Before we hired our first reporter, before we chose which neighborhoods to cover, before we wrote a single story, we did something different: We listened.
We talked to more than a 1000 people across Los Angeles, from Long Beach to Pacoima, Koreatown to Tujunga. We spoke with maintenance workers and mortgage officers, teachers and truck drivers, stay-at-home moms and security guards. We asked what you needed from local news, what was missing and what frustrated you about how LA’s communities are covered.
What you told us was clear: local news isn’t working for you.
You told us that “local” news rarely feels local. That coverage focuses on entertainment and celebrities while ignoring what’s happening on your block. When your community does get attention, it’s often because something tragic happened, not because of the daily resilience, organizing and celebration that actually defines your neighborhood.
You told us you want journalism that treats you as neighbors, not just sources. That you’re tired of reporters parachuting into communities they don’t know, covering crises without context, and leaving without following up. As one South LA resident put it: “I wish reporting in South LA was done by people who live here and not just random people that don’t have any type of relationship with the city and people who live there.”
You told us you need information you can actually use, not just consume. You want to know how to navigate the school system, where to find mental health resources, how local budget decisions will affect your life. You want journalism that explains how things work and helps you solve problems, not just reports that problems exist.
And you told us you want accountability. Not just coverage of scandals when they break, but sustained watchdog journalism that follows the money, questions how officials spend your tax dollars and demands answers when systems fail.
We heard you. And we built The LA Local around what you said you needed.
What we’re building
The LA Local is a nonprofit newsroom designed to serve Los Angeles differently. We’re embedding journalists directly in neighborhoods — starting with Boyle Heights, East LA, Koreatown, Pico-Union, Westlake, Inglewood and South LA— because journalism should serve communities, not just cover them.
Our reporters aren’t just assigned to these neighborhoods. They’re part of them. They show up not only when news breaks, but to understand daily life, build relationships and earn trust. They host office hours at local coffee shops. They attend neighborhood council meetings, community events and treat residents as experts on their own lives.
We’re committed to meeting you where you are. That means making our journalism accessible to people who don’t have time to search for news: newsletters that land in your inbox, social media you can share and information that fits into your busy life.
What you can expect
Accountability journalism that follows through: We won’t just report on corruption when it surfaces, we’ll investigate how your government spends money, track whether promised solutions actually work, and hold officials accountable for outcomes, not just intentions.
Stories from your perspective: When we cover housing, we’ll talk to tenants, not just developers. When we cover schools, we’ll center families navigating the system. When we cover your neighborhood, you’ll see your concerns reflected, not just what makes headlines.
Information you can use: We’ll help you understand ballot propositions, find community resources, navigate city services and know which officials make which decisions. We’ll explain complex systems in plain language and provide context that helps you take action.
Celebration, not just crisis: We’ll cover the art, organizing, entrepreneurship and resilience that define LA’s neighborhoods. We’ll show the full picture, including the challenges and the triumphs, because your community is more than its problems.
Verified facts you can trust: In a landscape filled with misinformation, we’ll be a place you can turn to for reliable, factual information to share with family and friends. We’ll be transparent about our sources, clear about what we know and don’t know and committed to accuracy over speed.
Pathways into journalism: You told us you want to see yourselves represented in newsrooms and more young people from your communities telling your stories. We’re creating those pathways. Our high school student journalism program trains the next generation of local reporters. And through our Documenters program we’re paying community members to attend and document public meetings, making government more transparent and accessible while creating paid opportunities for civic engagement.
This newsroom exists because of what you told us you needed. Now we’re asking you to be part of building it.
An invitation
Read our stories. Share them with neighbors. Tell us what we’re missing. Point us toward the issues that matter most. Challenge us when we get it wrong. Celebrate with us when we get it right.
A Westlake resident told us: “Come to my community, find out the reality and take our concerns to the right people to do something for our community.”
That’s exactly what we’re here to do.
Welcome to The LA Local. This is your newsroom.
Have a story tip or question? Email us at tips@thelalocal.org