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Paper signs are placed at the foot of a giant letter block sculpture outside a hospital during a recent evening. One sign reads "Protect Trans Kids" and the other reads "CHLA: Don't bow down to Trump."

WhatMatters

How CA is protecting transgender youth in new Trump era

In 2022 California declared itself a refuge for transgender health care after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law ensuring gender-affirming care for California minors and those living outside the state. Now more than a month into his second term, President Donald Trump is testing California’s sanctuary status — and some young transgender Californians say they […]

By

Lynn La

• March 5, 2025

A parking lot filled with various vehicles is seen in front of a gray building with a sign reading "Bruffy's Tow" along with its address and phone number. The building has small windows and a row of green bushes lining one side.

WhatMatters

How much money does the DMV get from towed vehicles?

After a Lamborghini Murciélago Roadster got towed in 2023, no one claimed it. The iconic sports car sat at a Torrance tow yard for five months, long enough that the towing company had the right to sell it. The sale allowed the company to recoup its costs for the tow, storage and lien sale, about […]

By

Lynn La

• March 4, 2025

Fast food workers chant at a press conference where Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation boosting wages to $20 an hour at SEIU Local 721 in Los Angeles on Sept. 28, 2023. Photo by Alisha Jucevic for CalMatters

WhatMatters

Two bold CA policies that aren’t yet delivering

California officials and lawmakers, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, often make bold proclamations that promise to make residents’ lives easier. But for two recent state initiatives, CalMatters reporters found that so far, affected Californians are still waiting for results: Fast food council: Gov. Newsom signed a law in 2023 that raised the minimum wage for fast […]

By

Lynn La

• March 3, 2025

Workers install lighting on an "X" sign atop the company headquarters, formerly known as Twitter, in downtown San Francisco, on July 28, 2023. Photo by Noah Berger, AP Photo

WhatMatters

‘It’s a garbage fire’: Some CA legislators leave X

In the past few months, some Democratic state legislators have joined the reported exodus of users on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter. These include Assemblymembers Tina McKinnor of Inglewood, Marc Berman of Palo Alto and Akilah Weber Pierson of San Diego. The most recent is Sen. Scott Wiener, who on Wednesday […]

By

Lynn La

• February 28, 2025

Several workers wearing orange shirts load a stroller filled with blankets and personal belongings into the back of a garbage truck. Another worker stands nearby, gesturing with gloved hands. A blue tarp, a bicycle, and other scattered items lie on the ground. A metal fence and a beige building with closed doors are visible in the background.

WhatMatters

An in-depth look at CA’s encampment sweeps

Eight months ago the U.S. Supreme Court granted cities more authority to clear homeless encampments and arrest unhoused people for sleeping in public spaces. Since then, several cities across California have been ramping up efforts to sweep encampments, or pass more punitive anti-camping rules. But for those who have little say in high-profile court cases […]

By

Lynn La

• February 27, 2025

Inmates take laps in the courtyard at San Quentin State Prison on July 26, 2023. Photo by Semantha Norris, CalMatters

WhatMatters

Prop. 36 poses cash problem for local governments

From CalMatters local news fellow Cayla Mihalovich: California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 36, a new law that stiffened penalties for certain drug and theft charges, and pledged to provide “mass treatment” for those facing drug charges. But since the law took effect, some counties have been scrambling to implement the measure without new funding or, […]

By

Lynn La

• February 26, 2025

An individual stands outdoors, illuminated by soft, golden sunlight from behind. They wear a plaid button-up shirt and have shoulder-length wavy hair. The background features a blurred structure and open space, adding a sense of depth to the scene.

WhatMatters

Dangerous and ineffective: CalMatters investigates homeless shelters

All across California, temporary homeless shelters have become the foundation of taxpayer-funded efforts to get people off the street and back into housing. Our new investigation found that shelters have instead turned into housing purgatory. They’re a mess — dangerous, chaotic and ultimately ineffective at finding people housing. Shelters are usually off limits to anyone […]

By

Lynn La

• February 25, 2025

New housing construction in a neighborhood in Elk Grove on July 8, 2022. Photo by Rahul Lal, CalMatters

WhatMatters

Are CA’s housing laws building more homes?

Has California’s spate of recent laws to build more housing worked? A report published today holds some answers. Its conclusion? Outlook not so good. As CalMatters’ Ben Christopher explains, YIMBY Law, a pro-housing development nonprofit, looked at five California laws. Those include one from 2021 allowing people to split their single-family homes into duplexes; and […]

By

Lynn La

• February 24, 2025

A person wearing a dark pink collared shirt and blue jeans uses their right index finger to point to floor plans laid on top of a white table inside a garage under construction.

WhatMatters

Do homeowners associations trump CA’s ADU laws?

In a dispute over whether he can convert his three-story condominium’s garage into its own ground-floor apartment, one Carlsbad resident is waging a battle against his homeowners association. As CalMatters’ Ben Christopher explains, Adam Hardesty is an unemployed project manager and HOA board vice president. After months of research and planning, he decided to turn […]

By

Lynn La

• February 21, 2025

Two students walk past a chain link fence and a garden in a schoolyard. In the background is a sign saying “Los Padres Garden” hangs on the wall.

WhatMatters

Trump deportation threats reduce school attendance

As the setting for John Steinbeck’s 1950s classic “East of Eden,” Salinas has long been known as a working-class, farming community. Nestled between two mountain ranges and located a few miles inland of Monterey Bay, the city’s geographic location lends itself a beautiful, serene setting. But recently, CalMatters’ Carolyn Jones explains, Salinas parents, students and […]

By

Lynn La

• February 20, 2025