Los Angeles is a major net importer of water and relies on sources several hundred miles away in Northern California and Colorado for two-thirds of its supply. The ecosystems of these source regions are significantly impacted by decades of diverting water for agricultural, industrial and...

The civil unrest of 1992 can be understood as a manifestation of rage over economic deprivation and blighted hopes. At the time of the April 1992 civil unrest, Los Angeles County was in its second year of what proved to be its most severe recession since the Great Depression. The greatest...

The most salient fact about the South Bay economy is the importance of high technology manufacturing and services. The area's high technology sector is a tapestry of industries linked to space systems, aeronautical services, and aviation; its output includes research and development services as...

An analysis of California's construction industry found that 143,900 construction workers were employed in the informal economy in 2011. This was comprised of 104,100 construction workers who were not reported by their employers and 39,800 who were misclassified as independent...

There are at least three reasons why it has become important for Los Angeles to exert purposeful influence on its own economic trajectory: First, the population has grown steadily but the number of jobs in the formal economy, where employers comply with labor law, is still below the level of...

For many, Los Angeles evokes images of year-round sunshine and celebrity, a dream city of wealth and possibility. Yet in reality, half of L.A. residents living in poverty are employed, showing that low wages drive poverty as much as unemployment does. The benefits and consequences of raising Los...

The report recommends an economic adjustment strategy to reduce severe job losses projected as a result of cutbacks in defense funding for Los Angeles County industries.Questions investigated include:1. What are the impacts of defense cutbacks on Los Angeles County?2. Who in Los Angeles County...

Over 54,000 workers employed in Long Beach's formal economy will be affected by increasing the minimum wage to $15. The annual earnings of workers will increase by about $405 million. The largest share of increased wages — almost $130 million — will go to workers who also live in the City of...

The 1994 Business Survey was requested by the City of Long Beach to guide and strengthen its business outreach and retention efforts. Long Beach was experiencing a high level of business distress as a result of the 1990 recession and the collapse of aerospace.The survey was sent to 908 companies...