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Tag: county

  • Jail watchdog that exposed grim conditions faces elimination under L.A. County plan

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    An oversight body that has documented and exposed substandard jail conditions for decades would cease to exist if the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors moves forward with a cost-cutting plan.

    L.A. County could save about $40,000 a year by eliminating the Sybil Brand Commission, according to an August report prepared for the supervisors by the board’s Executive Office.

    The Sybil Brand Commission’s 10 members serve a key oversight role, regularly conducting unannounced inspections of county jails and lockups.

    Named for a philanthropist and activist who worked to improve jail conditions for women in L.A. starting in the 1940s, the commission’s findings were recently cited in a state lawsuit over what Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta called a “humanitarian crisis” inside the county jails.

    “In June 2024, the Sybil Brand Commission reported that multiple dorms at Men’s Central were overcrowded with broken toilets … and ceilings that had been painted over to cover mold,” Bonta’s office wrote in its complaint, which seeks to compel reforms by the county and sheriff’s department.

    The recommendation to “sunset” the commission comes amid a spike in in-custody deaths with 38 so far this year, which puts the county on track for what Bonta’s office said would mark at least a 20-year high.

    The Executive Office for the Board of Supervisors responded to questions from The Times with a statement Friday that said its report’s “purpose was not to eliminate oversight or input,” but to demonstrate “where responsibilities overlap and where efficiencies could strengthen oversight and support.”

    The unattributed statement said the report found issues with “commissioner availability” that led to meeting cancellations and put “limits on their ability to conduct inspections.”

    The Sybil Brand Commission took up the possibility of elimination at its meeting earlier this month, when commissioners and advocates railed against the proposal as a shortsighted way to cut costs that will leave county inmates more vulnerable to mistreatment and neglect.

    In a separate move, the Executive Office of the Board of Supervisors is reassigning or eliminating a third of Inspector General Max Huntsman’s staff, slashing funding to the watchdog that investigates misconduct by county employees and the sheriff’s department, according to Huntsman.

    “At the back of all this is the fundamental question of whether the board wants oversight at all,” Eric Miller, a Sybil Brand commissioner, said in an interview.

    Miller added that the “sunsetting of Sybil Brand seems to be part of a persistent attempt to control and limit oversight of the sheriff’s department.”

    The report from the Executive Office of the Board of Supervisors said its recommendation to do away with the jail oversight body came after a review of “225 commissions, committees, boards, authorities, and task forces” funded by the county. The proposal would “sunset” six commissions, including Sybil Brand, and “potentially merge” 40 others.

    The report noted that “jail and detention inspection duties are also monitored by the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission.”

    But that commission, which was established less than a decade ago, takes on a broader range of issues within the sheriff’s department, from deputy misconduct to so-called deputy gangs. Unlike Sybil Brand, its members do not go on frequent tours of jails and publish detailed reports documenting the conditions.

    The Executive Office’s statement said “unannounced jail inspections would continue, either through a COC subcommittee or coordinated oversight structure.”

    Peter Eliasberg, chief counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, said the proposal to get rid of the commission is the latest in a recent succession of blows to law enforcement accountability.

    That list includes the ousting of former Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission chair Robert Bonner earlier this year, and the introduction last week of a county policy requiring oversight bodies to submit many of their communications to the county for approval.

    Eliasberg said losing the Sybil Brand Commission would be a major setback.

    “Sybil Brand has been incredibly effective in shining a really harsh spotlight on some terrible things going on in the jails,” he said. “Sybil Brand, I think, has done some really important work.”

    Huntsman, the inspector general, said during a Probation Oversight Commission meeting Monday that his office expects to lose a third of its staff. The “current plan proposes to eliminate 14 positions including vacancies,” according to the Executive Office statement.

    Huntsman told the commission that the Executive Office of the Board of Supervisors informed him on Sept. 11 that “a number of positions in my office will be taken away from me and moved to the Executive Office and will no longer be available for independent oversight.”

    The inspector general added that “there’s a group of staff that have been specifically identified by the Executive Office and taken away, and then there are positions that are curtailed. So the end result is we have a third fewer people, which will impact our operations.”

    The Executive Office’s statement said the changes would “save more than $3.95 million” and avoid “deeper cuts” elsewhere.

    “We remain confident that the OIG’s remaining staffing levels will allow the OIG to fulfill its essential duties and carry out its mandate,” the statement said.

    Late Friday afternoon, Edward Yen, executive officer for the Board of Supervisors, sent out an email “retracting” the new county policy that required many communications by oversight bodies to undergo prior approval.

    “While the intent of the policy was to provide long-requested structure and support for commissions and oversight bodies,” Yen wrote, “we recognize that its rollout created confusion and unintended consequences.”

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    Connor Sheets

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  • After 49 Years, Linn County Jane Doe Identified As Marion McWhorter Through DNA Technology – KXL

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    Forensic approximation via Oregon State Police

    LINN COUNTY – Nearly five decades after the skeletal remains of a young woman were discovered near Wolf Creek in Linn County, Oregon, authorities have finally identified her as Marion Vinetta Nagle McWhorter, thanks to breakthroughs in forensic genetic genealogy.

    McWhorter, who was last seen at a Tigard shopping mall in 1974 at age 21, had been missing for over 50 years. Her disappearance remained a mystery until June 2025, when DNA analysis confirmed her identity.

    The remains were initially found on July 24, 1976, by a moss hunter in the remote Swamp Mountain area. Alongside the bones, investigators recovered a clog-style shoe, a fringed leather coat, a beaded belt, metal rings, and a pair of deteriorated Levi’s jeans. The case remained unsolved despite multiple examinations and national database entries.

    Efforts to identify her spanned decades. In 2010, a biological profile estimated the remains belonged to a white female under 35. A forensic clay facial reconstruction followed in 2011, but without strong leads, the case went cold.

    That changed in 2020 when Oregon’s Medical Examiner’s Office received a grant from the National Institute of Justice to apply advanced DNA techniques to cold cases. DNA was extracted and analyzed by Parabon NanoLabs, which created a genetic profile and facial rendering suggesting the woman was of European and Indigenous North American descent, with fair skin, brown hair, and brown eyes.

    Still, identification proved elusive—until April 2025, when a relative’s DNA was uploaded to a public database. That breakthrough allowed genealogists to trace the remains back to McWhorter. A surviving younger sister in Seattle provided a DNA sample, which confirmed the match.

    “This case was cold for 49 years. That means family members lived and died without ever knowing what happened to their missing loved one,” said State Forensic Anthropologist Hailey Collord-Stalder. “Forensic genetic genealogy allowed us to identify a woman who likely didn’t go missing voluntarily and to finally give her family some answers.”

    The Linn County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the circumstances of McWhorter’s death.

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    Jordan Vawter

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  • Former Oregon Youth Authority Employee Indicted On Contraband And Misconduct Charges – KXL

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    SALEM, Ore. — A former employee of the Oregon Youth Authority (OYA), Cherie MacDougall, was arraigned this week in Marion County Circuit Court on a series of felony charges stemming from alleged misconduct at the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in 2022.

    MacDougall, 42, faces a total of 10 charges, including:

    • Three counts of supplying contraband

    • Three counts of conspiracy to supply contraband

    • Two counts of custodial sexual misconduct in the first degree

    • Two counts of felon in possession of a firearm

    The charges follow a joint investigation by the Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Justice, focusing on activities that allegedly occurred while MacDougall was employed at the OYA facility.

    Allegations Include Weapons and Sexual Misconduct

    Court documents indicate MacDougall accepted payment from incarcerated individuals in exchange for contraband, including vaping devices. After one of those individuals was released into the community on conditional release, she allegedly provided them with two firearms. She is also accused of engaging in a sexual relationship with the same individual while they were in custody.

    MacDougall’s employment with the Oregon Youth Authority officially ended on May 10, 2023.

    Legal Proceedings Underway

    Prosecutors requested $500,000 bail, citing the seriousness of the charges. However, Judge Pro Tem Matthew Tracey set bail at $100,000. MacDougall is scheduled to appear in court again on September 11, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. at the Marion County Annex, located at 4000 Aumsville Highway SE in Salem.

    The case is being prosecuted under Marion County Circuit Court case number 25CR47112.

    Part of Broader Criminal Inquiry

    This indictment is one of several handed down by a Marion County Grand Jury amid a broader investigation into conditions and management practices at the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility, a closed-custody center operated by the Oregon Youth Authority.

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    Jordan Vawter

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  • Trump orders could target ‘cashless bail’ cities from D.C. to L.A.

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    WASHINGTON — President Trump took executive action Monday threatening to cut federal aid to cities and counties that offer cashless bail to criminal defendants, a move that could place Democratic jurisdictions throughout the country under further financial strain.

    Trump’s first executive order specifically targeted the practice of cashless bail in the District of Columbia, where the president has sent National Guard troops to patrol the streets. His second action directed the Justice Department to draw up a list of jurisdictions that have “substantially eliminated cash bail as a potential condition for crimes that pose a clear threat to public safety and order” — a list that would then be subject to federal funding cuts, the White House said.

    “That was when the big crime in this country started,” Trump said. “That was when it happened. Somebody kills somebody, they go and don’t worry about it — no cash, come back in a couple of months, we’ll give you a trial. You never see the person again.”

    “They thought it was discriminatory to make people put up money because they just killed three people lying in the street,” he added. “We’re ending it.”

    Trump does not have the power to unilaterally change D.C. law. But administration officials hope the threat of significant financial pressures on the city will force local lawmakers to change it themselves.

    Similarly, his second order could ultimately result in cuts to federal grants and contracts with Los Angeles County, where courts use cash bail only in the most serious criminal cases.

    Studies have not shown a correlation between cashless bail policies and an increase in crime.

    As of October 2023, nearly everyone accused of misdemeanors or nonviolent felonies in Los Angeles County is either cited and released or freed on certain conditions after their case is reviewed by a judge. The judge can offer other conditions for release, including electronic monitoring or home supervision by probation officials.

    “A person’s ability to pay a large sum of money should not be the determining factor in deciding whether that person, who is presumed innocent, stays in jail before trial or is released,” then-Presiding Judge Samantha Jessner said at the time.

    The county reached out to the court on how Trump’s executive order may affect the county’s bail policies and had not heard back.

    The county policy has proved controversial with some cities saying they believed the lack of cash bail would make their communities less safe. Twelve cities within the county sued unsuccessfully to block the cashless bail reform, arguing it would lead to higher crime rates and violated the court’s responsibilities to uphold public safety. Sheriff Robert Luna told the supervisors in 2023 that some communities were alarmed at the “lack of consequences for those who commit crimes.”

    The sheriff’s office and the public defender’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    The county had initially begun a zero-bail system during the pandemic to prevent crowding in jails. A report to the Board of Supervisors found instances of re-arrest or failure to appear in court remained relatively stable despite the change.

    In the fall of 2022, six people sued the county and city, arguing they spent five days in custody solely because they could not afford bail, leaving them in “dismal” conditions. Demanding cash bail created a “wealth-based detention system,” the plaintiffs alleged. The suit led to a preliminary injunction barring the city and county from enforcing cash bail requirements for some people who had yet to be arraigned.

    Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill in 2018 to end cash bail across California. Voters nixed it after the bail bond industry spearheaded a campaign to send the measure to voters. The referendum was defeated in 2020 with 56% voting “no.”

    Trump also signed an executive action directing the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute individuals for burning the American flag, calling it an act of incitement, despite standing Supreme Court precedent that doing so is an expression of free speech.

    They were the latest steps in a spree of executive actions from Trump ostensibly targeting crime in the United States, following Trump’s deployment of Marines and the National Guard to Los Angeles in June and his federalization of the National Guard in D.C. earlier this month.

    He has threatened to launch similar operations with federal forces to New York and Chicago, despite local officials telling the Trump administration that the deployments are not necessary.

    “They probably do want it,” Trump said. “If we didn’t go to Los Angeles, you would literally have had to call off the Olympics. It was so bad.”

    Ahead of the 2028 Olympics, to be held in Los Angeles, American cities should be “spotless,” Trump added.

    Wilner reported from Washington, Ellis from Los Angeles.

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    Michael Wilner, Rebecca Ellis

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  • Rep. Fine proposes new national park at Ocala National Forest, springs

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    A Central Florida congressman has put forward a proposal for the newest national park in the United States: the Florida Springs National Park.Congressman Randy Fine (R) has filed a bill in the U.S. Congress to create the nation’s 64th national park, consisting of the Ocala National Forest and several area springs, including Silver Springs and Alexander Springs.Fine said he’s an avid traveler to the county’s national parks, which include the Everglades in South Florida.”The idea of it is to commemorate our Florida springs and the surrounding areas on a level like the Everglades or Yellowstone or Yosemite,” Fine said. “Our Florida springs are something unique, not just to Florida but to the country.”He said designating the forest and springs as a national park, which would spread across multiple counties, would drive tourism, increase environmental protections and funding for the springs.Fine maintains recreational activities, including hunting and hiking, or kayaking at the springs, would be up for discussion, and the designation could perhaps be varied depending on the types of activities that occur.”Florida springs are unique on an international level,” he said. “They should be protected, and how do we build that into something that has a national designation that would transform this part of Central Florida?”Fine plans to announce the filing at a news conference Monday at Silver Springs.

    OCALA, Fla. —

    A Central Florida congressman has put forward a proposal for the newest national park in the United States: the Florida Springs National Park.

    Congressman Randy Fine (R) has filed a bill in the U.S. Congress to create the nation’s 64th national park, consisting of the Ocala National Forest and several area springs, including Silver Springs and Alexander Springs.

    Fine said he’s an avid traveler to the county’s national parks, which include the Everglades in South Florida.

    “The idea of it is to commemorate our Florida springs and the surrounding areas on a level like the Everglades or Yellowstone or Yosemite,” Fine said. “Our Florida springs are something unique, not just to Florida but to the country.”

    He said designating the forest and springs as a national park, which would spread across multiple counties, would drive tourism, increase environmental protections and funding for the springs.

    Fine maintains recreational activities, including hunting and hiking, or kayaking at the springs, would be up for discussion, and the designation could perhaps be varied depending on the types of activities that occur.

    “Florida springs are unique on an international level,” he said. “They should be protected, and how do we build that into something that has a national designation that would transform this part of Central Florida?”

    Fine plans to announce the filing at a news conference Monday at Silver Springs.

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  • Trump can’t deny funds to L.A. and 30 other ‘sanctuary’ jurisdictions, judge rules

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    The Trump administration cannot deny funding to Los Angeles and 30 other cities and counties because of “sanctuary” policies that limit their cooperation with federal immigration agencies, a judge ruled late Friday.

    The judge issued a preliminary injunction that expands restrictions the court handed down in April that blocked funding cuts to 16 cities and counties, including San Francisco and Santa Clara, after federal officials classified them as “sanctuary jurisdictions.”

    U.S. District Judge William Orrick of the federal court in San Francisco ruled then that Trump’s executive order cutting funding was probably unconstitutional and violated the separation of powers doctrine.

    Friday’s order added more than a dozen more jurisdictions to the preliminary injunction, including Los Angeles, Alameda County, Berkeley, Baltimore, Boston and Chicago.

    Mayor Karen Bass’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    In a statement, a spokesperson for the White House said the Trump administration expected to ultimately win in its effort on appeal.

    “The government — at all levels — has the duty to protect American citizens from harm,” Abigail Jackson, a spokesperson for the White House, said in a statement. “Sanctuary cities interfere with federal immigration enforcement at the expense and safety and security of American citizens. We look forward to ultimate vindication on the issue.”

    The preliminary injunction is the latest chapter in an ongoing effort by the Trump administration to force “sanctuary cities” to assist and commit local resources to federal immigration enforcement efforts.

    Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice published a list of what it determined to be sanctuary jurisdictions, or local entities that have “policies, laws, or regulations that impede enforcement of federal immigration laws.”

    “Sanctuary policies impede law enforcement and put American citizens at risk by design,” Atty. Gen. Pamela Bondi said in a statement accompanying the published list.

    Several cities and counties across the country have adopted sanctuary city policies, but specifics as to what extent they’re willing — or unwilling — to do for federal immigration officials have varied.

    The policies typically do not impede federal officials from conducting immigration enforcement activities, but largely keep local jurisdictions from committing resources to the efforts.

    The policies also don’t prevent local agencies from enforcing judicial warrants, which are signed by a judge. Cooperation on “detainers” or holds on jailed suspects issued by federal agencies, along with enforcement of civil immigration matters, is typically limited by sanctuary policies.

    Federal officials in the suit have so far referred to “sanctuary” jurisdictions as local governments that don’t honor immigration detainer requests, don’t assist with administrative warrants, don’t share immigration status information, or don’t allow local police to assist in immigration enforcement operations.

    Orrick noted that the executive orders threatened to withhold all federal funding if the cities and counties in question did not adhere to the Trump administration’s requests.

    In the order, the judge referred to the executive order as a “coercive threat” and said it was unconstitutional.

    Orrick, who sits on the bench in the Northern District of California, was appointed by former President Obama.

    The Trump administration has been ratcheting up efforts to force local jurisdictions to assist in immigration enforcement. The administration has filed lawsuits against cities and counties, vastly increased street operations and immigration detentions, and deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles as it increased immigration operations.

    The U.S. Department of Justice in June sued Los Angeles, and local officials, alleging its sanctuary city law is “illegal.”

    The suit alleged that the city was looking to “thwart the will of the American people regarding deportations” by enacting sanctuary city policies.

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    Salvador Hernandez

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  • Justice Department releases a new list of sanctuary jurisdictions. L.A. County is not on it

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    The Department of Justice published a new list Tuesday of “sanctuary” jurisdictions that it claims have policies, laws or regulations that obstruct enforcement of federal immigration laws.

    Although the list includes the Trump administration’s typical targets — the city of Los Angeles and the state of California — it is much shorter than a previous list issued by the Department of Homeland Security. And at least one local area that has become a major battleground over immigration is not on it: L.A. County.

    Los Angeles County has not formally declared itself a sanctuary jurisdiction. However, the county that it is home to more than 2 million residents who are undocumented or living with undocumented family members was included on a Homeland Security list of sanctuary jurisdictions published in May. That list was subsequently removed from the department’s website.

    In a news release, the Department of Justice said Tuesday that the new federal list of 35 cities, counties and states — a much lower figure than the hundreds of jurisdictions that appeared on the previous Homeland Security list — is “not exhaustive” and “will be updated as federal authorities gather further information.”

    A spokesperson for the Justice Department did not answer specific questions from The Times about why L.A. County was not on the list.

    “These designations were made after a thorough review of documented laws, ordinances, and executive directives by the listed jurisdictions,” the agency states on its website. “This initial list of designated Sanctuary Jurisdictions will be reviewed regularly, to include additional jurisdictions and remove jurisdictions that have remediated their policies, practices, and laws. Each state, county, and city will have an opportunity to respond to its placement on the list.”

    The new Justice Department list is just the latest effort by the Trump administration to ramp up pressure on cities, counties and states that have policies or laws that restrict collaboration with federal immigration authorities.

    But it also represents a more targeted focus. The previous Homeland Security list, which included most of California’s 58 counties, sparked ridicule for its errors. It even included the conservative city of Huntington Beach, which declared itself a nonsanctuary city a few days after Trump took office and sued the state of California over its sanctuary policies.

    Gov. Gavin’s Newsom office dismissed the new Department of Justice list Tuesday as “another PR stunt by the federal government to scare people.”

    “Like their last failed attempt at this ridiculous and meaningless list, which they were forced to pull down within days because of the backlash, this was created without any input or criteria,” Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a spokesperson for the governor, said Tuesday in a statement. “California is confident in the balance of our law.”

    L.A. Mayor Karen Bass also seemed committed to her city’s sanctuary status.

    “Los Angeles’ law is legally sound and we will always stand with the people of Los Angeles, especially in the face of continued assaults on our city,” Bass told The Times.

    Now that the Department of Justice has winnowed down its inventory of offenders, California is one of 13 states, mostly on the West Coast and in the Northeast, that the Trump administration has identified as having policies or laws that impede federal immigration agents.

    Only four county jurisdictions across the country are included in the Department of Justice list: Baltimore County, Md.; Cook County, Ill.; San Diego County and San Francisco County. Three of the 18 cities on the list — Berkeley, Los Angeles and San Francisco — are in California.

    “Sanctuary policies impede law enforcement and put American citizens at risk by design,” U.S. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi said in a statement Tuesday. “The Department of Justice will continue bringing litigation against sanctuary jurisdictions and work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to eradicate these harmful policies around the country.”

    In April, Trump signed an executive order, “Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens,” directing the Justice Department to work with Homeland Security to publish a list of jurisdictions that “continue to use their authority to violate, obstruct, and defy the enforcement of Federal immigration laws.”

    The Justice Department has since taken legal action against a number of sanctuary jurisdictions — including L.A., where the City Council voted unanimously in November to declare the city a sanctuary jurisdiction and block any city resources from being used for immigration enforcement.

    In June, the Justice Department filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and the L.A. City Council that described L.A.’s sanctuary law as “illegal.” Officials, the lawsuit said, “refuse to cooperate or share information, even when requested, with federal immigration authorities.”

    “Jurisdictions like Los Angeles that flout federal law by prioritizing illegal aliens over American citizens are undermining law enforcement at every level,” Bondi said in a June statement. “It ends under President Trump.”

    Last month, Bondi announced a “major victory” for the Department of Justice: the city of Louisville, Ky., she said, was ditching its sanctuary policies after receiving a letter from her office.

    “This should set an example to other cities,” Bondi said on X. “Instead of forcing us to sue you — which we will, without hesitation — follow the law, get rid of sanctuary policies, and work with us to fix the illegal immigration crisis.

    On Tuesday, the Justice Department said in a news release that “the federal government will assist any jurisdiction that desires to be taken off this list to identify and eliminate their sanctuary policies.”

    L.A. County leaders have at times taken steps to oppose Trump’s aggressive clampdown on immigrants. Last week, for example, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted 4 to 0 to direct county lawyers to draft an ordinance that prohibits officers, including federal agents, from concealing their identities with masks, except for medical reasons or when working in an undercover operation.

    But county officials have stopped short of declaring the county a sanctuary jurisdiction. And on Tuesday few L.A. County leaders responded publicly to the news that the county was no longer on the federal government’s official list of sanctuary jurisdictions.

    In a statement to The Times after the Justice Department released its list, L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who abstained from last week’s vote on masked law enforcement, said she had “worked hard to advance a thoughtful approach to governance — one that upholds the law while respecting the dignity of all individuals.”

    “I remain committed to leading with transparency, accountability, and a balanced perspective that prioritizes both public safety and community trust,” Barger said.

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    Jenny Jarvie

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  • Housing Tracker: Southern California home prices dip in May

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    Southern California home prices declined slightly in May compared to a year earlier, the first annual drop since 2023.

    In May, the average home price across the six-county Southern California region fell 0.07% from April to $876,044, according to data from Zillow. Prices were down 0.2% from May 2024.

    Economists and real estate agents say a variety of factors have slowed the market, including high mortgage rates, rising inventory levels and economic uncertainty stemming from tariffs.

    The year-over-year price decline last month marked the first since July 2023. At the time, home prices had been falling because rising mortgage rates knocked many buyers out of the market. Values started increasing again when the numbers of homes for sale plunged as sellers also backed away, not willing to give up mortgages they took out during the pandemic with rates of 3% and below.

    The inventory picture, however, is changing.

    In May, there were 38% more homes for sale than a year earlier in Los Angeles County, with similar increases seen elsewhere in Southern California.

    Real estate agents say existing homeowners increasingly want to move rather than hold onto their ultra-low mortgage rates. But many first-time buyers, without access to equity, remain locked out.

    Add economic uncertainty and you get a market that’s noticeably downshifted.

    If the Trump administration’s policies end up pushing the economy into a recession, some economists say home prices could drop much more.

    For now, Zillow is forecasting the economy avoids a recession and for home prices to decline only slightly. By May 2026, the real estate firm expects home prices in the Los Angeles-Orange County metro region to be 1.1% lower than they are today.

    Map showing L.A. County housing prices from June 2025

    Zillow Research, Times analysis

    Note to readers

    Welcome to the Los Angeles Times’ Real Estate Tracker. Every month we will publish a report with data on housing prices, mortgage rates and rental prices. Our reporters will explain what the new data mean for Los Angeles and surrounding areas and help you understand what you can expect to pay for an apartment or house. You can read last month’s real estate breakdown here.

    Explore home prices and rents for May

    Use the tables below to search for home sale prices and apartment rental prices by city, neighborhood and county.

    Rental prices in Southern California

    In 2024, asking rents for apartments in many parts of Southern California also ticked down, but the January fires in L.A. County could be upending the downward trend in some locations.

    Housing analysts have said that rising vacancy levels since 2022 had forced landlords to accept less in rent. But the fires destroyed thousands of homes, suddenly thrusting many people into the rental market.

    Most homes destroyed were single-family houses, and some housing and disaster recovery experts say they expect the largest increases in rent to be in larger units adjacent to burn areas in Pacific Palisades and Altadena, with upward pressure on rents diminishing for units that are smaller and farther away from the disaster zone.

    A recent L.A. Times analysis of Zillow data found that in ZIP Codes closest to the fires rent rose more than the rest of the county between December and April.

    Other data sources show similar trends.

    In Santa Monica, which borders the hard-hit Pacific Palisades neighborhood, the median rent rose 5.1% in May from a year earlier, according to data from ApartmentList.

    Across the entire city of Los Angeles, which includes the Palisades and many neighborhoods not adjacent to any fire, rents dropped 0.33% last month.

    ApartmentList does not have data for Altadena, but it does for the adjacent city of Pasadena. Rents there rose 6.2% in May from a year earlier.

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    Andrew Khouri, Phi Do

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  • L.A. County to buy downtown skyscraper for new HQ despite a ‘hell no’ from Hahn

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    The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved the county’s purchase of the Gas Company Tower, one of downtown L.A.’s most prominent skyscrapers, paving the way for the transfer of thousands of workers and public services out of the city’s civic center.

    With a 4-1 vote, the supervisors gave county officials the final green light to move ahead with buying the tower for $200 million.

    The approval came over vehement objections from Supervisor Janice Hahn, who warned that the purchase would sound the death knell for downtown’s civic heart and shunt the county’s workforce to a “souless” office tower on Bunker Hill.

    “None of you here are going to convince me that this is a good idea,” Hahn said before casting her vote against the purchase with a “hell no.”

    County employees are currently based inside the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, a 1960 building named after Hahn’s father, a longtime county supervisor.

    The building is one of several county-owned properties considered vulnerable to collapse in a major earthquake. Officials have estimated that it will cost hundreds of millions to upgrade the buildings, making a new, presumably safer skyscraper an appealing alternative to some on the board.

    “If we know this building is not seismically safe, then we have an obligation and a responsibility to take action,” Supervisor Holly Mitchell said from the room inside Hahn Hall where the board holds its weekly meetings.

    County Chief Executive Fesia Davenport, whose office spearheaded the sale, promised the purchase “will save the county hundreds of millions of dollars” compared with the cost of upgrading the Hall of Administration and other county buildings.

    No supervisors have toured the building themselves, according to a county spokesperson, though several of their staff members have visited.

    The 52-story tower at 555 W. 5th St. was widely considered one of the city’s most prestigious office buildings when it was completed in 1991. It has nearly 1.5 million square feet of space on a 1.4-acre site at the base of Bunker Hill.

    The price is a deep discount from the building’s appraised value of $632 million in 2020, underscoring how much downtown office values have fallen in recent years.

    At $200 million, the county would get the Gas Company Tower for about $137 a square foot, a bargain by historical standards. The county also agreed to pay as much as an additional $5 million in closing costs on the transaction.

    “This opportunity will not last forever,” Davenport warned, adding that the county could finance the purchase in part from money set aside for capital projects.

    Hahn said the transaction was akin to “robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

    “The money being used to pay for this purchase is being stolen from the funds that were meant to keep this building alive,” she said from Hahn Hall.

    Richard Keating, the architect who designed the Gas Company Tower to appeal to corporate America, said it makes sense for a public entity to take ownership now.

    “We’re looking at a decline in need for standard office use, meaning lawyers, architects and accountants are doing things differently” since the pandemic, Keating said. “City and county employees are still hard at work in their office spaces, but they’re tired, old, sometimes decrepit and oftentimes no longer up to code in terms of earthquake” safety requirements.

    “It’s a perfect time to take advantage of some of these more or less empty office buildings.”

    Moving hundreds of county workers into the Gas Company Tower also stands to lift shops, restaurants and other businesses in the nearby blocks by Pershing Square, he said. “I think it’s a good move all the way around.”

    In recent years, the downtown office market has turned against landlords as many tenants reduced their office footprint in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, when it became more common for employees to work remotely.

    Last year, the owner of the Gas Company Tower, an affiliate of Brookfield Asset Management, defaulted on its debt, and the property was put in receivership, in which a court-appointed representative took custody of the building to help creditors recover funds they lent to Brookfield. The building has about $465 million in outstanding loans.

    Other major tenants in the Gas Company Tower include law firm Latham & Watkins and accounting firm Deloitte. The county will assume the tenant leases as landlord.

    When the Gas Company Tower is formally owned by the county, it will be removed from the tax rolls. The building’s property tax bill last year was more than $7.1 million, according to real estate data provider CoStar.

    Tenants would, however, be required to contribute to the tax rolls by an unspecified amount through a “possessory interest tax” that can be levied on private companies leasing public buildings. Tenants in privately owned office buildings also commonly pay a share of the landlord’s property taxes.

    The building is in good condition with “a remaining useful life” of no less than 35 years, according to a recent property condition report prepared for the current owner that was obtained by The Times.

    The report also said the tower and the World Trade Center garage at 333 S. Flower St. included in the deal require about $1.3 million to address urgently needed repairs and deferred maintenance. Additional long-term costs to maintain and modernize the properties were estimated at about $48.7 million over 12 years. Projected costs include roof repairs, refurbishing air conditioning systems and updating the elevators.

    The county currently occupies about 16.5 million square feet of office space for 38 departments, which comprises 6.9 million square feet of leased office space and 9.6 million square feet of owned office space, Davenport said in a memo to the board recommending the purchase of the Gas Company Tower.

    The county spends about $195 million per year on the leased office space, and the property it owns “is in poor condition and old,” Davenport said. Nearly half of it is more than 50 years old.

    By moving staff from both leased office space and aging buildings in poor condition, the county avoids paying rent and the “significant” costs of seismic retrofits and other needed renovations to old buildings such as aging air conditioning, plumbing and electrical systems, the chief executive’s memo said. Funds earmarked for seismic retrofits and other renovations of old buildings will be included in the payment for the Gas Company Tower.

    The county inspected the building and will buy it “as-is,” Davenport said. The Department of Public Works reviewed a seismic report for the tower and agreed with its findings. A county spokesperson said the findings will remain confidential until the deal closes.

    If the county elects to complete a seismic retrofit and other improvements to the Gas Company Tower, it can realize a future return on its investment by selling the building when the market recovers, Davenport said.

    Southern California Gas Co. said in September that it is planning to move from its longtime headquarters in its namesake tower, where it has been a primary tenant since the building was completed, to another skyscraper a block north at 350 S. Grand Ave.

    The utility signed a long-term lease for nearly 200,000 square feet on eight floors in the Grand Avenue building on Bunker Hill often known as Two California Plaza, its new landlord said, and is expected to move by spring 2026 after building out the new offices. SoCalGas will also have an office on the ground floor to serve customers.

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    Rebecca Ellis, Roger Vincent

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  • Celebrating Housewives Costumes Through the Years! Plus ‘Orange County,’ ’Potomac,’ and ‘Salt Lake City.’

    Celebrating Housewives Costumes Through the Years! Plus ‘Orange County,’ ’Potomac,’ and ‘Salt Lake City.’

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    Rachel Lindsay and Chelsea Stark-Jones begin today’s podcast with a trip down memory lane in honor of Halloween, during which they chat about their favorite housewives costume moments (3:25). Then, they dive into the Ryan and Jenn drama in The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 18 finale (13:33). Rachel is later joined by Callie Curry to discuss Mia’s chaotic girls trip to Lake Norman in Season 9, Episode 4 of The Real Housewives of Potomac (34:51). Finally, Jodi Walker hops on to break down Season 5, Episode 7 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and where they stand on Heather vs. Bronwyn (54:12).

    Host: Rachel Lindsay
    Guests: Chelsea Stark-Jones, Callie Curry, and Jodi Walker
    Producer: Devon Baroldi
    Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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  • L.A. County wants to crack down on corruption. Is it worth up to $21 million?

    L.A. County wants to crack down on corruption. Is it worth up to $21 million?

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    As local government careens from one corruption scandal to the next, the city and county of Los Angeles each charged forward this election season with ballot measures to try to crack down on unethical behavior by public officials.

    The city wants to bolster its nearly 35-year-old ethics commission with Charter Amendment ER, which would give the watchdog body a minimum yearly budget of $7 million.

    The county, meanwhile, wants to create its first ethics commission with Measure G.

    The county ethics commission, along with an office of ethics compliance, would come with no set budget. But according to a Thursday county analysis reviewed by The Times, the ethics reforms in Measure G could cost as much as $21.9 million a year, with salaries and employee benefits making up most of the price.

    If voters approve Measure G on Nov. 5, a task force would be set up to determine the shape of the ethics commission — for example, how many members it should have.

    The cost estimate has left supporters and detractors with sticker shock.

    “That is so absurd,” said Rob Quan, an organizer with Unrig LA, which has advocated for measures to eliminate corruption in the city and county. “I’m baffled by this.”

    “We’re not even in the right ballpark,” said Quan, who previously told the county supervisors that he thought the ethics reforms in Measure G were “half-baked.”

    “If the city could do it for $7 million, why is it going to cost so much more than the county?” said political science professor Fernando Guerra, director of the Center for the Study of Los Angeles. at Loyola Marymount University.

    But Guerra, who co-wrote the ballot argument in favor of Measure G, said he still thought the ethics reform package was a no-brainer for a county with a budget of $49 billion.

    “Even if it’s that amount, that’s so cheap for what you’re going to get,” added Guerra. “It’s a drop in the bucket.”

    The five county supervisors are divided on Measure G, which in addition to creating an ethics commission would nearly double the size of the Board of Supervisors and bring on an elected executive who would act as a quasi-mayor.

    Supervisors Hilda Solis, Janice Hahn and Lindsey Horvath pushed for the measure, arguing it would make the county more responsive to its 10 million constituents. Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Holly Mitchell said it was misguided, with too vague a price tag.

    Everyone, however, said they could get on board with the idea of an ethics commission. Last month, the board voted unanimously to ask county lawyers to look at what it would cost to carry out the ethics reforms — regardless of whether Measure G passed.

    That preliminary report, returned last week, put the yearly cost at between $16.8 million with 73 employees and $21.9 million with 93 employees.

    “Wow, that is a big staff,” said David Tristan, head of the city’s ethics commission, which has a budget of $6.3 million and employs 45 people. “I’d love to have that budget.”

    About 13% of the yearly cost would go to services and supplies, while the rest would pay for staff, according to the county report.

    The report does not include a cost for setting up the commission. The auditor’s office previously said that one-time costs to implement all of the proposals in Measure G — which would include expanding the board — would be about $8 million.

    The Yes on Measure G campaign lambasted the county’s report as rushed and simplistic, “meant to dissuade voters before a critical election.”

    “Measure G is historic and it’s no secret that special interests and long-time bureaucrats are scared of real accountability and reform,” said campaign chair Morgan Miller.

    A majority of the supervisors said they still wanted to move forward.

    “The cost estimate provided in this report seems high and I wonder how they landed on this number,” Hahn said. “But we can’t afford not to do this.”

    Barger and Mitchell, who have opposed Measure G, similarly said they saw the need for an ethics commission, though Barger called the cost range “concerning given our county’s fiscal forecast” and Mitchell said she would look for places to make “cost-efficient adjustments.”

    For those already skeptical that the commission would do much to root out corruption, the high cost was further proof that it was a bad idea.

    “What can they cut? Firefighters? Child welfare workers? The sheriff’s budget? I don’t see them proposing to cut their salaries,” said former Los Angeles City Councilmember Ruth Galanter. “If they have that much money lying around in the county budget, they should all be fired, for crying out loud.”

    Galanter, who held office from 1987 to 2003, vehemently opposed the city’s ethics commission when it was created in 1990, convinced it would do little to squash corruption.

    Following the corruption-related convictions of two former city council members, a former deputy mayor and a former city commissioner, Galanter said her fears were borne out. She suspects the same will be true for the county’s attempt.

    “What an incredible waste of time and money this ethics things is,” said Galanter. “It does not produce more ethical elected officials. What’s the point?”

    If Measure G passes, the county would need to create the independent ethics commission and the office of ethics compliance by 2026. The commission would be responsible for investigating misconduct by county employees and updating county rules regarding conflicts of interest and lobbying, among other duties. The office of ethics compliance, led by an ethics compliance officer, would provide support to the commission.

    The language in the ballot measure prohibits the county from raising taxes to pay for the changes.

    Horvath, who spearheaded the measure, said there is enough money in the county budget to pay for the reforms, since the county could tap staff who are already doing similar ethics-related work in the executive office, the Registrar-Recorder and the Auditor Controller’s office.

    “Nothing is more important than safeguards against corruption,” she said. “The staff and funding already exist in our current form of government.”

    Sean McMorris, who specializes in ethics and accountability issues for the advocacy group California Common Cause, said the price tag doesn’t faze him. A robust ethics commission is expensive, he said, which is why only bigger cities typically create them.

    He’s more concerned about what shape the commission will take. Many of the details around the ethics commission are meant to be hammered out once voters have already approved the measure, he said.

    “It’s just like, wait and see,” he said. “It makes me nervous.”

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    Rebecca Ellis

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  • Shannon Called Out! Plus ‘New York,’ ‘Salt Lake City,’ and ‘Orange County.’

    Shannon Called Out! Plus ‘New York,’ ‘Salt Lake City,’ and ‘Orange County.’

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    Rachel Lindsay and Jodi Walker kick of this week’s Morally Corrupt with an update on Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright’s divorce (4:09), then dive into the Season 15 premiere of The Real Housewives of New York (9:17). Later, Rachel and Jodi recap Season 5, Episode 3 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (36:15). Finally, Rachel is joined by Chelsea Stark-Jones to discuss Joel Kim Booster’s recent rant about Shannon Storms Beador on Instagram and Season 18, Episode 13 of The Real Housewives of Orange County (53:26).

    Host: Rachel Lindsay
    Guests: Jodi Walker and Chelsea Stark-Jones
    Producer: Devon Baroldi
    Theme: Devon Renaldo

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    Rachel Lindsay

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  • ’Salt Lake City’ Season 5 Premiere! Plus, ‘Orange County’ and ‘Dubai.’

    ’Salt Lake City’ Season 5 Premiere! Plus, ‘Orange County’ and ‘Dubai.’

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    Rachel Lindsay and Callie Curry begin this week’s episode by sharing their opinions on the recent Bachelorette drama, before moving on to recap Season 18, Episode 11 of The Real Housewives of Orange County (19:41). Then, after giving their final thoughts on The Real Housewives of Dubai Season 2 reunion (37:07), Jodi Walker makes her triumphant return to break down The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 5 premiere (51:28).

    Host: Rachel Lindsay
    Guests: Callie Curry and Jodi Walker
    Producer: Devon Baroldi
    Theme: Devon Renaldo

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    Rachel Lindsay

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  • Our ‘Potomac’ Season 9 Trailer Reactions! Plus, ‘Orange County’ and ‘Dubai.’

    Our ‘Potomac’ Season 9 Trailer Reactions! Plus, ‘Orange County’ and ‘Dubai.’

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    Chelsea Stark-Jones and Callie Curry begin today’s Morally Corrupt by sharing their reactions to the newly dropped trailer for Season 9 of The Real Housewives of Potomac and other recent goings-on in Bravoland (2:30). Then, they move on to recap Season 18, Episode 10 of The Real Housewives of Orange County (12:40) and part 1 of The Real Housewives of Dubai Season 2 reunion (30:20).

    Host: Chelsea Stark-Jones
    Guest: Callie Curry
    Producer: Devon Baroldi
    Theme: Devon Renaldo

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  • Lenny and His Mistress Break Up! Plus ‘Orange County’ and ‘Dubai.’

    Lenny and His Mistress Break Up! Plus ‘Orange County’ and ‘Dubai.’

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    Rachel admits to feeling sorry for Shannon during a breakdown of Season 18, Episode 9 of ‘The Real Housewives of Orange County,’ and Rachel and Chelsea talk about the Season 2 finale of ‘The Real Housewives of Dubai’

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    Rachel Lindsay

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  • Alexis Bellino and Johnny J Are Engaged! Plus, ‘Orange County’ and ‘Dubai.’

    Alexis Bellino and Johnny J Are Engaged! Plus, ‘Orange County’ and ‘Dubai.’

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    Rachel Lindsay and Chelsea Stark-Jones begin this week’s Morally Corrupt by discussing the recent divorce news about Brittany Cartwright and Jax Taylor and the even more recent engagement news about Alexis Bellino and John Janssen (2:21) before recapping Season 18, Episode 8 of The Real Housewives of Orange County (14:23). Then, Rachel is joined by Callie Curry to break down Season 2, Episode 12 of The Real Housewives of Dubai (29:14).

    Host: Rachel Lindsay
    Guests: Chelsea Stark-Jones and Callie Curry
    Producer: Devon Baroldi
    Theme: Devon Renaldo

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  • We Chat With Caroline Stanbury! Plus ‘Orange County’ and ‘Dubai.’

    We Chat With Caroline Stanbury! Plus ‘Orange County’ and ‘Dubai.’

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    Rachel Lindsay and Chelsea Stark-Jones kick off this week’s Morally Corrupt by sharing their reactions to the new Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 5 trailer (1:36), then dive head first into Season 18, Episode 7 of The Real Housewives of Orange County (13:26). Later, Callie Curry hops on to briefly discuss Season 2, Episode 11 of The Real Housewives of Dubai (44:03). Rachel is then joined by Bravo royalty and Dubai housewife herself, Caroline Stanbury! Caroline spills all about the upcoming reunion, where she stands with Chanel Ayan today, her marriage with Sergio, and more!

    Host: Rachel Lindsay
    Guests: Chelsea Stark-Jones, Callie Curry, and Caroline Stanbury
    Producer: Devon Baroldi
    Theme: Devon Renaldo

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    Rachel Lindsay

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  • Welcome Ben Mandelker! Plus, ‘Jersey,’ ‘Dubai,’ and ‘Orange County.’

    Welcome Ben Mandelker! Plus, ‘Jersey,’ ‘Dubai,’ and ‘Orange County.’

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    Bravo

    Rachel Lindsay and Callie Curry are joined by Bravo podcast royalty Ben Mandelker to recap this week’s episodes and chat all things Bravo

    In this very special episode of Morally Corrupt, Rachel Lindsay and Callie Curry are joined by Bravo podcast royalty and Watch What Crappens cohost Ben Mandelker to recap this week’s episodes and chat all things Bravo! The ladies and Ben begin by discussing the (somewhat useless) final episode in Season 14 of The Real Housewives of New Jersey (20:11). They then move on to The Real Housewives of Dubai and debate the merits of pretty privilege (37:25), before Rachel and Ben break down Season 18, Episode 6 of The Real Housewives of Orange County and decide which group trip they’d rather be a part of (1:02:58).

    Host: Rachel Lindsay
    Guests: Callie Curry and Ben Mandelker
    Producer: Devon Baroldi
    Theme: Devon Renaldo

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    Rachel Lindsay

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  • Phaedra Returns! Plus, ‘New Jersey’ and ‘Orange County.’

    Phaedra Returns! Plus, ‘New Jersey’ and ‘Orange County.’

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    Rachel Lindsay and Callie Curry begin today’s Morally Corrupt by sharing their reactions to the recent news that Phaedra Parks will be making her return to The Real Housewives of Atlanta (1:24). Then Rachel and Callie break down Season 14, Episode 12 of The Real Housewives of New Jersey and give their season finale predictions (4:34). Finally, Chelsea Stark-Jones joins Rachel to discuss The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 18, Episode 4 and determine whether or not Katie is in fact obsessed with Heather (17:36).

    Host: Rachel Lindsay
    Guests: Callie Curry and Chelsea Stark-Jones
    Producer: Devon Baroldi
    Theme: Devon Renaldo

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    Rachel Lindsay

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  • Los Angeles County agrees to buy downtown skyscraper

    Los Angeles County agrees to buy downtown skyscraper

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    The county of Los Angeles has tentatively agreed to buy the Gas Company Tower, a prominent office skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles, for $215 million in a foreclosure sale.

    The price is a deep discount from its appraised value of $632 million in 2020, underscoring how much downtown office values have fallen in recent years.

    The Board of Supervisors must still approve the deal, which county real estate officials quietly but aggressively negotiated. If completed, the purchase could move workers and public services out of existing county offices, including the well-known Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, which dates to 1960, according to multiple people familiar with the transaction who requested they not be named in order to discuss the confidential negotiations.

    The county has begun the due diligence process of examining the property for possible structural problems or other issues before finalizing the transaction, which could take two to three months to complete, the sources said.

    In a statement to The Times, the county said that it had submitted a nonbinding “letter of interest” for the tower.

    “Because we are seeing once-in-a-generation price reductions for commercial real estate in the downtown area, as responsible stewards of public funds, the County is doing its due diligence and evaluating the possibility of acquiring property in the Civic Center area, such as the Gas Company Tower,” the statement said.

    Supervisor Janice Hahn, who is the daughter of longtime supervisor Kenneth Hahn, said in a separate statement to The Times that she is not fully on board with the acquisition.

    “I am uncomfortable with the County moving forward purchasing this skyscraper until I understand the CEO’s full plan which I have yet to see. I am definitely against moving County services away from Los Angeles’ only Civic Center,” she said.

    The Gas Company Tower represents “a generational investment opportunity to acquire a trophy asset at an exceptional basis,” Andrew Harper, a broker with the real estate firm JLL, said in May when JLL was hired to market the property. JLL declined to comment Tuesday on the pending sale.

    The 52-story tower at 555 W. 5th St. was widely considered one of the city’s most prestigious office buildings when it was completed in 1991. It has about 1.4 million square feet of space on a 1.4-acre site at the base of Bunker Hill.

    In recent years the downtown office market has turned against landlords as many tenants reduced their office footprint in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, when it became more common for employees to work remotely.

    Last year, the owner of the Gas Company Tower, an affiliate of Brookfield Asset Management Ltd., defaulted on its debt and the property was put in receivership, in which a court-appointed representative took custody of the building to help creditors recover funds they lent to Brookfield. The building has roughly $465 million in outstanding loans.

    Elevated interest rates have weighed on prices by making it difficult for building owners to refinance debt and pushing them into quick sales or foreclosures. Some downtown L.A. office tenants have expressed concern in recent years that the streets feel less safe than they did before the pandemic and have left for other local office centers including Century City.

    The Gas Company Tower was renovated in 2023 and the tower currently is more than half leased to tenants including Southern California Gas Co., financial consulting firm Deloitte and law firm Latham & Watkins, according to real estate data provider CoStar.

    Office vacancy in downtown Los Angeles was more than 30% in the second quarter, real estate brokerage CBRE said, more than triple the level typically considered to be a healthy balance between tenant and landlord interests.

    Falling office values downtown are catching the attention of buyers seeking to grab property at a low point in the market, said Petra Durnin, a real estate analyst at Raise Commercial Real Estate who is not involved in the deal.

    “Unfortunate situations can create opportunities for others with the cash,” Durnin said. “Downtown has been through boom and bust cycles before and always reinvented itself.”

    A nearby 52-story office tower formerly owned by Brookfield at 777 S. Figueroa St. is set to be sold at the significantly discounted price of $120 million, or $117 a square foot, the Commercial Observer reported. It came close to selling for about $145 million a few months ago but the deal fell apart.

    In its statement to The Times, the county said it was eyeing the Gas Company Tower as an alternative to seismically retrofitting its downtown properties. The county owns 33 facilities that engineers say are vulnerable to collapse during a major earthquake, including the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, which has been the headquarters of Los Angeles County government for six decades, home to the offices of hundreds of employees and the five county supervisors.

    Last year, the county pledged to upgrade all 33 vulnerable buildings within the decade, an ambitious undertaking that experts say would cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

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    Roger Vincent, Rebecca Ellis

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