LAist

The Los Angeles City Council delayed a plan to analyze moving hundreds of millions of tax dollars away from the troubled LA Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), citing ongoing oversight failures and data issues. The original July 1 deadline for the analysis has been pushed back to December 2027, though council members like Nithya Raman aim to fast-track the process. The county previously redirected funds to a new department after audits revealed mismanagement.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill overhauling the role of California's state superintendent, shifting it from leading the Department of Education to acting as a public advocate. The department will now be headed by an appointed education commissioner, with the new superintendent tasked with ensuring independent evaluation of education programs. Critics argue the change undermines democratic processes, while proponents highlight increased accountability.

Michael Angel Alvarez, a 41-year-old city contractor previously convicted of a 2002 gang-related murder, was arrested for illegally possessing body armor after a violent felony conviction. Federal prosecutors allege he led the 18th Street gang while working as a peace ambassador for Healing Urban Barrios, a nonprofit focused on gang violence reduction in Los Angeles.

Zackery 'Turdle' Melton, an unhoused man, was fatally shot at the Westminster Dog Park in April 2025. He was remembered as a community-oriented individual with a strong support network, and his death highlights rising gun violence against unhoused people in Los Angeles.

An investigation by LAist and The LA Local found at least 278 unhoused residents in Los Angeles have been shot and killed since 2015, with gunfire becoming the primary method of lethal violence against this population. While overall homicides in LA have declined, fatal shootings of unhoused individuals remained high between 2024 and 2025, even as overall homicides fell by 19% in 2025.

Recommendations for spending $3.7 million recovered from the Andrew Do corruption scheme will be determined by Supervisor Janet Nguyen, his successor. The funds will be allocated to benefit Andrew Do's former constituents, with spending plans proposed later. Orange County supervisors rejected a proposal to use the money outside the district, following public demand to keep it within the area.

Los Angeles mayoral primary results are still being counted, with voters awaiting the candidate who will face Karen Bass in November. LAist reporter Frank Stoltze discusses potential contenders emerging from the race.

Young California voters (18–34) are projected to make up a larger share of the 2026 primary electorate compared to 2022, with a 4 percentage point increase in participation. This growth is attributed to nearly 2 million more registered young voters, partly due to a policy that automatically re-registers voters when moving between counties. Despite slightly lower turnout than 2022, late voting trends suggest potential for higher final youth turnout.

Federal immigration raids in Los Angeles, initiated by the Trump administration a year ago, resulted in over 14,000 arrests in 2025, predominantly of individuals without criminal records. The raids caused widespread community disruption, including family separations, business closures, and violent incidents, with federal agents deploying military personnel and detaining U.S. citizens. Specific cases include a food vendor resisting deportation and a high school senior detained during a raid.

The Orange County primary election features a contested race for assessor between Claude Parrish and Janet Conklin, both facing allegations of misconduct, and an uncontested race for auditor-controller with Andrew N. Hamilton. The assessor role determines property tax values, impacting county services, while the auditor-controller oversees financial accountability. The Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools races also have implications for local governance and education policy.