DiscoverLA PodcastInfrastructure Weak
Infrastructure Weak

Infrastructure Weak

Update: 2025-08-04
Share

Description

Alissa, Mike, and Godfrey discuss the next era for LA’s homeless services with a newly named interim CEO for LAHSA and a terrifying executive order from the Trump administration. Then LA’s charter reform commission is finally underway, starting with tackling much-needed infrastructure reforms. And Kamala Harris won’t run for governor — so what (and who) defines the race now?

LA Councilmember Traci Park has filed a motion to assess evacuation routes after last week’s tsunami advisory that seems to take aim at denser housing (no one tell her that scientists now recommend “vertical evacuation” where you go to higher floors of a building, as Alissa wrote in 2018)

Gita O’Neill is the new interim LAHSA CEO and some people are not happy about that choice; LA CAN put out a series of blistering statements opposing her appointment 

A new Trump executive order on homelessness is very alarming because federal grants will now only go to cities that ban urban camping — and a Trump appointee specifically told LA County their funding was at risk

Celebrating the order is Joe Lonsdale, the Palantir cofounder on Rick Caruso’s Steadfast LA board who shops anti-camping ballot measures around to states; here’s his thread praising the decision 

Meanwhile, ICE is using LAPD databases to track immigrants

LA’s charter reform commission got off to a contentious start with a leadership battle, before pivoting to a deep dive on questions of infrastructure, planning, and power

Alissa wrote about Investing in Place’s 16 recommendations for public space including a five-year Capital Infrastructure Program, two-year budget, and possibly dissolving the Board of Public Works? Read Investing in Place’s report

Join LA Forward’s Capital Infrastructure Program working group with a special meeting on Monday, August 4 from 8 to 9 p.m. on Zoom with Investing in Place

Fair Rep LA has a schedule of all the upcoming charter commission meetings

Kamala Harris announces she will not run for California’s governor

Politico: “The governor’s race truly begins”

Gavin Newsom wants to force a special election to redistrict the state to favor Democrats, although it’s politically risky

Listen to Mike’s upcoming episode of What’s Next, Los Angeles? featuring journalist Karen Ocamb on philanthropist Wallis Annenberg’s legacy

Support for LA Podcast is provided by LA Forward and by listeners like you. The reporting and analysis you hear in the show is put together by our rotating cast of producers and co-hosts every week. If you want to help us bring more independent voices to California media, you can subscribe at thinkforward.la

All opinions expressed on the show are solely those of co-hosts and may not represent the views of LA Forward

This week’s episode is produced by Olive Greenspan

Comments 
In Channel
Re: LAX, Don’t Do It

Re: LAX, Don’t Do It

2025-11-0356:16

To Live and DEI in LA

To Live and DEI in LA

2025-10-2754:42

Austin’s Powers

Austin’s Powers

2025-10-2059:25

Take the Monica and Run

Take the Monica and Run

2025-09-1501:12:48

82 Degrees and Rising

82 Degrees and Rising

2025-09-0801:04:16

Airbnb Apparent

Airbnb Apparent

2025-09-0153:26

Big Little Liabilities

Big Little Liabilities

2025-08-2555:03

Back to Cruel

Back to Cruel

2025-08-1801:01:59

Olympic Meddle

Olympic Meddle

2025-08-1151:11

Infrastructure Weak

Infrastructure Weak

2025-08-0455:33

Smoke and Smearers

Smoke and Smearers

2025-07-2850:09

Never Admit Retreat

Never Admit Retreat

2025-07-2153:33

Bass Pro Shots

Bass Pro Shots

2025-07-1459:29

ICE Guys Finish Last

ICE Guys Finish Last

2025-06-2350:18

loading
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

Infrastructure Weak

Infrastructure Weak

Mike Bonin, Alissa Walker, Godfrey Plata