HOUSING POLITICS--Early this year State Senator Scott Wiener held a press conference to present an amended version of his controversial bill, SB 50. Wiener's proposed legislation would override local planning authority to allow residential projects up to a half mile away from a major transit stop to receive waivers from limits on density and height.

DEEGAN ON LA-That sucking sound you may hear coming from City Hall could be the deep inhales from politicos hoping that when they exhale the results of the annual homeless count will be better than last year -- a time when the very bad news was an increase of 12%.

LA WATCHDOG--The following letter of January 13, 2020 to Mayor Eric Garcetti from Dan Schnur outlines his preliminary findings on establishing an Office of Inspector General for the Department of Water and Power. 

ALPERN AT LARGE--Martin Luther King encapsulated what so many of us dream when he stated his own dream of his children living in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. 

OUTSIDE THE BOX -The Houston Astros cheated, got caught, and got slapped on the wrists. No one is happy with the verdict, so now what? Play. It. Again. 

GELFAND’S WORLD--I’ll just refer to her as Sheryl, because she has a right to retain as much dignity as the jackals in city government have left her. And they are not trying to leave her much. 

NEIGHBORHOOD POLITICS-Los Angeles has always been a destination city – oranges and oil, the sunny Pacific and movie stars. But sometimes it can use a little help. 

VOICES-McKinsey & Co., a development consultant firm, has made the claim that California must build 3.5 million housing units by 2025.

ANIMAL WATCH-In 2017 Los Angeles Animal Services was proclaimed an "almost-No Kill' shelter by GM Brenda Barnette and Mayor Eric Garcetti. In 2020, the City still falls short of that goal. 

GUEST WORDS--You don’t know me, but I’ve been a defense attorney in LA for almost 25 years. 

LETTER TO THE SENATE--To the Honorable Members and Staff of the California State Senate:

ENVIRONMENT POLITICS -- The Alliance of River Communities (ARC) held its monthly public meeting on December 16 at El Rio de Los Angeles State Park in Cypress Park to hear the most current updates on LA River projects.

ONE MAN’S OPINION-Question: What is it called when a 79-year-old widow is forced to wash linens make beds, clean two entire houses with nine bedrooms and sweep the patios and sidewalks and then Judge Lippitt steals 150% of the widow’s wages? Answer: Business as usual in LA County’s Conservancy (Probate) court. 

PERSPECTIVE--The lawsuit recently filed by City Attorney Mike Feuer against the FAA and supported by LA council members Paul Krekorian, David Ryu and Paul Koretz, all of whom are voting members of the Burbank Airport Noise Task Force, is demanding that all departure paths from Burbank return to pre-Next Generation flight tracks.

@THE GUSS REPORT-As the Tuesday morning celebration for City Council’s new president Nury Martinez died-down, she walked up the steps to the raised podium where the most influential lawmaker in the City of LA sits during meetings.