WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:05.240 You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand KFI 2 00:00:05.559 --> 00:00:09.240 AM six forty. We're live everywhere in the iHeartRadio app. 3 00:00:09.359 --> 00:00:12.839 I'm Michael Monks from KFI News. We're with you until 4 00:00:12.839 --> 00:00:15.439 eight thirty tonight instead of nine o'clock. We've got a 5 00:00:15.480 --> 00:00:19.800 special on the LA wildfires airing tonight at eight thirty. 6 00:00:19.839 --> 00:00:21.519 It takes a special look at all of the people 7 00:00:21.559 --> 00:00:24.039 who have been helping out, all the organizations who have 8 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:26.879 been helping out during the fires. And now that we 9 00:00:27.000 --> 00:00:29.399 find ourselves in the aftermath of this thing. 10 00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:33.119 And we are officially there in the aftermath of this thing, 11 00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:36.079 my goodness, what a stretch of weeks. It has been 12 00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:40.079 across Los Angeles County. I mean, a disaster like we've 13 00:00:40.119 --> 00:00:43.479 never seen before in two separate sections, in addition to 14 00:00:43.560 --> 00:00:46.679 other fires that have burned and damaged a lot of land. 15 00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:49.920 But my goodness, the loss of homes, the loss of lives, 16 00:00:51.079 --> 00:00:57.640 and now really the hard part begins, and it's barely beginning. Now. 17 00:00:58.399 --> 00:01:02.520 This is the hard part. It was the devastating part 18 00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:06.280 that we've now made it through. But the two wildfires 19 00:01:06.280 --> 00:01:10.799 that ravaged the Palisades and the Altadena and Pasadena areas 20 00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:16.760 they are now fully contained. All these weeks later, keep 21 00:01:16.760 --> 00:01:19.879 in mind it was the end of the first week 22 00:01:19.920 --> 00:01:22.200 beginning of the second week of January. We've just finished 23 00:01:22.200 --> 00:01:25.560 that month. All these weeks we've been dealing with this, 24 00:01:27.079 --> 00:01:33.519 twenty nine people dead, more than sixteen thousand buildings, thirty 25 00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:38.120 seven thousand acres destroyed. But now all of the evacuation 26 00:01:38.280 --> 00:01:43.319 orders have been lifted as of this moment. The rule 27 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:48.680 is that only residents and approved contractors are being permitted 28 00:01:48.719 --> 00:01:51.640 back into those former evacuation zones. But it looks like 29 00:01:52.599 --> 00:01:54.879 some of this stuff is going to start changing and 30 00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:58.640 it's not sitting well with folks. So it seems like 31 00:01:58.680 --> 00:02:01.239 a lot of mixed messages out there, not just from 32 00:02:01.239 --> 00:02:06.319 public officials, not just from civic leaders, but also from residents. 33 00:02:06.519 --> 00:02:06.840 Also. 34 00:02:07.959 --> 00:02:10.800 We saw the lines of Palisades residents trying to get 35 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:13.439 back to their homes, some of them for the first 36 00:02:13.479 --> 00:02:17.879 time since this thing happened to them. They haven't seen 37 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:24.039 the ashes of what was once their lives. Lines and 38 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:27.199 lines hours long as they tried to make it through checkpoints. 39 00:02:28.199 --> 00:02:33.800 Well now tomorrow morning, Sunday morning, eight o'clock, the checkpoints 40 00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:37.879 as we know them are going away on Pacific Coast Highway. 41 00:02:37.879 --> 00:02:41.319 It's reopening one lane in each direction as of eight 42 00:02:41.319 --> 00:02:45.000 o'clock tomorrow morning, with very reduced speed limits down to 43 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:47.560 twenty five miles per hour. So it's still going to 44 00:02:47.560 --> 00:02:52.240 be a slow slog. But the question is what does 45 00:02:52.280 --> 00:02:57.479 that mean for the Palisades. Obviously, people who lost their 46 00:02:57.520 --> 00:03:01.280 homes want to get back there. They want to get 47 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:03.960 started on what is now the hard part of this. 48 00:03:06.120 --> 00:03:09.159 But what about the rest of us that want to 49 00:03:09.240 --> 00:03:14.599 check it out? Is that gonna happen? Are the lukie 50 00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:19.400 loose now going to be sliding into the Palisades getting 51 00:03:19.400 --> 00:03:22.719 in the way of these grieving families trying to rebuild 52 00:03:22.759 --> 00:03:27.800 those lives. The LAPD says they're gonna have extra patrols 53 00:03:27.840 --> 00:03:31.319 there more than usual to make sure that no funny 54 00:03:31.319 --> 00:03:34.840 business is going on. But it was just a few 55 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:36.960 months ago that the LAPED was having a hard time 56 00:03:37.840 --> 00:03:41.400 keeping burglars out of houses in Encino, and that place 57 00:03:41.479 --> 00:03:47.039 wasn't even on fire. So how confident can you feel 58 00:03:47.159 --> 00:03:52.479 right now if you're returning to the Palisades that you 59 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:56.599 can do so with an appropriate amount of space, not 60 00:03:56.680 --> 00:03:58.919 just to bring in the architect not just to bring 61 00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:02.639 in contractors to talk about what is possible on the sites. 62 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:06.240 Not just to retrieve whatever memento from your former life 63 00:04:06.360 --> 00:04:10.319 that you can from the smoldering ashes of your dreams, 64 00:04:11.479 --> 00:04:16.199 but can you have the space to grieve. Keep in mind, 65 00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:18.000 so many of these people are going to look at 66 00:04:18.040 --> 00:04:21.720 this for the first time, and then that fills me 67 00:04:21.959 --> 00:04:26.240 with conflict because I'm a journalist. I've represented KFI out 68 00:04:26.279 --> 00:04:28.920 in the field during these fires, and I've gotten to 69 00:04:28.920 --> 00:04:31.920 go past those checkpoints so that I can report from them. 70 00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:33.560 And I have seen up. 71 00:04:33.480 --> 00:04:36.759 Close the damage in Altadena and the damage in the Palisades, 72 00:04:37.480 --> 00:04:40.040 and it is another thing entirely to be so close 73 00:04:40.600 --> 00:04:42.519 to it. I've said it before, I think a couple 74 00:04:42.600 --> 00:04:45.519 weeks ago I talked about it that I feel like 75 00:04:47.040 --> 00:04:51.959 everybody who is with an earshot of this broadcast should 76 00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:55.800 go check it out. But also you shouldn't right now, 77 00:04:56.199 --> 00:04:58.560 you know, I mean, right now, it's just not a 78 00:04:58.600 --> 00:05:02.920 good time. But I feel like we need to see 79 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:08.959 it to fully understand the depth of it. We've all 80 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:12.279 seen images, videos, you've heard our reports here on the radio, 81 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:17.120 and the shocking aerial footage that really puts it into perspective. 82 00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:19.879 But to stand next to those ashes is something else, 83 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:28.160 and it makes you appreciate the need for wildfire prevention, 84 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:33.639 and it also helps you appreciate just how dangerous they 85 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:37.000 can be. You know, it's a fact of our lives 86 00:05:37.000 --> 00:05:40.680 here in La County. We have fire season. When I 87 00:05:40.680 --> 00:05:43.000 got hired as a reporter here, you know, they give 88 00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:45.079 you notebooks, they give you recorders, and they give you 89 00:05:45.279 --> 00:05:49.240 fire clothes. I didn't have that back in Kentucky. So 90 00:05:49.399 --> 00:05:52.959 I know it's a part of life here. But when 91 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:55.560 it happens at this scale like this, where so many 92 00:05:55.600 --> 00:05:59.560 people live, it's just something that needs to be experienced. 93 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:02.279 So I hope, I hope. 94 00:06:02.040 --> 00:06:05.240 There's an opportunity for folks who have nothing to do 95 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:08.759 with the Palisades to get a chance to experience, if 96 00:06:08.759 --> 00:06:11.439 you have nothing to do with Altadena, to get a 97 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:16.600 chance to experience that devastation with honor and with respect. 98 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:20.279 Now doesn't seem like the right time, but it also 99 00:06:20.360 --> 00:06:28.199 seems like the invitation is there. PCH is opening tomorrow morning. 100 00:06:29.560 --> 00:06:33.720 Palisades residents aren't all that excited about it. They're telling 101 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:37.439 media outlets like oh Is that it seems like an 102 00:06:37.480 --> 00:06:41.240 invitation for people that you know are up to no 103 00:06:41.319 --> 00:06:43.240 good to come in or people who might just be 104 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:47.759 getting in the way. So I say this is the 105 00:06:47.839 --> 00:06:52.680 time that the hard part begins. We've been through the devastation, 106 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:56.800 and it's not just the hard part of keeping people 107 00:06:56.839 --> 00:06:58.639 out of neighborhood who shouldn't be there. It's not just 108 00:06:58.680 --> 00:07:02.879 the hard part of folks measuring their lots and figuring 109 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:06.199 out what their new home might look like there, or 110 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:09.360 even before that happens, for EPA folks or private contractors 111 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:10.360 to come in and clean it up. 112 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:15.000 We've got the politics to deal with. 113 00:07:16.360 --> 00:07:20.639 So Mayor Bass seems confident that now is the time 114 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:25.759 to let everybody back into the palisades to see what's 115 00:07:25.839 --> 00:07:30.240 left of it. We know President Trump has had feelings 116 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:33.519 about the fires, what led up to them, what should 117 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:38.079 be done. Now he's talking a lot about water and 118 00:07:38.120 --> 00:07:42.319 his role and water now flowing to southern California, a 119 00:07:42.399 --> 00:07:46.000 position that's being disputed by others that says his decisions 120 00:07:46.040 --> 00:07:48.240 have had nothing to do with getting water to southern California. 121 00:07:48.279 --> 00:07:49.759 I mean, this is what we're going to be dealing with. 122 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:53.040 Also, on top of all of the reality, we have 123 00:07:53.079 --> 00:07:57.160 to deal with the show, the political theater. We're going 124 00:07:57.199 --> 00:07:59.040 to do our best to sift through all of that 125 00:07:59.240 --> 00:08:02.720 as it transfer here at KFI, certainly in the news, 126 00:08:03.160 --> 00:08:05.160 and also on Saturday nights, as long as I get 127 00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:07.040 to sit with you guys every couple of hours on 128 00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:10.319 four a couple of hours every Saturday night, I'll tell 129 00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:13.079 you this. We saw the politics of it start to 130 00:08:13.079 --> 00:08:16.759 play out in a rare, tense city council meeting at 131 00:08:16.920 --> 00:08:20.560 LA City Hall. I watch almost every La City Council meeting, 132 00:08:21.040 --> 00:08:23.600 either there at the building or from here at the 133 00:08:23.639 --> 00:08:26.040 studio in Burbank to report on it for you all. 134 00:08:27.160 --> 00:08:31.680 And this was a unique meeting. This was one that 135 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:35.039 I had not seen before. These folks got angry at 136 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:39.240 each other, and they got angry at each other about 137 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:46.360 rent and evictions and the role that the wildfires in 138 00:08:46.360 --> 00:08:51.320 the Palisades may play in such things elsewhere in the city, 139 00:08:51.399 --> 00:08:57.720 rent increases and possible evictions. Some folks wanted an eviction moratorium, 140 00:08:57.919 --> 00:09:01.440 a freeze on rent increases. Others said that that was 141 00:09:01.480 --> 00:09:04.759 just not appropriate. We're gonna be talking about that up 142 00:09:04.840 --> 00:09:07.879 next and then later this hour. There is an unlikely 143 00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:12.879 neighborhood in Los Angeles that's saying eight Palisades people while 144 00:09:12.919 --> 00:09:17.279 you're waiting to rebuild your life in the Palisades, maybe 145 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:18.200 we're the home for you. 146 00:09:18.919 --> 00:09:20.080 We'll talk about that too. 147 00:09:20.279 --> 00:09:24.159 You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand. 148 00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:29.080 KFI AM six forty live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. 149 00:09:29.080 --> 00:09:32.120 I'm Michael Monks from KFI News. We're with you tonight 150 00:09:32.200 --> 00:09:35.240 till eight thirty, and that's when we'll flip over to 151 00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:38.879 a special from iHeart on the La wildfires. The folks, 152 00:09:38.919 --> 00:09:42.519 the organizations who have been working to support people during 153 00:09:42.559 --> 00:09:45.360 the fires, and now that we have reached the aftermath 154 00:09:45.399 --> 00:09:48.919 that starts at eight thirty tonight. There was a big 155 00:09:48.919 --> 00:09:52.279 fight at La City Hall that was inspired by the wildfires. 156 00:09:52.919 --> 00:09:56.120 Shortly after the fires destroyed the Palisades, which is in 157 00:09:56.279 --> 00:10:02.519 La City proper, a series of packaging flew through city Hall, 158 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:06.320 no vetting, a committee, nothing, They were just eager to help. 159 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:09.000 Everybody agreed that it was an emergency situation and there's 160 00:10:09.039 --> 00:10:10.480 a whole lot of stuff. We're gonna make it easier 161 00:10:10.519 --> 00:10:13.000 for people rebuild all that sort of thing. We're going 162 00:10:13.080 --> 00:10:15.559 to make sure that there are reports from LADWP about 163 00:10:15.559 --> 00:10:18.240 the water situation. The Fire Department is going to be 164 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:20.559 telling us what they need from us to be better. 165 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:26.080 But that changed quickly. And I've covered La City government 166 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:31.519 now for about a year, and usually the color comes 167 00:10:31.559 --> 00:10:35.159 from the gallery folks that show up pretty regularly. A 168 00:10:35.159 --> 00:10:37.000 lot of gag flies there at La City Hall, like 169 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:39.200 the pop off at the people who've been elected to office, 170 00:10:39.240 --> 00:10:42.399 and that's where the fireworks are. It's kind of annoying. Actually, 171 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:45.039 they don't really have anything interesting to say. They're just antagonistic. 172 00:10:45.159 --> 00:10:49.639 But this this was interesting because this was council member 173 00:10:49.720 --> 00:10:52.440 versus council member versus council member versus council member, and 174 00:10:52.519 --> 00:10:57.279 you rarely see that. And the fight was over some 175 00:10:57.399 --> 00:11:03.600 protections for renters across La So instead of approving this 176 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:07.159 proposal that came from council members unsses Hernandez and Hugo 177 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:11.320 Soto Martinez, two of the most progressive politicians maybe in 178 00:11:11.399 --> 00:11:15.279 La County but certainly on the La City Council, they 179 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:18.080 didn't approve it. They decided to send this one back 180 00:11:18.200 --> 00:11:21.720 to committee. And what that means is that the Housing 181 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:24.200 Committee and its members will take a look at the 182 00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:27.759 proposals and maybe make some changes. And if they decigned 183 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:29.679 to send it out of committee with a recommendation then 184 00:11:29.720 --> 00:11:32.519 will come back to the full council for consideration. But 185 00:11:32.600 --> 00:11:37.159 this thing caused some fireworks there on Spring Street downtown 186 00:11:37.240 --> 00:11:42.519 earlier this week. The plan was one that included a 187 00:11:42.679 --> 00:11:47.960 one year freeze on rent increases, and some members of 188 00:11:48.039 --> 00:11:50.799 council just didn't think that that was appropriate. Right now, Raoul, 189 00:11:50.919 --> 00:11:53.240 let's hear from Councilman John Lee. 190 00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:58.320 It's disappointing and concerning to see the eviction moratorium being 191 00:11:58.440 --> 00:12:02.440 pushed forward today at a time with so much uncertainty. 192 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:05.519 This body is choosing to take advantage of an event 193 00:12:05.559 --> 00:12:10.200 that demands compassion and thoughtful response. Instead of offering real, 194 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:14.559 targeted support, we're pursuing a blanket policy that is only 195 00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:22.080 going to make a complicated housing crisis even worse. Let's 196 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:24.840 be clear, nobody today is denying that the folks who 197 00:12:24.919 --> 00:12:28.320 are impacted by the fires need help. We are all 198 00:12:28.360 --> 00:12:31.720 in agreement on that. But to approve a blanket policy 199 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:34.720 that ties the hands of housing providers and once again 200 00:12:34.759 --> 00:12:39.399 forces control of their properties out of their hands would 201 00:12:39.399 --> 00:12:43.600 be a misstep by this body. When we tell, when 202 00:12:43.639 --> 00:12:47.039 we as a city tell developers and property owners that 203 00:12:47.159 --> 00:12:51.080 at any moment, the Los Angeles city council can comeandeer 204 00:12:51.159 --> 00:12:54.320 your investment. Who is going to want to build in 205 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:58.080 this city? Who is going to want to do business here? 206 00:12:58.919 --> 00:13:02.120 If we truly want to help those directly impacted by 207 00:13:02.120 --> 00:13:06.759 the fires and have been displaced, then let's focus on 208 00:13:06.840 --> 00:13:10.240 doing that in a way that doesn't harm housing providers 209 00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:15.240 and discourage investment in the very housing our city desperately needs. 210 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:19.799 So that was Counselman John Lee. He represents parts of 211 00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:24.799 the northern San Fernando Valley. Kelcelman Hugosoda Martinez, who sponsored 212 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:28.080 this piece of legislation that was proposing a sweeping rent 213 00:13:28.120 --> 00:13:31.080 freeze and an eviction moratorium, says this was not as 214 00:13:31.159 --> 00:13:34.960 broad as it had been characterized by opponents like Councilman Lee. 215 00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:37.120 Let's hear from a counselman, Soda Martinez. 216 00:13:37.320 --> 00:13:39.720 I just want to clarify a few things for the 217 00:13:39.799 --> 00:13:42.240 public and for my colleagues, because I think a lot 218 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:45.200 of things were said that are just simply not true. Well, 219 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:49.200 one thing that was true is the comments that people 220 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:51.240 don't know what they're voting on, and that's reflective on 221 00:13:51.320 --> 00:13:53.960 the comments that they made. There's clearly not understanding what's 222 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:54.559 in front of us. 223 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:55.600 Ooh spicy. 224 00:13:55.720 --> 00:13:59.480 First of all, this is not a blanket policy. Anybody 225 00:13:59.480 --> 00:14:02.960 of the things is blanket policy is clearly not reading 226 00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:06.440 the language right or reading the amendments that were introduced. 227 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:11.559 This is a very narrowly tailored policy that is seeking 228 00:14:11.720 --> 00:14:17.120 to help the people who have had economic hardship or 229 00:14:17.159 --> 00:14:21.360 have lost their jobs due to the fires. That's it. 230 00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:25.240 It's not about anybody else. I hope folks, everyone in 231 00:14:25.240 --> 00:14:28.840 this room can agree that those folks need our support 232 00:14:28.919 --> 00:14:32.600 right now in the city of Los Angeles. Now I 233 00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:34.399 have it, so that image is clear. That is who 234 00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:37.039 we're trying to address right here. And I have a 235 00:14:37.080 --> 00:14:39.679 constituent in my district that I spoke to yesterday that 236 00:14:39.799 --> 00:14:43.120 lost her job. She lost her job the day after 237 00:14:43.159 --> 00:14:45.080 the fire because a place where she worked burned down, 238 00:14:45.639 --> 00:14:49.720 and the only thing she has no paycheck. The only 239 00:14:49.720 --> 00:14:52.399 thing she has is unemployment, and that's not going to 240 00:14:52.440 --> 00:14:53.679 be enough to pay the rent. It's going to take 241 00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:55.360 her a little bit to get on her feet, which 242 00:14:55.360 --> 00:14:57.879 I think a year of this policy is more than adequate. 243 00:14:58.200 --> 00:15:00.360 So that's the argument from supporters is like, look, yeah, 244 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:03.080 these folks didn't lose a house in the Palisades, but 245 00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:05.240 they may have worked there, they may have been gardeners, 246 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:09.120 they may have worked inside the homes also in Altadena. 247 00:15:09.720 --> 00:15:12.159 So let's make sure that we're putting protections in place. 248 00:15:12.200 --> 00:15:14.600 But the critics we were like, no, this isn't the time, 249 00:15:15.080 --> 00:15:17.480 are saying this seems to be an opportunity to push 250 00:15:17.480 --> 00:15:21.759 a political agenda that is unrelated to this disaster, including 251 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:25.399 Councilwoman Tracy Park, who represents the Palisade. 252 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:27.840 She was not happy with this proposal either. Let's hear 253 00:15:27.879 --> 00:15:28.519 her first clip. 254 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:32.840 Colleagues, we all know that the Palisades fire destroyed more 255 00:15:32.879 --> 00:15:40.039 than homes, countless businesses and workers. Grocery stores, nail salons, classrooms, churches, libraries, 256 00:15:40.120 --> 00:15:46.000 the YMCA, all of it saw destruction and immediate disruption overnight. 257 00:15:46.840 --> 00:15:49.799 My number one priority for these last twenty two days 258 00:15:49.799 --> 00:15:54.480 has been to advocate and fight for the entire Palisades community. 259 00:15:55.279 --> 00:15:59.559 Immediately after the fires, my team worked with UFCW to 260 00:15:59.639 --> 00:16:04.120 confirm what assistance, if any, they're workers at Ralph's and 261 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:09.360 Gelson's and Vond's needed. Thankfully, those workers had already been 262 00:16:09.399 --> 00:16:13.360 placed at other stores and have not experienced job loss. 263 00:16:13.799 --> 00:16:17.519 But we didn't stop there. We learned about other economically 264 00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:21.440 displaced and vulnerable workers like housekeepers and gardeners, and my 265 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:24.200 team and I have been working with the entire City 266 00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:29.200 eleven community to place those individuals in new job opportunities. 267 00:16:30.919 --> 00:16:34.759 And council Member Sodo Martinez, I know that you have 268 00:16:34.919 --> 00:16:39.879 shared heartbreaking stories of constituents who have lost their jobs. 269 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:43.399 If you have individuals, please refer them to us, because 270 00:16:43.399 --> 00:16:47.000 my entire district will bend over backwards to help get 271 00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:48.039 people reemployed. 272 00:16:48.279 --> 00:16:50.320 Okay, how's that for a snapback? Like? 273 00:16:50.440 --> 00:16:52.320 Look, if you're not able to help the people in 274 00:16:52.360 --> 00:16:55.000 your district impacted by these fires, send them my way, 275 00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:57.799 because we have been getting results. That's basically what the 276 00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:00.240 council woman who represents the district that just burned to 277 00:17:00.279 --> 00:17:03.480 the ground had to say about it. But she wasn't finished. 278 00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:05.960 First she pulls some people, some city staff from the 279 00:17:05.960 --> 00:17:09.240 Housing department to answer some questions, and then she finishes 280 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:11.319 with this role final. 281 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:15.559 Note that the only communications we've received about this motion 282 00:17:15.799 --> 00:17:19.160 are from workers in my district to have lost their jobs, 283 00:17:19.559 --> 00:17:22.599 but individuals who just want to see their four percent 284 00:17:22.759 --> 00:17:27.640 RSO increase frozen. Starting February first, that's stable, the city 285 00:17:27.640 --> 00:17:32.599 considers a new RSO formula, an entirely separate policy issue 286 00:17:32.680 --> 00:17:35.880 that has been pending in committee for nearly three months. 287 00:17:36.519 --> 00:17:39.240 The RSO formula and what it should be and whether 288 00:17:39.319 --> 00:17:42.799 it should change is an important policy conversation, and that's 289 00:17:42.839 --> 00:17:45.839 why it needs to be fully vetted and discussing committee 290 00:17:45.960 --> 00:17:49.079 before coming to floor, this floor which I look forward to. 291 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:52.640 So if this motion is really about freezing the next 292 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:57.640 RSO rent increase rather than protecting a small universe of workers, 293 00:17:57.720 --> 00:18:02.279 that I can't support the policy or derivative uses. That 294 00:18:02.440 --> 00:18:06.359 is using a disaster in my district as a pretext 295 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:08.519 for some other political agenda. 296 00:18:08.839 --> 00:18:12.519 That's not and next and I won't play the clip role. 297 00:18:12.759 --> 00:18:17.759 Councilman Unisses Hernandez said that that was offensive and that 298 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:20.920 the city Council should be able to do both provide 299 00:18:20.920 --> 00:18:23.519 for people in the palisades and protect the people who 300 00:18:23.960 --> 00:18:26.359 worked there. This isn't the last we've seen in this legislation. 301 00:18:26.440 --> 00:18:29.799 It's going to committee. But these fires have done more 302 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:33.920 than change and disrupt and unfortunately even end some lives here. 303 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:37.920 It is going to reshape the politics and the government. 304 00:18:38.680 --> 00:18:41.880 It already has. We saw it this week. When we 305 00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:44.960 come back, there is a neighborhood in Los Angeles that 306 00:18:45.079 --> 00:18:48.519 is inviting people from the Palisades to consider moving there, 307 00:18:48.519 --> 00:18:51.680 and it's not a neighborhood you would expect for these 308 00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:52.400 folks to go to. 309 00:18:52.599 --> 00:18:54.319 We'll talk about that coming up. 310 00:18:54.839 --> 00:18:59.720 You're listening to KFI Am six forty on demand, A. 311 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:05.039 Six Live Everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. I'm Michael Monks 312 00:19:05.079 --> 00:19:07.920 from KFI News. We're with you till eight thirty tonight 313 00:19:07.960 --> 00:19:09.960 instead of nine o'clock. We've got a special coming on 314 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:12.880 at eight thirty about the LA wildfires. It takes looks 315 00:19:12.960 --> 00:19:15.759 at the individuals and the organizations who have been stepping 316 00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:19.279 up and helping out during the fires, and we'll continue 317 00:19:19.319 --> 00:19:22.119 doing so now that we have finally reached the aftermath 318 00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:24.960 with folks being allowed to go check out their properties 319 00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:27.599 and start the long process of rebuilding their homes and 320 00:19:27.640 --> 00:19:31.000 their lives. So that comes on at eight thirty. Also, 321 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:33.039 at the top of the hour at eight o'clock, I've 322 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:36.319 got a great interview with a researcher from UC Irvine. 323 00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:40.720 We'll talk about the study he just did that explains 324 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:44.279 how a certain type of music might help ease your 325 00:19:44.319 --> 00:19:50.920 physical pain. It's a real study. He's a real academic 326 00:19:51.880 --> 00:19:54.680 it's in a real medical journal. You'll want to stick 327 00:19:54.680 --> 00:19:58.559 around to hear that. But first, obviously, with the devastation 328 00:19:59.119 --> 00:20:02.960 in the palace A and an Alta Dina, people are 329 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:05.559 going to be looking for another place to live. I 330 00:20:05.599 --> 00:20:09.240 think if I lost my home in a situation like this, 331 00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:12.920 where you may have the opportunity to rebuild, that's where 332 00:20:12.920 --> 00:20:16.240 your initial thoughts are. But that's going to be a 333 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:19.240 long time, and you got to put down some roots, 334 00:20:19.599 --> 00:20:23.039 and you might have to do that somewhere else. What 335 00:20:23.079 --> 00:20:28.119 about downtown Los Angeles? Can you imagine going from walking 336 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:34.559 on the sandy beaches of the Pacific Ocean with those 337 00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:40.960 delicious grains of sand beneath your feet too, well, you 338 00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:42.759 want to know what's beneath my feet on the streets 339 00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:45.839 of downtown Los Angeles where I do live currently. I 340 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:48.599 don't think I'm allowed to say on radio. All I'll 341 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:51.359 say is it is a bit of a different world. 342 00:20:53.400 --> 00:20:58.799 It's nice and it's sometimes not so nice. But there 343 00:20:58.839 --> 00:21:02.680 is a social media campaign that has been created by 344 00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:07.400 the Historic Core Business Improvement District. These are those organizations 345 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:10.359 that are based in small parts of Los Angeles. There 346 00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:13.160 are a lot of them, across LA including multiple ones 347 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:17.839 in different downtown neighborhoods, and this one is trying to 348 00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:22.759 get people to consider moving to downtown Los Angeles. I 349 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:25.559 want to give a shout out to journalist Roger Vincent 350 00:21:25.599 --> 00:21:28.799 at the LA Times, who highlighted this in an article 351 00:21:30.359 --> 00:21:36.119 and it explains that while downtown may be familiar to 352 00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:40.079 a lot of people, it's not this familiar. You know, 353 00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:43.079 a lot of people do live downtown. I'm not alone 354 00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:47.799 down there. It's great. Just this morning, I got up 355 00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:49.200 my spouse and I'm like, are you hungry? 356 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:49.839 What do you want? 357 00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:51.480 You can get up and you can just walk to stuff, 358 00:21:52.680 --> 00:21:54.960 And there's a lot of stuff. In spite of all 359 00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:58.759 the challenges down there, a lot of stuff, And our 360 00:21:58.839 --> 00:22:05.119 loft is nice, and the environment is often great. Too 361 00:22:05.160 --> 00:22:11.000 often it's not. So I'm curious what kind of case 362 00:22:12.119 --> 00:22:14.480 these folks can make to folks who are used to 363 00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:19.039 living in a coastal community, an upscale, wealthy coastal community. 364 00:22:19.240 --> 00:22:22.480 To be clear, there's, of course a lot of poverty 365 00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:26.079 in downtown Los Angeles. It's where skid Row is, But 366 00:22:26.119 --> 00:22:28.440 there is a lot of wealth in downtown Los Angeles 367 00:22:28.519 --> 00:22:28.839 as well. 368 00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:29.640 There are a lot of. 369 00:22:29.720 --> 00:22:33.920 Beautiful condos in beautiful old and new buildings, so you 370 00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:38.200 can live a life of luxury. Downtown. It's just a 371 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:40.000 little different because at some point you do have to 372 00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:43.599 leave your home. And in the Palisades, it's still nice 373 00:22:43.599 --> 00:22:46.200 to leave your home and walk on those sidewalks and 374 00:22:46.519 --> 00:22:48.240 get down to the beach and that sort of thing. 375 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:54.279 And I'm sure when it's rebuilt it will retain those qualities. Downtown. 376 00:22:57.640 --> 00:23:00.880 I love it, Oh, I love it. I love it, 377 00:23:01.960 --> 00:23:03.839 And I have to remind myself of that a lot. 378 00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:06.480 You know, what are the good things? Why do I 379 00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:08.440 like living here? It's walkable. I can hop on a 380 00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:11.319 train really quick. I'm in the middle of everything. Wherever 381 00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:14.079 I need to go, I'm already in the center and 382 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:15.480 I just head out in the other direction. 383 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:18.839 It's fine. But man, it's not so good. 384 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:23.519 Sometimes it's just not I mean, I stepped over human 385 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:27.079 vcs today. I'll just tell you today I was going 386 00:23:27.079 --> 00:23:35.680 to get a sandwich. So Executive director Blair Bestin of 387 00:23:35.720 --> 00:23:38.599 the Historic Core Business Improvement District told The La Times 388 00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:42.680 the West Side and the Pasadena area might be saturated 389 00:23:42.720 --> 00:23:45.920 with people wanting to move in proximity to where they 390 00:23:45.960 --> 00:23:49.359 lived before but it might not be possible. So that's 391 00:23:49.400 --> 00:23:53.839 why this organization is trying to capitalize on an opportunity 392 00:23:53.880 --> 00:23:57.559 to bring these residents down town. Co Star, which is 393 00:23:57.559 --> 00:24:00.000 a real estate data provider and also an immediate life 394 00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:03.359 that does a great job covering real estate issues. They 395 00:24:03.400 --> 00:24:05.359 say that there were a lot of people who were 396 00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:09.799 displaced by these fires who were renters. They reported about 397 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:13.920 four hundred and eighty multi family buildings with nine five 398 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:18.720 hundred rental units were potentially damaged or destroyed within these 399 00:24:18.759 --> 00:24:23.200 fire zones. That's a lot of people who are not 400 00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:25.599 rebuilding a house because it wasn't their house. It was 401 00:24:25.640 --> 00:24:30.839