Category: Economy

Claudia and Mark Torres saw their dream of home ownership go down the drain a few weeks ago and it appears that the homeowner rescue program hurt more than it helped.

Residents of blue-collar, Latino enclave known as the City of Bell getting taxed and ripped off by those serving themselves instead of the people — and they're not alone.

Working journalists are teaming up with community members in a bid to take "citizen journalism" to a new level. They want to know why the long-talked-about Marlton Square development sits empty after all these years.

Jan says she did everything right but still ended up sharing a room with eight other elderly women. She wants to know what anyone's going to do about it.

The Garment & Citizen closes after 10 years of service as community newspaper for the central city.

Sure, there would be some changes if he had it all to do over, but there are so many things he'd do again.

Latest poll shows ethnic voters will help defeat Prop. 19, the marijuana legalization bill, and split on Prop. 23, the clean energy bill.

Advocacy group engages in hunger strike, civil disobedience, promises more action to protest increases set to take effect July 1.

Johnson says he's sorry to see first of the chain he sold to AMC shut down; other tenants hope promised renovations to movie house and the rest of the mall will impress local shoppers.

Many of the properties are in ethnic neighborhoods around the city; fines will top out at $100,000; city officials see the levies as a way to help balance tough budget.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's elimination of California's welfare-to-work program will affect 1 million children.

The city and state are both strapped for cash and cutting back on services, but they're unwilling to explain how they plan to spend $6.6 million for a "pocket park" Downtown.

The governor issued an executive order requiring officials to get permission from his office before citing a certain code in turning down requests for public records. It remains unclear if officials in the Department of Park observed the order in the case of a grant application for Prop 84 funds for parks.

Finding individuals for back payments — including an estimated 7,000 in L.A. County — won't be easy. Legal advocates say many members of ethnic groups are likely affected and they'll work with civic & community groups to track them down.

Good law requires some moral or ethical basis, an underpinning that is often missing when critics shout about illegal immigration.

Now comes the challenge of locating individuals who are due back-payments on benefits. Experts say 7,000 live in Los Angeles area, with senior citizens and members of ethnic communities making up a significant portion of the total.

Vacant homes are potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes, and the heavy rains of recent months could conspire with the rugged economy to bring a bumper crop of disease-carrying insects to inner-city neighborhoods.

The loans are small, and so are the interest rates. Together that makes a big step for many borrowers who have not established any credit with financial institutions in the U.S.

The proposal comes as city officials seek to cut staff and programs at existing recreational facilities.

The program provides lunchtime & after-school activities on neutral ground for at-risk youths from three public housing projects infamous for gang violence. The city's budget crunch could mean cutting eight of nine staff positions.

A lot of convictions can be expunged, clearing an obstacle on the path to landing the sort of job that might help a lot of folks get in on this healthcare reform that everyone's talking about.

The federal government's move to give room for individuals to indicate more than one ethnic tie is still new for many, but officials encourage them to check all categories that apply.

Businesses can create their own credit by collecting from customers faster than they pay suppliers for materials and services. Taking credit cards is one way to help make that happen.

County supervisor lauds her efforts on 'green' economic development and focus on under-served communities during three-year stint at city redevelopment agency.

Staff positions to be cut at facility near landmark tourist attraction as search for non-profit to fill funding gap continues; William Grant center untouched for now, and community members are organizing in push to keep it that way.

She thought she could help an immigrant in a jam and do some good for her own family, too. She ended up losing cash and gold jewelry to a pair of slick thieves.

College students seem to see a great deal of distance between Washington and their everyday lives and concerns on campus.

Yeah, a lot of environmentally sensitive products are too pricey for regular folks, but believers say education is the first step, and he managed to take another after getting a few lessons.

New year and end of decade present opportunity to step back from day-to-day scramble and do some strategic thinking. Can you say SWOT?

City officials say that they can no longer cover entire cost of annual event honoring MLK but community continues tradition that started in San Diego and is now mainstay in L.A.

La Placita is located at the historic birthplace of the city, where requests for food and other aid have doubled and donations have declined under the strain of the recession.

Price of gold in record territory — and threatening artisans and merchants as they deal with weak sales amid economic downturn.

Don't let the economists get you down — you've got you going for you this year.

He's living on the street, can't find work, and fears losing his mind. Will his hopes of an improved economy and immigration reform come in time?

Clinic south of Downtown is one of 11 in California set to receive funds.

L.A. County Assessor asks state for new look at rules that protect some of the world's most valuable land from reassessments of rates currently based on 1978 benchmark. A change could mean millions of dollars in payments to the public coffers.

Coalition from across city brings together various ethnic interests in advance of U.N. report that's expected to "show who is excluded."

Extension of Gold Line brings new transportation option for locals, hopes of new visitors for local businesses.

Decline from 1 million last year seen, but Paisano Program still ramps up with efforts to protect travelers, fight corruption during holiday season.

Age plays a role as younger immigrant population meets aging native-born baby boomers. Fiscal Policy Institute also finds 'robust' contributions by immigrants in other major metro areas.

76-year-old peddler works the streets of South Los Angeles to meet medical expenses, maintain a sense of purpose, and help family through tough times. She's made some friends along the way, too.

Gathering focuses on possibilities of jobs, contracts generated by environmentally sensitive developments and products. Participants urge community members to educate themselves, call on their representatives in seeking opportunities.

He didn't really appreciate what he had until he got scared. Economic turmoil seems to have brought a similar realization to many other Angelenos.

The international body declared housing to be a basic human right back in 1948. Raquel Rolnik plans to measure the ideal against the reality here and in six other U.S. cities.

She'll get to stimulus funds and business banks just as soon as you consider what happened in Tulsa, Oklahoma back in the 1920s.

Administrators say it's time to 'do more with less;' teachers grumble that they're being asked to do 'everything with nothing.'

After going through crisis last year, the festival refuses to die in a city where the largest minority is Latino.

Representatives of the agency plan to offer help on the tax implications of foreclosures and other by-products of the tough economy. Advice in English and Spanish will be available on site, with translation services for other languages a phone call away for those who make an appointment.

Laborers' International Union of North America helps them win the case — and sets out on campaign to organize workers at Building Materials Holding Company subsidiary.

Founder's daughter builds on dad's start, Bakewell's progress, with new programs and services.