August 4, 2025

Amity Foundation Welcome LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell to Amity’s Amistad Campus

This month, EKA had the privilege of joining our client, Amity Foundation, in welcoming LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell to the Amistad campus in Los Angeles. The visit highlighted Amity’s powerful teaching community model and its role in reducing recidivism and transforming lives.

Amity Foundation’s community projects equip formerly incarcerated individuals with the skills and resources to return to our communities safely.

For two years in a row, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has seen rising test scores in math and English, with these scores surpassing pre-pandemic levels. This is an important achievement for the district, as it signals the erasure of learning loss that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the Latino student population saw strong gains. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho credited the milestone to intensive targeted tutoring, summer school expansion, and enrichment programs among other factors. Despite academic gains across all demographics, the district still has disparities to address. Three in four Black students are not hitting grade-level standards in math, while more than 70% of White and Asian students hit grade-level standards. Declining enrollment continues to be a challenge for the district as well.

The Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs announced the formal closure of the LA County Rent Relief Program after distributing over $81 million to landlords. The program, which operated from December 12, 2023 to June 4, 2024, provided grants of up to $30,000 per rental unit for past due rent dating back to April 1, 2022. In total, 1,824 landlords received relief, with awards prioritized for those serving vulnerable tenants, owning no more than four properties, or managing units in areas of highest need. The program was administered through a collaboration with The Center by Lendistry to help small property owners while allowing tenants to remain housed during pandemic recovery.

USC teams up with ShadeLA coalition to cool Los Angeles ahead of 2028

LA’s population of unhoused older adults is growing while services are being cut

There were 1.5 million fewer Metro rides in June compared to a year earlier

$30 Minimum Wage For LA’s Hotel, Airport Workers Faces Referendum Challenge – Officials to verify signatures

Federal cuts leave Los Angeles County health system in crisis

Eaton Fire could wipe out California’s $21 billion wildfire fund, new documents show

Proposed ballot measure could force a citywide vote on L.A. 2028 Olympic venues

LAUSD’s charter school co-location policy violates state law, judge rules

West LA Faces Backlash Over 167-Bed Homeless Shelter Plan

LA County looks to ban law enforcement from wearing masks following concerns during ICE raids

Los Angeles officials have announced new measures to accelerate rebuilding in Pacific Palisades following the January wildfires. Under Executive Order 8, the city will offer a library of pre-approved home designs to speed up permitting for single-family homes. The initiative removes certain local and coastal review requirements for eligible properties and invites architects to contribute code-compliant designs. Officials say the city has already approved nearly 300 rebuilding plans, with the first permit issued less than two months after the fire. As of early July, Los Angeles County received 1,207 rebuild applications but issued only 90 permits. The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety reported receiving applications for 360 addresses in the Palisades Fire area, of which only 70 received permits.