Alison Vu News Today

Covering Los Angeles's livable streets movement

Los Angeles County Metro officials voted Thursday to begin negotiating contract extensions with law enforcement agencies that patrol its trains and buses—and to look into creating an in-house police department following reports that officers it pays to patrol the system might not be following through on that duty.

Ridership levels on the system’s Gold and Red lines were only 30 and 56 percent of pre-pandemic levels, respectively. Meanwhile, 22 people have died on Metro buses and trains since January and serious crime increased 24 percent last year.

Commuters have abandoned large swaths of a Los Angeles Metro train system plagued by crime and the scourge of drugs.

People keep dying from fentanyl on Los Angeles trains and the residents are growing increasingly frustrated over it, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

A proposal on the ballot in Los Angeles would tax turnovers of luxury properties to fund affordable housing.