasury. But the opposite could be true, and if the $7-billion Games don't break even, the already-strapped city will get slapped with a $270-million bailout tab. For all the hand-wringing at City Hall, it's not as if the current budget deficit should have come as a surprise. Revenue is down, the response to homelessness devours a big chunk of the budget (without transformational progress to show for the investment), and the bills keep coming due on the City Hall tradition of awarding public employee pay raises it can't afford. That's why there's a 10-year wait to get a ruptured sidewalk fixed (although the city is much quicker to pay millions in trip-and-fall cases), and there's an estimated $2 billion in deferred maintenance at recreation and parks department facilities. At TorchedLA, journalist Alissa Walker reports that in an annual ranking of park systems in the largest 100 cities, L.A. has dropped to 90th, which she fairly called "a bad look for a city set to host the largest sporting events in the world." Speaking of bad looks, moving thousands of athletes and tourists around the city will be key to the success of the Games, but some of the so-called "28 by 28" transportation improvements slated for completion by the start of the Olympics have been dereailed or scaled back. And my colleague Colleen Shalby reported last month that Metro's projected budget deficit over the next five years is massive: 'Critical parts of Metro's Olympics plans are yet to be nailed down," she wrote. "The agency has yet to confirm $2 billion in funds to lease nearly 3,000 buses, which are integral to Los Angeles' transit-first goal for the Games.' Michael Schneider, founder of the nonprofit Streets for All, said L.A.'s budget crisis 'is coming at the worst possible time.' Not that the delivery of basic infrastructure needs should be tied to major sporting events, but he had hoped the Olympics would trigger a substantial investment in 'bus rapid transit, a network of bike lanes, sidewalks that aren't broken, curb ramps. Just the nuts and bolts of infrastructure.' Jules Boykoff, a Pacific University professor and former professional soccer player who has studied the social and economic impacts of several recent Olympics, is not wowed by L.A.'s record so far. 'I thought Los Angeles was going to be in a lot better shape,' Boykoff said. 'I've been taken aback by the problems that exist and how little has been done.' The real goal isn't just to host the Olympics, Boykoff said, but to do so in a way that delivers long-lasting improvements. 'Any smart city' uses the Games 'to get gains for everybody in the city. Athens in 2004 got a subway system,' he said, Rio de Janeiro in 2016 got a transit link, and last year's host, Paris, got a system of bike lanes. Read more: Reopen Alcatraz as a prison? Yes, but Trump shouldn't stop there L.A. had gold-medal aspirations, and the city has made some transit improvements. It's also got a wealth of signature natural wonders to show off, from the mountains to the sea, just as the Paris Games featured the Eiffel Tower and the magical evening skyline. But three big hurdles now stand in the way of making it to the podium: The budget limitations (which could get worse between now and 2028), the diversion of resources to the Palisades wildfire recovery, and the uncertainty of desperately needed federal financial support from President Trump, who would probably not put Los Angeles on his list of favorite cities. Races are sometimes won by runners making a move from the back of the pack, and L.A. could still find its stride, show some pride, and avoid embarrassing itself. That's what I'm rooting for. But just one year away from the World Cup and three from the Olympics, the clock is ticking, and it's almost too late to be playing catchup. 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
a day ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Three years away from the Olympics, L.A. is tripping over hurdles and trying to play catchup
Los Angeles is now a mere 12 months away from serving as primary host of the World Cup soccer championships, and three years away from taking the world stage as host of both the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. Athletes and tourists by the tens of thousands will pour into the region from around the world, and I'm reminded of the classic film 'Sunset Boulevard,' in which Gloria Swanson proclaimed, 'I'm ready for my close-up.' Will L.A. be ready for its close-up? That's a question I intend to explore on a semi-regular basis, and you're invited to worry and wonder along with me by sending your comments and questions to To let you know where I'm coming from, I'm a sports fan who watches the Olympics on television despite the politics, the doping scandals and the corporatization of the Games. But I'm also a professional skeptic, and my questions extend far beyond whether we're ready for our close-up. Here are just a few: Will the benefits of hosting outweigh the burdens? Will the average Southern Californian get anything out of the years-long buildup and staging of the Games? And, will basic services and infrastructure near Olympic venues get upgrades at the expense of long-overdue improvements in other areas? The answer to that question is a big 'yes,' says L.A. Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, who represents the northeastern San Fernando Valley. 'What I've seen in [the latest] budget is that those areas that will be hosting some of the Olympic events will be prioritized,' she said, and that means her district is off the radar. It's worth noting that the city of Los Angeles is not running these Olympics (that's the job of LA28, a private nonprofit working in conjunction with the International Olympic Committee), nor is it hosting all the events. Olympic sites will be scattered well beyond Los Angeles proper, with volleyball in Anaheim, for instance, cricket in Pomona, cycling in Carson and swimming in Long Beach. Softball and canoe slalom competitions will be held in Oklahoma City. But as lead host and a partner in the staging of mega-events that will draw an international spotlight, the reputation of the city of Los Angeles is on the line. One financial advantage the 2028 Games will enjoy over previous Olympics is that there's no need to erect any massive, ridiculously expensive new stadiums or arenas. There'll be soccer at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, track and field at the L.A. Coliseum and baseball at Dodger Stadium, for instance. All of which will keep the overall cost of the Games down. But playing the part of primary Olympic host carries as many risks as opportunities. 'The Games have a history of damaging the cities and societies that host them,' according to an analysis last year in the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, which cited 'broken budgets that burden the public purse … the militarization of public spaces … and the expulsion of residents through sweeps, gentrifications and evictions.' Even without all that, L.A. has a raft of problems on its hands, and the close-up at the moment is not a pretty portrait. Tens of thousands of people are homeless, and the agency overseeing homelessness is in turmoil amid damning financial audits, so unless there's a quick turnaround, the city will be draped in blue tarps for all the world to see. Meanwhile, planned transportation improvements are behind schedule, skyrocketing liability claim settlements are expected to cost $300 million this year, and on top of all that, it suddenly dawned on local leaders several weeks ago that the city was broke. 'Our budget situation is critical,' Mayor Karen Bass wrote in an April letter to the City Council, outlining a nearly $1-billion deficit and proposing numerous program cuts and layoffs. The City Council restored some of those trims, but the outlook is still grim, with several hundred workers losing their jobs. Bass and other local leaders maintain that playing host to mega-events will help restock the treasury. But the opposite could be true, and if the $7-billion Games don't break even, the already-strapped city will get slapped with a $270-million bailout tab. For all the hand-wringing at City Hall, it's not as if the current budget deficit should have come as a surprise. Revenue is down, the response to homelessness devours a big chunk of the budget (without transformational progress to show for the investment), and the bills keep coming due on the City Hall tradition of awarding public employee pay raises it can't afford. That's why there's a 10-year wait to get a ruptured sidewalk fixed (although the city is much quicker to pay millions in trip-and-fall cases), and there's an estimated $2 billion in deferred maintenance at recreation and parks department facilities. At TorchedLA, journalist Alissa Walker reports that in an annual ranking of park systems in the largest 100 cities, L.A. has dropped to 90th, which she fairly called 'a bad look for a city set to host the largest sporting events in the world.' Speaking of bad looks, moving thousands of athletes and tourists around the city will be key to the success of the Games, but some of the so-called '28 by 28' transportation improvements slated for completion by the start of the Olympics have been dereailed or scaled back. And my colleague Colleen Shalby reported last month that Metro's projected budget deficit over the next five years is massive: 'Critical parts of Metro's Olympics plans are yet to be nailed down,' she wrote. 'The agency has yet to confirm $2 billion in funds to lease nearly 3,000 buses, which are integral to Los Angeles' transit-first goal for the Games.' Michael Schneider, founder of the nonprofit Streets for All, said L.A.'s budget crisis 'is coming at the worst possible time.' Not that the delivery of basic infrastructure needs should be tied to major sporting events, but he had hoped the Olympics would trigger a substantial investment in 'bus rapid transit, a network of bike lanes, sidewalks that aren't broken, curb ramps. Just the nuts and bolts of infrastructure.' Jules Boykoff, a Pacific University professor and former professional soccer player who has studied the social and economic impacts of several recent Olympics, is not wowed by L.A.'s record so far. 'I thought Los Angeles was going to be in a lot better shape,' Boykoff said. 'I've been taken aback by the problems that exist and how little has been done.' The real goal isn't just to host the Olympics, Boykoff said, but to do so in a way that delivers long-lasting improvements. 'Any smart city' uses the Games 'to get gains for everybody in the city. Athens in 2004 got a subway system,' he said, Rio de Janeiro in 2016 got a transit link, and last year's host, Paris, got a system of bike lanes. L.A. had gold-medal aspirations, and the city has made some transit improvements. It's also got a wealth of signature natural wonders to show off, from the mountains to the sea, just as the Paris Games featured the Eiffel Tower and the magical evening skyline. But three big hurdles now stand in the way of making it to the podium: The budget limitations (which could get worse between now and 2028), the diversion of resources to the Palisades wildfire recovery, and the uncertainty of desperately needed federal financial support from President Trump, who would probably not put Los Angeles on his list of favorite cities. Races are sometimes won by runners making a move from the back of the pack, and L.A. could still find its stride, show some pride, and avoid embarrassing itself. That's what I'm rooting for. But just one year away from the World Cup and three from the Olympics, the clock is ticking, and it's almost too late to be playing catchup.
CBS News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- CBS News
Driver crashes into T-Mobile store after medical emergency, MDSO says
A driver in his 70s was taken to the hospital Friday morning after crashing his car into a T-Mobile store, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office. Deputies said the man had gone to the store to pay his bill when he experienced a medical emergency and accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brake, sending his vehicle into the middle of the store. "It was just chaos, everybody was scared, everybody was wondering what was going on," said Felix Morales, who told CBS News Miami he works at a warehouse behind the store and heard the crash. "Poof, like glass, and I said whoa, that's kind of weird, and that's what made me come over here," Morales said. No one else injured Xavier Thompson, who works nearby, said no one was injured inside the store because it had not yet opened. "As far as the T-Mobile people said, they were in the back. Nobody was inside. It happened prior to the five minutes when they open," Thompson told CBS News Miami. Monica Rodriguez, another nearby worker, said she was worried for the man. "I was concerned for him because I was like, oh my God, what happened, I hope he's okay," Rodriguez said. Man expected to recover Authorities said the man is expected to recover. The store was deemed unsafe by the county and there is no word on when it will reopen. CBS News Miami reported that cleanup crews spent the day working to remove the vehicle and assess the damage, which included shattered glass and a damaged entrance. The door frame remained intact. T-Mobile did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Los Angeles Times
01-05-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Mayor Bass seeks to shutter department serving the city's youths
Four years ago, Los Angeles City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez stood on the steps of City Hall and celebrated the creation of the Youth Development Department. She had pushed since 2018 for the department, which oversees programs for young people, including a Youth Council to educate them about city government. On Tuesday, with the city deep in a budget crisis, Rodriguez pleaded for Mayor Karen Bass not to get rid of the department. In her proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year, Bass suggested that the city fold the Youth Development Department — along with the Department of Aging and the Economic and Workforce Development Department — into the larger Community Investment for Families Department. The Youth Development Department would no longer exist, though some of its functions would be preserved. Under Bass' proposal, the budget dedicated to those functions would decrease from $2.3 million to less than $1.6 million. Eight employees would be laid off, with 10 remaining. 'Don't undermine and wipe away all those years of work,' Rodriguez said at a news conference at City Hall on Wednesday. She called the mayor's proposed budget 'a hatchet to so many programs that Angelenos rely on' and said there was no 'rhyme or reason' to some of the suggested cuts. Matt Hale, the city's deputy mayor of finance, innovation and operations, said the three departments being absorbed by the Community Investment for Families Department have responsibilities that sometimes overlap. 'Like most things in the city, we have divided them into silos, and people who come through our doors saying 'I need help' are then given a scavenger hunt to perform,' Hale said. At a City Council budget committee meeting Tuesday, Hale said the consolidation would save $5 million and 'result in better outcomes and more effective services.' Bass spokesperson Zach Seidl said the mayor's office is not considering reversing course on the consolidation. Bass' proposed budget, which is being considered by the budget committee in several weeks of hearings, attempts to close a $1-billion shortfall caused in large part by rising personnel costs, soaring legal payouts and a slowdown in the local economy. The mayor's budget eliminates more than 2,700 city positions — about 1,650 of them through layoffs. In addition to running the 30-member Youth Council, the Youth Development Department organizes the Youth Summit and the Youth Expo, annual events that help young people get jobs and internships. The department also is reviewing city programs to determine whether they are reaching youths and meeting youths' needs. If the cuts suggested by the mayor are made, the Youth Development Department would reach about 6,900 constituents, down from about 10,000 last year. 'To take [the department] away now would not just be a step backwards, it would be a betrayal of the youth … who deserve to be invested in, not ignored,' said Monica Rodriguez — no relation to the councilmember — who was a member of the inaugural Youth Council. Councilmember Rodriguez said that instead of being consolidated, the department should grow, suggesting that the Gang Reduction and Youth Development program should come under its purview. The program, which provides gang intervention and prevention services and community engagement programs, is under the mayor's office and has a proposed budget of nearly $40 million. 'The department doesn't have to go away. The department can sustain itself,' the council member said. 'This budget document needs to be a reflection of the values of this city and what's being communicated at this time is young people's voices are subordinate to other priorities — and that's not OK.'
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scathing audit finds L.A. homeless spending lacks oversight, accountability
Homeless programs funded by the city of Los Angeles are a virtual black hole when it comes to oversight and tracking of outcomes, a court-ordered, independent audit has found. The audit, released on Thursday, was conducted by Alvarez & Marsal, a global consulting firm. It looked at four years of homeless services managed by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) from June 1, 2020, through June 30, 2024. A&M said it encountered information gaps and incomplete data that hindered its ability to assess the results of approximately $2.3 billion in homeless spending over that time period. 'Such gaps in documentation complicated efforts to track expenditures comprehensively, highlighting the need for more accurate recordkeeping within LAHSA's financial and performance oversight processes,' A&M said in its executive summary. In many instances, auditors found that independent contractors operated under vague arrangements with weak oversight, and the money they received couldn't be properly accounted for. In one example, A&M's team found inconsistencies with the 'exit rate' of homeless individuals into permanent housing during the 2023-24 fiscal year. 'A sample of sites reported a median permanent housing exit rate of approximately 22.0%, whereas 47.8% of exits resulted in a return to homelessness, exceeding the rate of exits to permanent housing,' the report stated. Auditors also found that LAHSA frequently approved payments to contractors before verifying that services were provided. Responding to A&M's report, Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez labeled LAHSA a 'modern-day Titanic.' 'The audit's findings confirm what I've repeatedly warned about—billions have been wasted on homelessness without oversight, accountability, or results,' Rodriguez told KTLA on Friday. 'For over a year, I've pushed legislation to end this failed arrangement, while my colleagues have stalled for more than a year, pouring taxpayer dollars into a system and programs that continue to fail. This blatant mismanagement reflects leadership failure and it is time to untether the city from this modern-day Titanic known as LAHSA.' Dkt-870-AM-DraftDownload The L.A. Times obtained a statement from LAHSA acknowledging the 'siloed and fragmented nature of our region's homeless response' for the oversight and accountability issues. The audit was ordered by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter and stemmed from a 2020 lawsuit filed by the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights. The Alliance, comprised of local business owners and 'concerned residents,' alleged the city had failed to protect public health and safety by allowing rampant homelessness. The suit was settled in 2022, but the group has accused the city of failing to live up to the terms, which included providing more beds and housing. On her first day in office in 2022, Mayor Karen Bass declared a state of emergency on homelessness and launched her hallmark Inside Safe program. Among its goals is to dramatically lower the cost of building affordable and temporary housing, get people off the streets and provide them with various services. According to the program's website, nearly 3,900 homeless individuals have 'moved indoors' since the mayor took office, and 878 have found permanent housing. The latest point-in-time count found more than 75,000 people living on the streets of L.A. in 2024. The mayor's office did not immediately respond to KTLA's request for comment on the audit. California Governor Gavin Newsom, who once threatened to withhold homeless funds from cities and counties, has pushed for greater accountability. 'This reaffirms the state's prior findings that local governments need to do a better job of tracking homelessness spending,' Tara Gallegos, a spokesperson for Newsom, told KTLA. 'That's why Governor Newsom has implemented new, strict accountability measures to increase accountability and ensure every dollar is spent effectively.' Gallegos directed the public to visit to track spending on homelessness and affordable housing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
