Hayes Davenport
@hayesdavenport.bsky.social
bigcityheat.substack.com
Reposted by Hayes Davenport
Tonight I am in the semifinals of Celebrity Jeopardy on ABC at 9 pm ET
Once again I am competing on behalf of the incredible SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition here in LA: www.selahnhc.org
Once again I am competing on behalf of the incredible SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition here in LA: www.selahnhc.org
April 16, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Tonight I am in the semifinals of Celebrity Jeopardy on ABC at 9 pm ET
Once again I am competing on behalf of the incredible SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition here in LA: www.selahnhc.org
Once again I am competing on behalf of the incredible SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition here in LA: www.selahnhc.org
Reposted by Hayes Davenport
Going to get L.A. on everyone because this is gutting.
One of my favorite spots in the whole city is closing down.
If you need me I'll be there every day until May 4.
laist.com/brief/news/f...
One of my favorite spots in the whole city is closing down.
If you need me I'll be there every day until May 4.
laist.com/brief/news/f...
Papa Cristo's closing
Rent got too high for the beloved Greek eatery
laist.com
April 4, 2025 at 5:19 AM
Going to get L.A. on everyone because this is gutting.
One of my favorite spots in the whole city is closing down.
If you need me I'll be there every day until May 4.
laist.com/brief/news/f...
One of my favorite spots in the whole city is closing down.
If you need me I'll be there every day until May 4.
laist.com/brief/news/f...
Hosting a show about LA and how it works at the Elysian this Saturday. Please don't make me tell you again
www.elysiantheater.com/shows/lapowe...
www.elysiantheater.com/shows/lapowe...
LA Power Hour — The Elysian
For the last few months, people in LA have been asking difficult questions like: "Is this a city?" "Does it have a government?" "What is the firetruck situation -- does the city have them or are we su...
www.elysiantheater.com
February 23, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Hosting a show about LA and how it works at the Elysian this Saturday. Please don't make me tell you again
www.elysiantheater.com/shows/lapowe...
www.elysiantheater.com/shows/lapowe...
NEW:
They Call Him "Brave Hayes": Local Intellectual Watches All Three Hours of Rick Caruso's Appearances on Both Joe Rogan and Sam Harris
bigcityheat.substack.com/p/rogancarus...
They Call Him "Brave Hayes": Local Intellectual Watches All Three Hours of Rick Caruso's Appearances on Both Joe Rogan and Sam Harris
bigcityheat.substack.com/p/rogancarus...
Rogan/Caruso and LA's most cursed job
Podcasts and water, both essential to life on earth
bigcityheat.substack.com
February 13, 2025 at 7:20 PM
NEW:
They Call Him "Brave Hayes": Local Intellectual Watches All Three Hours of Rick Caruso's Appearances on Both Joe Rogan and Sam Harris
bigcityheat.substack.com/p/rogancarus...
They Call Him "Brave Hayes": Local Intellectual Watches All Three Hours of Rick Caruso's Appearances on Both Joe Rogan and Sam Harris
bigcityheat.substack.com/p/rogancarus...
Reposted by Hayes Davenport
@awalkerinla.bsky.social @mikebonin.bsky.social & @hayesdavenport.bsky.social ask the big questions: is the fire department underfunded, who is really in charge of LA's recovery, which electeds are taking all the blame, and why. Listen wherever you get your podcasts
thelapod.com/episode/fed-...
thelapod.com/episode/fed-...
Fed Flag Warning - LA Podcast
thelapod.com
February 3, 2025 at 8:53 PM
@awalkerinla.bsky.social @mikebonin.bsky.social & @hayesdavenport.bsky.social ask the big questions: is the fire department underfunded, who is really in charge of LA's recovery, which electeds are taking all the blame, and why. Listen wherever you get your podcasts
thelapod.com/episode/fed-...
thelapod.com/episode/fed-...
LA leaders have said the fires could have been prevented if LAFD hadn't been defunded.
But also: new reports say LAFD kept dozens of trucks and 1,000 firefighters off duty during the high winds.
What really happened? You might never find out. Sorry!
bigcityheat.substack.com/p/the-questi...
But also: new reports say LAFD kept dozens of trucks and 1,000 firefighters off duty during the high winds.
What really happened? You might never find out. Sorry!
bigcityheat.substack.com/p/the-questi...
The question nobody is going on TV about
Was the LA Fire Department underfunded, underdeployed, or something else we'll never know?
bigcityheat.substack.com
January 22, 2025 at 11:54 PM
LA leaders have said the fires could have been prevented if LAFD hadn't been defunded.
But also: new reports say LAFD kept dozens of trucks and 1,000 firefighters off duty during the high winds.
What really happened? You might never find out. Sorry!
bigcityheat.substack.com/p/the-questi...
But also: new reports say LAFD kept dozens of trucks and 1,000 firefighters off duty during the high winds.
What really happened? You might never find out. Sorry!
bigcityheat.substack.com/p/the-questi...
Wrote about the guy who went around setting all the fires bigcityheat.substack.com/p/the-arsoni...
The arsonist we need
In the “pandemic speedrun” model of the last week — a week so uniquely horrible for LA that there isn’t actually a useful comparison to draw from in its history — this morning felt like we’d hit alrea...
bigcityheat.substack.com
January 15, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Wrote about the guy who went around setting all the fires bigcityheat.substack.com/p/the-arsoni...
Since I'm seeing it everywhere:
I worked in LA City Hall when the budget passed. Our office voted No. But the idea that LAFD was "defunded" to increase the LAPD budget is not accurate. Both got increases due to salary hikes. LAFD's deal just happened after the budget process -- LAPD's was before.
I worked in LA City Hall when the budget passed. Our office voted No. But the idea that LAFD was "defunded" to increase the LAPD budget is not accurate. Both got increases due to salary hikes. LAFD's deal just happened after the budget process -- LAPD's was before.
January 8, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Since I'm seeing it everywhere:
I worked in LA City Hall when the budget passed. Our office voted No. But the idea that LAFD was "defunded" to increase the LAPD budget is not accurate. Both got increases due to salary hikes. LAFD's deal just happened after the budget process -- LAPD's was before.
I worked in LA City Hall when the budget passed. Our office voted No. But the idea that LAFD was "defunded" to increase the LAPD budget is not accurate. Both got increases due to salary hikes. LAFD's deal just happened after the budget process -- LAPD's was before.
Took a shot at recapping THE YEAR IN LA. That's me in the picture right after I finished. bigcityheat.substack.com/p/a-nervous-...
A nervous autopsy on the year in LA
Look back at it?
bigcityheat.substack.com
December 30, 2024 at 9:47 PM
Took a shot at recapping THE YEAR IN LA. That's me in the picture right after I finished. bigcityheat.substack.com/p/a-nervous-...
Traci Park's entry into LA politics was suing to stop a shelter in her neighborhood.
In her campaign she said she would "squash" this 100% affordable development "on day one."
Now she claims she "respectfully remained on the sidelines" while city departments decided on their own to kill it.
In her campaign she said she would "squash" this 100% affordable development "on day one."
Now she claims she "respectfully remained on the sidelines" while city departments decided on their own to kill it.
Paradigmatic example of aldermanic privilege in L.A. on affordable housing.
Councilmember wants 120-unit project on city-owned parking lot in Venice. It gets approved.
Newly elected councilmember opposes project. Mayor defers to her. Project stalls and might be dead www.latimes.com/homeless-hou...
Councilmember wants 120-unit project on city-owned parking lot in Venice. It gets approved.
Newly elected councilmember opposes project. Mayor defers to her. Project stalls and might be dead www.latimes.com/homeless-hou...
Venice homeless housing development continues in limbo as councilmember declares the project dead
Approval of a 120-unit affordable housing development in Venice by the California Coastal Commission this week did not lead to clarity on whether it will break ground.
www.latimes.com
December 13, 2024 at 11:02 PM
Traci Park's entry into LA politics was suing to stop a shelter in her neighborhood.
In her campaign she said she would "squash" this 100% affordable development "on day one."
Now she claims she "respectfully remained on the sidelines" while city departments decided on their own to kill it.
In her campaign she said she would "squash" this 100% affordable development "on day one."
Now she claims she "respectfully remained on the sidelines" while city departments decided on their own to kill it.
Reposted by Hayes Davenport
Paradigmatic example of aldermanic privilege in L.A. on affordable housing.
Councilmember wants 120-unit project on city-owned parking lot in Venice. It gets approved.
Newly elected councilmember opposes project. Mayor defers to her. Project stalls and might be dead www.latimes.com/homeless-hou...
Councilmember wants 120-unit project on city-owned parking lot in Venice. It gets approved.
Newly elected councilmember opposes project. Mayor defers to her. Project stalls and might be dead www.latimes.com/homeless-hou...
Venice homeless housing development continues in limbo as councilmember declares the project dead
Approval of a 120-unit affordable housing development in Venice by the California Coastal Commission this week did not lead to clarity on whether it will break ground.
www.latimes.com
December 13, 2024 at 7:18 PM
Paradigmatic example of aldermanic privilege in L.A. on affordable housing.
Councilmember wants 120-unit project on city-owned parking lot in Venice. It gets approved.
Newly elected councilmember opposes project. Mayor defers to her. Project stalls and might be dead www.latimes.com/homeless-hou...
Councilmember wants 120-unit project on city-owned parking lot in Venice. It gets approved.
Newly elected councilmember opposes project. Mayor defers to her. Project stalls and might be dead www.latimes.com/homeless-hou...
Reposted by Hayes Davenport
No Los Angeles affordable housing development has had more twists in the last decade than Venice Dell. This week:
* The Coastal Commission approved it
* The Councilmember representing Venice declared it dead
* An ex-mayoral staffer said the mayor's office stalled it www.latimes.com/homeless-hou...
* The Coastal Commission approved it
* The Councilmember representing Venice declared it dead
* An ex-mayoral staffer said the mayor's office stalled it www.latimes.com/homeless-hou...
Venice homeless housing development continues in limbo as councilmember declares the project dead
Approval of a 120-unit affordable housing development in Venice by the California Coastal Commission this week did not lead to clarity on whether it will break ground.
www.latimes.com
December 13, 2024 at 4:26 PM
No Los Angeles affordable housing development has had more twists in the last decade than Venice Dell. This week:
* The Coastal Commission approved it
* The Councilmember representing Venice declared it dead
* An ex-mayoral staffer said the mayor's office stalled it www.latimes.com/homeless-hou...
* The Coastal Commission approved it
* The Councilmember representing Venice declared it dead
* An ex-mayoral staffer said the mayor's office stalled it www.latimes.com/homeless-hou...
Reposted by Hayes Davenport
After one of the WILDEST council exchanges in recent memory, with councilmembers accusing each other of making backroom deals (!!!), LA's Olympic wage passes 12-3, guaranteeing LA's tourism workers a minimum wage increase to $30/hour by 2028
My previous story: www.torched.la/the-olympic-...
My previous story: www.torched.la/the-olympic-...
December 11, 2024 at 11:21 PM
After one of the WILDEST council exchanges in recent memory, with councilmembers accusing each other of making backroom deals (!!!), LA's Olympic wage passes 12-3, guaranteeing LA's tourism workers a minimum wage increase to $30/hour by 2028
My previous story: www.torched.la/the-olympic-...
My previous story: www.torched.la/the-olympic-...
More optimistic take if you're pro-housing:
LA electeds have traditionally defended single-family zoning no matter their political alignment. Yesterday 5 out of 15 councilmembers supported upzoning. A gigantic break from history.
And all 5 came from the progressive wing. SFZ is right-adjacent now.
LA electeds have traditionally defended single-family zoning no matter their political alignment. Yesterday 5 out of 15 councilmembers supported upzoning. A gigantic break from history.
And all 5 came from the progressive wing. SFZ is right-adjacent now.
"Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever" remains the official policy of a Los Angeles run by a group of people who identify as progressives. laist.com/news/housing...
Facing need for more housing, LA's City Council votes to keep new apartments away from homeowners
The city needs to rezone for more than a quarter-million new homes. Elected leaders decided to block new housing in single-family neighborhoods.
laist.com
December 11, 2024 at 8:44 PM
More optimistic take if you're pro-housing:
LA electeds have traditionally defended single-family zoning no matter their political alignment. Yesterday 5 out of 15 councilmembers supported upzoning. A gigantic break from history.
And all 5 came from the progressive wing. SFZ is right-adjacent now.
LA electeds have traditionally defended single-family zoning no matter their political alignment. Yesterday 5 out of 15 councilmembers supported upzoning. A gigantic break from history.
And all 5 came from the progressive wing. SFZ is right-adjacent now.
Reposted by Hayes Davenport
And don't miss this exchange in the comments section: www.latimes.com/california/s...
December 10, 2024 at 7:21 PM
And don't miss this exchange in the comments section: www.latimes.com/california/s...
Reposted by Hayes Davenport
do you think that fear of crime and disorder in Dem-run big cities fueled Trump's win? @hayesdavenport.bsky.social looks at the numbers and the numbers do not agree.
Bonus pro-housing form letter for Los Angeles readers.
Bonus pro-housing form letter for Los Angeles readers.
Ezra Klein is wrong about this
Plus why the air was disgusting all week, the big vote on the housing plan, and biking past the graveyard.
open.substack.com
December 9, 2024 at 10:25 PM
do you think that fear of crime and disorder in Dem-run big cities fueled Trump's win? @hayesdavenport.bsky.social looks at the numbers and the numbers do not agree.
Bonus pro-housing form letter for Los Angeles readers.
Bonus pro-housing form letter for Los Angeles readers.
Reposted by Hayes Davenport
"We need a point person. And I feel like we're running a little bit behind," Mayor Karen Bass said yesterday.
Outgoing LA councilmember Paul Krekorian has been named the "primary liaison between the mayor's office and LA28" in a newly created Office of Major Events
www.torched.la/pauls-boutiq...
Outgoing LA councilmember Paul Krekorian has been named the "primary liaison between the mayor's office and LA28" in a newly created Office of Major Events
www.torched.la/pauls-boutiq...
Paul's boutique
With less than 3.5 years until the opening ceremonies, the termed-out council president emeritus is taking on a new megaevent department, a new role, and a whole lot of city baggage
www.torched.la
December 6, 2024 at 5:16 PM
"We need a point person. And I feel like we're running a little bit behind," Mayor Karen Bass said yesterday.
Outgoing LA councilmember Paul Krekorian has been named the "primary liaison between the mayor's office and LA28" in a newly created Office of Major Events
www.torched.la/pauls-boutiq...
Outgoing LA councilmember Paul Krekorian has been named the "primary liaison between the mayor's office and LA28" in a newly created Office of Major Events
www.torched.la/pauls-boutiq...
I went by one of the former Skid Row Housing Trust buildings that was sold to a developer.
Two tenants were locked out because their keycards failed, one with a dog in his room. There would be no staff on site for two days. They were all being evicted due to black mold. substack.com/home/post/p-...
Two tenants were locked out because their keycards failed, one with a dog in his room. There would be no staff on site for two days. They were all being evicted due to black mold. substack.com/home/post/p-...
One reason why there are tents on the sidewalk
A downtown hotel, a cash aid program, and a locked room with a dog inside.
substack.com
December 2, 2024 at 7:06 PM
I went by one of the former Skid Row Housing Trust buildings that was sold to a developer.
Two tenants were locked out because their keycards failed, one with a dog in his room. There would be no staff on site for two days. They were all being evicted due to black mold. substack.com/home/post/p-...
Two tenants were locked out because their keycards failed, one with a dog in his room. There would be no staff on site for two days. They were all being evicted due to black mold. substack.com/home/post/p-...
Wrote about LA's housing plan, and the quiet agreement between anti-housing groups and city leaders to pretend that it's going to work.
Homeowner associations would never call themselves "organizers" but they invented the game and live it every single day. bigcityheat.substack.com/p/how-one-co...
Homeowner associations would never call themselves "organizers" but they invented the game and live it every single day. bigcityheat.substack.com/p/how-one-co...
How one corner of Hollywood could change, and why it won't
This is also what democracy looks like.
bigcityheat.substack.com
November 25, 2024 at 5:46 PM
Wrote about LA's housing plan, and the quiet agreement between anti-housing groups and city leaders to pretend that it's going to work.
Homeowner associations would never call themselves "organizers" but they invented the game and live it every single day. bigcityheat.substack.com/p/how-one-co...
Homeowner associations would never call themselves "organizers" but they invented the game and live it every single day. bigcityheat.substack.com/p/how-one-co...
been drinking my chocolate electrolyte drink mixes hot instead of iced lately. also kind of like what switching to this app feels like
November 20, 2024 at 5:27 AM
been drinking my chocolate electrolyte drink mixes hot instead of iced lately. also kind of like what switching to this app feels like
This article and its many insane details got me thinking about law enforcement working second jobs, and how the normal work schedule for most LAPD officers is three days a week.
Wrote about how and why the three-day schedule came about here: bigcityheat.substack.com/p/do-people-...
Wrote about how and why the three-day schedule came about here: bigcityheat.substack.com/p/do-people-...
November 18, 2024 at 9:20 PM
This article and its many insane details got me thinking about law enforcement working second jobs, and how the normal work schedule for most LAPD officers is three days a week.
Wrote about how and why the three-day schedule came about here: bigcityheat.substack.com/p/do-people-...
Wrote about how and why the three-day schedule came about here: bigcityheat.substack.com/p/do-people-...
George Gascon lost the LA DA race because he was blamed for crime going up, whether or not it actually was.
I assumed that was a longtime strategy against incumbent DAs when crime rises.
So I looked at an old race. And I was wrong! The strategy is new. bigcityheat.substack.com/p/the-last-l...
I assumed that was a longtime strategy against incumbent DAs when crime rises.
So I looked at an old race. And I was wrong! The strategy is new. bigcityheat.substack.com/p/the-last-l...
The Last LA Election When Crime Was Going Up For Real
What an old District Attorney race says about the new one.
bigcityheat.substack.com
November 11, 2024 at 4:02 PM
George Gascon lost the LA DA race because he was blamed for crime going up, whether or not it actually was.
I assumed that was a longtime strategy against incumbent DAs when crime rises.
So I looked at an old race. And I was wrong! The strategy is new. bigcityheat.substack.com/p/the-last-l...
I assumed that was a longtime strategy against incumbent DAs when crime rises.
So I looked at an old race. And I was wrong! The strategy is new. bigcityheat.substack.com/p/the-last-l...
Reposted by Hayes Davenport
If you, like me, are feeling depressed about national politics or just want a little break, I'll share a few stories I've written for @bolts.bsky.social about the dynamics of four local races in California with big implications for the politics of crime and punishment:
(1/8)
(1/8)
November 4, 2024 at 3:06 PM
If you, like me, are feeling depressed about national politics or just want a little break, I'll share a few stories I've written for @bolts.bsky.social about the dynamics of four local races in California with big implications for the politics of crime and punishment:
(1/8)
(1/8)
Reposted by Hayes Davenport
Bring kids, bring snacks, bring questions! Fill out your ballot with people who have been researching the issues (including me!) or just run in circles to burn off nervous pre-election energy. We’ll be meeting by the playground. RSVP at laforward.org/events/ballot-party-dtla or just show up!
October 28, 2024 at 10:07 PM
Bring kids, bring snacks, bring questions! Fill out your ballot with people who have been researching the issues (including me!) or just run in circles to burn off nervous pre-election energy. We’ll be meeting by the playground. RSVP at laforward.org/events/ballot-party-dtla or just show up!