Downtown L.A. has battled COVID, homelessness and protests. Why its residential popularity is surging
Like many downtown Los Angeles residents, Ricardo Sebastián doesn't own a car and prefers it that way.
'I do not want the responsibility of owning a vehicle. That's not for me,' said Sebastián, who grew up in Chicago relying on public transit.
The 38-year-old consultant travels around L.A. by train and bus, but finds most of what they need close to home in the South Park district near Crypto.com Arena, including leisurely strolls.
'I enjoy going for long walks from one end of downtown to the other,' Sebastián said in Muffin Can Stop Us, a casual coffee bar and restaurant at the base of a high-rise apartment complex on Hope Street. 'I love living downtown.'
Sebastián is hardly alone in that sentiment. In addition to being a commercial center with office skyscrapers, trendy hotels and cultural venues, downtown L.A. remains a vibrant and growing residential neighborhood with a population of 90,000 — about the size of Santa Monica.
Despite myriad challenges — including a sprawling homeless population and its reputation as a sometimes dodgy place to live and work — downtown L.A. is staging a comeback by attracting a steady stream of new residents.
Occupancy in downtown apartments has remained about 90% for more than a year, recent surveys by a downtown business support group show. That is slightly higher than the level before the pandemic, when offices hummed with 9-to-5ers.
In fact, the downtown population has more than tripled since 2000, reflecting a dynamic shift in the city center's character toward a 24-hour lifestyle.
'You do not see that kind of change in any other neighborhood in Los Angeles,' downtown activist Cassy Horton said. 'If anything, most neighborhoods are kind of aging and atrophying versus adding people.'
The reasons why people choose to live in L.A.'s urban core are varied. Some point to the value of living downtown, where rents for high-end buildings are relatively more affordable than in other parts of the city.
A raft of new developments has increased the availability of housing units. And with thousands of houses and apartments lost to wildfires in an already tight housing market, there is now widespread demand for housing that landlords hope to attract downtown.
There's also the convenience factor.
Many residents say they are drawn to downtown's urban lifestyle with stores, restaurants and cultural attractions like the Broad or Walt Disney Concert Hall within walking distance. And unlike dwellers of most parts of L.A., they want their blocks to get more busy, Horton said.
'We're the only neighborhood where residents actually want more neighbors,' she said.
One of the many frustrations over this month's outbreak of violence around federal immigration sweeps was the way social media coverage was 'completely devoid of any reference to the fact that people live here,' Horton said. 'Downtown gets treated in these situations really differently than other residential neighborhoods would be.'
The addition of residents has helped offset downtown's other dramatic population shift — the unsettling disappearance of thousands of office workers who did their jobs from home during the pandemic and are unlikely to ever return at pre-COVID 19 levels. Many firms have implemented hybrid schedules that allow employees to work at home certain days of the week.
Some other white collar companies have given up on downtown and moved their offices to other urbanized neighborhoods, including Century City and Pasadena, saying that downtown hasn't sufficiently recovered from the pandemic as stores and restaurants remain closed and streets feel less safe than they did in 2019.
Nevertheless, 'the downtown community has maintained a sort of passionate commitment to the place, and while there are challenges, they are not dissuaded by them,' said Nick Griffin, executive vice president of the DTLA Alliance.
Committed residents say they like downtown's city lifestyle and they want to see it improve as the neighborhood transitions from being primarily office-centric to more residential-oriented. Restaurants and other small businesses are making a comeback after COVID-19 restrictions contributed to widespread closures, Griffin said.
'We've had 140 new restaurants open since the end of the pandemic,' he said. 'That's many, many more than we lost.'
Support for the businesses is underpinned by the residential population and growth in visits to downtown by regional residents and tourists, Griffin said.
'Where it was a doom loop in one direction three years ago, downtown is now going back to that virtuous cycle that we were in after the financial crisis' that caused the Great Recession nearly two decades ago. In the years before the pandemic, 'we were just on a roll,' Griffin said.
That included a monumental housing construction boom prompted by the fact that developers find it somewhat easier to get big projects approved downtown than elsewhere because city leaders have long identified downtown as a place for dense housing growth. It has ample sites to build on, especially in South Park, and is the nexus for the region's rail, bus and freeway lines.
Southern California has a serious housing shortage and 'downtown is one of the few places that has been able to build at any scale over the past 10 years,' Griffin said. In that time, 22% of the new housing in the city was built downtown, he said.
The latest major project is a 54-story skyscraper with 685 apartments nearly completed at Hill Street and Olympic Boulevard, a few blocks east of the L.A. Live entertainment complex. The tower, called Olympic + Hill, is being built by Canadian developer Onni Group, which has been one of downtown's most active builders during the housing boom.
Other large projects planned downtown include three similar-scaled high-rises near Olympic + Hill by other developers, but they're not under construction and the pipeline is drying up.
Housing construction in Los Angeles plunged during the first quarter of 2025, according to a recent report by research firm Hilgard Analytics, a drop-off that could ultimately worsen the city's affordability crisis.
The city approved permits for 1,325 new residences during the first three months of 2025, down nearly 57% from the same period a year earlier.
'Supply is going to be falling off a cliff in 2026,' said local developer Jaime Lee, chief executive of Jamison group of companies.
Industry observers point to high interest rates and rising costs of material and labor, as well as uncertainty over tariffs and immigration policies that could reduce the construction workforce.
Additionally, local developers are wary of Measure ULA, a new Los Angeles tax on large property sales that cuts into potential profits.
An urban lifestyle that doesn't rely on driving everywhere helped lure Noemi Tagorda to downtown in 2006.
She moved from Cambridge, Mass., after getting a job at USC, where she manages the financial aid office.
She and her husband didn't have cars in Massachusetts, 'and I realized I never wanted to drive again,' she said. 'We found a place here in downtown where I could commute to work taking the bus or the train.'
They're now a one-car family with three sons, Tagorda said. The boys attend Catholic schools downtown, including Cathedral High School near Dodger Stadium, which her oldest reaches by bus. They're active in a Boy Scout troop that meets at a Buddhist temple in Little Tokyo.
'I think that a lot of the families leave because there is a perception that there are no educational opportunities in downtown,' she said. 'We need everyone to see downtown as a vibrant community with families and all types of people there, and we also need to support the schools that are in our community.'
She shops for groceries at downtown's Ralphs and Whole Foods stores, and laments the closure of Macy's department store on 7th Street earlier this year. 'I used to go to Macy's a lot.'
Also in walking distance are movie theaters Alamo Drafthouse and Regal LA Live, and an indoor golf simulator the boys enjoy.
Tagorda's mother, a migrant from Mexico, lived downtown in an apartment building that was razed to make way for the Los Angeles Convention Center that opened its first phase in 1971.
'There have been families here for a very, very long time,' she said. 'Families do belong downtown.'
The population base is also large enough now for downtown to be considered a true residential neighborhood with the same needs as other parts of the city, said Horton, who is a co-founder of the Downtown Los Angeles Residents Assn.
Among its devotees are residents who work in government or are architects or urban planners who 'know downtown is a real project,' she said. 'If you don't want something that's kind of cast in amber and already formed, there's a lot of opportunity to kind of help shape the neighborhood.'
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Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Los Angeles Times
Downtown L.A. has battled COVID, homelessness and protests. Why its residential popularity is surging
Like many downtown Los Angeles residents, Ricardo Sebastián doesn't own a car and prefers it that way. 'I do not want the responsibility of owning a vehicle. That's not for me,' said Sebastián, who grew up in Chicago relying on public transit. The 38-year-old consultant travels around L.A. by train and bus, but finds most of what they need close to home in the South Park district near Arena, including leisurely strolls. 'I enjoy going for long walks from one end of downtown to the other,' Sebastián said in Muffin Can Stop Us, a casual coffee bar and restaurant at the base of a high-rise apartment complex on Hope Street. 'I love living downtown.' Sebastián is hardly alone in that sentiment. In addition to being a commercial center with office skyscrapers, trendy hotels and cultural venues, downtown L.A. remains a vibrant and growing residential neighborhood with a population of 90,000 — about the size of Santa Monica. Despite myriad challenges — including a sprawling homeless population and its reputation as a sometimes dodgy place to live and work — downtown L.A. is staging a comeback by attracting a steady stream of new residents. Occupancy in downtown apartments has remained about 90% for more than a year, recent surveys by a downtown business support group show. That is slightly higher than the level before the pandemic, when offices hummed with 9-to-5ers. In fact, the downtown population has more than tripled since 2000, reflecting a dynamic shift in the city center's character toward a 24-hour lifestyle. 'You do not see that kind of change in any other neighborhood in Los Angeles,' downtown activist Cassy Horton said. 'If anything, most neighborhoods are kind of aging and atrophying versus adding people.' The reasons why people choose to live in L.A.'s urban core are varied. Some point to the value of living downtown, where rents for high-end buildings are relatively more affordable than in other parts of the city. A raft of new developments has increased the availability of housing units. And with thousands of houses and apartments lost to wildfires in an already tight housing market, there is now widespread demand for housing that landlords hope to attract downtown. There's also the convenience factor. Many residents say they are drawn to downtown's urban lifestyle with stores, restaurants and cultural attractions like the Broad or Walt Disney Concert Hall within walking distance. And unlike dwellers of most parts of L.A., they want their blocks to get more busy, Horton said. 'We're the only neighborhood where residents actually want more neighbors,' she said. One of the many frustrations over this month's outbreak of violence around federal immigration sweeps was the way social media coverage was 'completely devoid of any reference to the fact that people live here,' Horton said. 'Downtown gets treated in these situations really differently than other residential neighborhoods would be.' The addition of residents has helped offset downtown's other dramatic population shift — the unsettling disappearance of thousands of office workers who did their jobs from home during the pandemic and are unlikely to ever return at pre-COVID 19 levels. Many firms have implemented hybrid schedules that allow employees to work at home certain days of the week. Some other white collar companies have given up on downtown and moved their offices to other urbanized neighborhoods, including Century City and Pasadena, saying that downtown hasn't sufficiently recovered from the pandemic as stores and restaurants remain closed and streets feel less safe than they did in 2019. Nevertheless, 'the downtown community has maintained a sort of passionate commitment to the place, and while there are challenges, they are not dissuaded by them,' said Nick Griffin, executive vice president of the DTLA Alliance. Committed residents say they like downtown's city lifestyle and they want to see it improve as the neighborhood transitions from being primarily office-centric to more residential-oriented. Restaurants and other small businesses are making a comeback after COVID-19 restrictions contributed to widespread closures, Griffin said. 'We've had 140 new restaurants open since the end of the pandemic,' he said. 'That's many, many more than we lost.' Support for the businesses is underpinned by the residential population and growth in visits to downtown by regional residents and tourists, Griffin said. 'Where it was a doom loop in one direction three years ago, downtown is now going back to that virtuous cycle that we were in after the financial crisis' that caused the Great Recession nearly two decades ago. In the years before the pandemic, 'we were just on a roll,' Griffin said. That included a monumental housing construction boom prompted by the fact that developers find it somewhat easier to get big projects approved downtown than elsewhere because city leaders have long identified downtown as a place for dense housing growth. It has ample sites to build on, especially in South Park, and is the nexus for the region's rail, bus and freeway lines. Southern California has a serious housing shortage and 'downtown is one of the few places that has been able to build at any scale over the past 10 years,' Griffin said. In that time, 22% of the new housing in the city was built downtown, he said. The latest major project is a 54-story skyscraper with 685 apartments nearly completed at Hill Street and Olympic Boulevard, a few blocks east of the L.A. Live entertainment complex. The tower, called Olympic + Hill, is being built by Canadian developer Onni Group, which has been one of downtown's most active builders during the housing boom. Other large projects planned downtown include three similar-scaled high-rises near Olympic + Hill by other developers, but they're not under construction and the pipeline is drying up. Housing construction in Los Angeles plunged during the first quarter of 2025, according to a recent report by research firm Hilgard Analytics, a drop-off that could ultimately worsen the city's affordability crisis. The city approved permits for 1,325 new residences during the first three months of 2025, down nearly 57% from the same period a year earlier. 'Supply is going to be falling off a cliff in 2026,' said local developer Jaime Lee, chief executive of Jamison group of companies. Industry observers point to high interest rates and rising costs of material and labor, as well as uncertainty over tariffs and immigration policies that could reduce the construction workforce. Additionally, local developers are wary of Measure ULA, a new Los Angeles tax on large property sales that cuts into potential profits. An urban lifestyle that doesn't rely on driving everywhere helped lure Noemi Tagorda to downtown in 2006. She moved from Cambridge, Mass., after getting a job at USC, where she manages the financial aid office. She and her husband didn't have cars in Massachusetts, 'and I realized I never wanted to drive again,' she said. 'We found a place here in downtown where I could commute to work taking the bus or the train.' They're now a one-car family with three sons, Tagorda said. The boys attend Catholic schools downtown, including Cathedral High School near Dodger Stadium, which her oldest reaches by bus. They're active in a Boy Scout troop that meets at a Buddhist temple in Little Tokyo. 'I think that a lot of the families leave because there is a perception that there are no educational opportunities in downtown,' she said. 'We need everyone to see downtown as a vibrant community with families and all types of people there, and we also need to support the schools that are in our community.' She shops for groceries at downtown's Ralphs and Whole Foods stores, and laments the closure of Macy's department store on 7th Street earlier this year. 'I used to go to Macy's a lot.' Also in walking distance are movie theaters Alamo Drafthouse and Regal LA Live, and an indoor golf simulator the boys enjoy. Tagorda's mother, a migrant from Mexico, lived downtown in an apartment building that was razed to make way for the Los Angeles Convention Center that opened its first phase in 1971. 'There have been families here for a very, very long time,' she said. 'Families do belong downtown.' The population base is also large enough now for downtown to be considered a true residential neighborhood with the same needs as other parts of the city, said Horton, who is a co-founder of the Downtown Los Angeles Residents Assn. Among its devotees are residents who work in government or are architects or urban planners who 'know downtown is a real project,' she said. 'If you don't want something that's kind of cast in amber and already formed, there's a lot of opportunity to kind of help shape the neighborhood.'
Business Insider
13-06-2025
- Business Insider
Elon Musk considers launching SpaceX rockets from South African soil
South African-born billionaire Elon Musk is reportedly exploring the possibility of launching SpaceX rockets and deploying Starlink low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites from his home country. Elon Musk is considering using the Denel Overberg rocket test site in South Africa for SpaceX launches and Starlink satellite deployments. The site is strategically suited for polar orbit launches, enhancing Starlink's ability to provide broadband to underserved regions. South Africa faces regulatory challenges that have delayed Starlink's operations despite potential benefits for the digital divide. The world's richest man, Elon Musk has expressed interest in using the Denel Overberg rocket test site near Arniston, outside Cape Town, for potential SpaceX launches. Developed by the Aerospace Systems Research Institute at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the site has launched suborbital rockets up to 18km and is aiming for orbital capability by 2028. A SpaceX partnership could fast-track its readiness. According to The Daily Maverick, two space experts noted that the site's strategic value lies in its ideal position for launching satellites into polar orbits—particularly those passing over the South Pole—as well as for deploying Starlink's LEO satellites to deliver broadband internet to consumers, especially in underserved areas. The tech mogul, who is currently in a public feud with the U.S. President Donald Trump, appears to be turning his gaze back to South Africa as a prospective site for future space operations. While specific details remain under wraps, sources close to the matter suggest Musk is seriously evaluating South Africa 's strategic potential for both SpaceX and Starlink expansion. This move could mark a historic milestone, positioning the African continent as a new player in global space infrastructure. Starlink's turbulent run in South Africa Starlink, Elon Musk's satellite internet venture, has already launched operations across several African countries, delivering high-speed internet to underserved and remote regions. However, in South Africa, Musk's country of birth, the rollout has hit significant roadblocks despite early optimism about its potential to help bridge the nation's digital divide. Regulatory delays, licensing challenges, and questions surrounding local compliance have stalled Starlink's entry into the South African market. Tensions escalated further following President Cyril Ramaphosa's recent appearance in Washington and Musk's public criticism of the South African government for failing to approve Starlink's operations. In response, the South African government has initiated a review of its Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) policy, particularly as it relates to foreign tech companies like Starlink. Launching satellites directly from South Africa would not only accelerate Starlink's service across the continent but could also support Musk's broader ambition of expanding access to internet connectivity globally.
Business Wire
11-06-2025
- Business Wire
Bayer and Broad Institute Extend Research Collaboration to Develop New Cardiovascular Therapies
BERLIN & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bayer and the Broad Institute today announced that they have extended their research collaboration of 10 years by an additional five years, to further advance findings in human genomics research in cardiovascular diseases. The expanded agreement will focus on joint precision cardiology target identification, leveraging the established human cardiomyocyte platform to rapidly validate observations, and discovery of novel therapeutic approaches. Current efforts are directed to develop potential treatment options for patients with specific forms of cardiovascular disease such as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), amongst others. DCM is a type of heart disease characterized by the enlargement of the heart's chambers, which leads to a decreased ability to pump blood effectively. This condition can result in heart failure and other complications if left untreated. 1 Established in 2013, this longstanding collaboration combines the Broad Institute's extensive expertise in genomics and biology with Bayer's in-depth experience in small, chemically manufactured molecules and biologics drug discovery to advance drug discovery research for novel cardiovascular therapeutics. This strategic research alliance already has resulted in a number of joint publications and conference presentations, and it has paved the way for Bayer's announcement in May 2025 regarding the initiation of a Phase I study with its investigational highly selective G-protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium channel 4 (GIRK4) inhibitor which has a potential to help control the electrical activity of heart cells in patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib). 'We are constantly evaluating novel approaches to treat cardiovascular diseases that affect millions of people worldwide. Our shared commitment is to explore novel therapeutic targets and modalities in various cardiovascular and renal diseases to help deliver new treatment options to patients in need,' said Andrea Haegebarth, Ph.D., Global Head of Research and Early Development for Cardiovascular, Renal, and Immunology at Bayer's Pharmaceuticals Division. 'The first joint therapeutic project entered the clinic last month and we are excited to collaborate further with the esteemed scientists at the Broad Institute to identify and develop disease-modifying therapeutics treating underlying causes of cardiovascular diseases.' 'I am delighted to see Broad and Bayer continue this fruitful collaboration in cardiovascular research,' said Todd Golub, director and founding core member of the Broad Institute. 'By working together, Broad and Bayer are able to make advances that neither organization could make on its own.' Academic collaborations are integral to Bayer's research and development strategy, aimed at delivering innovative treatment solutions to patients, particularly in areas with significant unmet medical needs, such as cardiovascular health. Bayer's strategic focus in cardiovascular research emphasizes precision drug development, facilitating the rapid identification of the most promising targets and commercially viable programs. Bayer with its Bayer Research & Innovation Center (BRIC) is closely located to the Broad Institute in Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA. BRIC houses a center of precision oncology research as well as an experienced team of scientists focused on research and early development for developing precision cardiovascular, renal, and immunology therapeutics. BRIC is also home to Bayer Cambridge which is part of a pioneering global network of life science incubators focused on disruptive innovation and scientific breakthroughs. Financial details have not been disclosed. About Bayer's Commitment in Cardiovascular Diseases Bayer is a leader in cardiology and is advancing a portfolio of innovative treatments in cardiovascular (CV) diseases of high unmet medical need. The strategy is to unlock the strong potential of the future CV market by transforming Bayer's portfolio into precision cardiology, addressing the high CV disease burden, and driving the long-term growth. Bayer's portfolio already includes several innovative products as well as compounds in various stages of preclinical and clinical development. About Bayer Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. In line with its mission, 'Health for all, Hunger for none,' the company's products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2024, the Group employed around 93,000 people and had sales of 46.6 billion euros. R&D expenses amounted to 6.2 billion euros. For more information, go to aka (2025e-0114) Forward-Looking Statements This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
