Roughly 70 percent of L.A. voters find it difficult to find housing, and 60 percent have considered leaving the city as a result, per a new survey commissioned by the L.A. Business Council Institute. Some other interesting findings from the survey (linked here) below:

  • 81% favor a proposal to speed up approval for new apartment buildings that include some affordable housing, as long as they are near public transit or on underutilized urban land in high density areas.
  • 77% favor a proposal to guarantee approval for new apartment projects that designate 20% of the units for low-income residents.
  • 73% favor a proposal to change the law to make it possible to build larger apartment buildings along major transportation corridors and in commercial areas.

Aerial view of the Pacoima Spreading GroundsL.A. County Dept. of Public Works

Los Angeles County has ended the rainy season between October 2023 and April 2024 having captured more than 96 billion gallons of stormwater. That's enough to meet the needs of 2.4 million residents, or about 24 percent of the region's annual demand. That news comes as federal officials bless an agreement through which California and other southwestern states will be required to curtail the use of dwindling Colorado River water.

Aerial view of BMO StadiumLAFC

LAFC announced this week that a new entertainment and arcade destination is open at The Fields LA at BMO Stadium.

"Level Up by Bandai Namco," is part of a three-year exclusive agreement with the video game and toymaker of the same name, will feature Pac-Man arcade cabinets and other types of interactive games.

Here's what we're reading this week:

LA’s $1.2 Billion Graffiti Towers Put on Sale After Bankruptcy "The site, called Oceanwide Plaza, became famous this year when graffiti artists covered the 49-floor-tall structures. Now, the property is going on the market, with lenders and other creditors needing about $400 million to recoup their money." (Bloomberg)

Rendering of Oceanwide PlazaVisualhouse

LA Residents Are Furious Over Homelessness. Are They Fed Up Enough To Tax Themselves All Over Again? "An existing quarter-cent tax approved in 2017 would rise to a half-cent tax, with a focus on getting unhoused Angelenos off the streets and keeping vulnerable residents housed." (LAist)

Metro Debuts New Smart Bike Lockers at Nine Stations "New Metro on-demand electronic bike lockers cost just 75 cents for the first 12 hours. Download the BikeLink app for easy access" (Streetsblog LA)

Editorial: L.A. Metro is doomed if it can’t keep bus and train riders safe "Taxpayers have invested billions of dollars in rail and bus expansions to fight climate change and make it easier for people to get around without driving themselves. Transit is supposed to be the backbone of L.A.’s 'car-free' Olympics in 2028. But if people do not feel safe riding the buses and trains, the system will get stuck in a doom spiral and never gain the ridership needed to help reduce traffic and air pollution." (LA Times)

"Don't be a palm, be an oak" Of course LA should plant actual trees before the Olympics, but which trees should we actually plant? (Torched)

Metrolink trains along the banks of the Los Angeles RiverWikimedia Commons

Santa Barbara agency asks for agreement for launch of Metrolink service "The proposal would add an early-morning Metrolink trip for commuters from Moorpark, Calif., to Goleta with five intermediate stops, with a mid-morning return from Goleta that would make the same intermediate stops but continue all the way to Los Angeles Union Station. An existing Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train would provide the afternoon return trip for commuters, as shown in the schedule presented in meeting documents" (Trains)

Metro Warns Of Long Delays Citing Unusual Number Of Sick Call-Outs From Drivers "The agency is planning on installing new shatter-proof, tempered glass barriers on buses to protect drivers, starting with those that have experienced the most operator assaults within the past year." (LAist)

Eyes on the Street: Recent Centinela Bike Lanes in Culver City "The new partially-protected Centinela facility is a welcome safety upgrade for a stretch that long lacked any type of bikeway, but the area remains not all that bike-friendly" (Streetsblog LA)

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