Zev Yaroslavsky Reflects on Declining Quality of Life in Los Angeles Times Report

/0 Comments/in /by

A new Los Angeles Times report highlights a continued decline in quality of life across Los Angeles County, according to UCLA Luskin’s 11th annual Quality of Life Index, which has fallen to its lowest point since the survey began in 2016. The index score dropped to 52, driven by widespread declines in satisfaction across nearly all major categories, including education, transportation, public safety, and cost of living. Six categories reached decade lows, underscoring persistent concerns about affordability, infrastructure, and safety.

The report finds that residents continue to feel the compounding effects of recent crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, rising housing costs, immigration enforcement actions, and devastating wildfires. Cost of living remains the most significant driver of dissatisfaction, with housing, utilities, groceries, and taxes increasingly cited as key pressures.

Zev Yaroslavsky, director of the Los Angeles Initiative at UCLA, noted the cumulative toll of these challenges, saying, “We’ve been through a lot in the last five years: COVID, increases in the cost of living, immigration sweeps, and the Altadena and Palisades fires. [They all] have taken their toll on virtually every aspect of our lives,” and adding, “People haven’t had a chance to come out of the water and take a breath.”

Despite the decline, the survey shows resilience, with most residents still optimistic about their economic future and a strong majority viewing L.A. as offering access to a “good life.”

“I think people still have hope and still think things can get better,” Yaroslavsky said. “There’s a lot of resiliency in L.A., … especially in the immigrant population,”

David C. Turner III Receives AERA Early Career Award

/0 Comments/in , /by

David C. Turner III, assistant professor of Black Life and Racial Justice at UCLA Luskin, has been recognized with an Early Career Award from the Grassroots Community and Youth Organizing Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association.

The award honors emerging scholars whose work advances research and practice in community and youth organizing. Turner’s scholarship is deeply rooted in community-based research and advocacy, supporting grassroots movements across Los Angeles and California. As faculty director of the Million Dollar Hoods Project and a faculty affiliate with the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, his work examines the impacts of incarceration while actively partnering with communities to advance change.

“I’m humbled to receive the award,” Turner said, emphasizing that it reflects collective efforts. “We have so much more work to do. As scholars, we must go beyond simply ‘studying’ organizing—we must be involved.”

Founded in 1916, AERA is the nation’s leading research organization dedicated to advancing knowledge and improving education through scholarship.

Paul Ong on the Raid Podcast Talks Immigration Shifts and the Impact on Communities of Color

/0 Comments/in /by

In a recent appearance on the Raid Podcast, Paul Ong, director of the Center for Neighborhood Knowledge, discusses how current immigration enforcement is reshaping both policy and identity in the United States. Drawing on his research on ICE arrest rates and raids, Ong explains that the country is at a pivotal moment, with a significant transformation underway in how immigration is defined and enforced.

He highlights the concept of “othering,” noting that efforts to narrowly redefine who is considered American have evolved over decades and accelerated under the Donald Trump administration. Ong also emphasizes how enforcement strategies, including deportations, are part of a broader political agenda, compounded by limited available data. Reflecting on his own family’s experiences with deportation fears, he underscores the lasting impact of immigration policies on communities of color and the nation’s demographic future.

“I do not see the administration backing away from pursuing mass deportation,” Ong said. “What I do see is them changing their strategies and tactics to minimize the push back.”

Listen to the full podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcast.

A Toss-Up in the LA Mayor’s Race

/7 Comments/in , /by

A UCLA Luskin poll finding that the Los Angeles mayor’s race is currently a toss-up received wide coverage from local, national, and international media outlets.

The poll of likely LA primary voters, part of the annual Quality of Life Index produced by UCLA Luskin’s Los Angeles Initiative, found that 40% are undecided.

The Los Angeles Times initiative De Los viewed the survey results through the lens of the Latino electorate, where the undecided vote is 44% just two months from the June 2 primary vote.

Other outlets highlighting the survey include the Los Angeles Daily News, USA Today, Newsweek, Politico, Britain’s Daily Mail, Fox11 News and Spectrum News1.

Los Angeles County residents’ satisfaction with quality of life at all-time low in year 11 of UCLA survey They also cite concerns about immigration enforcement, wildfire recovery and economic pressures; mayoral race remains highly unsettled.

/0 Comments/in /by

Key takeaways

  • LA County residents are less satisfied with their quality of life than at any time in more than a decade, according to the 11th annual UCLA Los Angeles County Quality of Life Index.
  • The overall index dropped to a historic low of 52, with six of the nine categories that comprise the index also falling to their lowest levels on record.
  • Education, transportation/traffic and cost of living saw the steepest declines, reinforcing the ongoing strain of affordability and infrastructure challenges.

Los Angeles County residents are less satisfied with their quality of life than at any time in more than a decade, according to the 11th annual UCLA Los Angeles County Quality of Life Index, a project of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs in partnership with the California Community Foundation. The overall index dropped to a historic low of 52, with six of the nine categories that comprise the index also falling to their lowest levels on record.

Topline Numbers

  • 52 – Lowest Quality of Life Index score on record
  • 40% – Share of voters undecided in LA mayoral race
  • 31% – Residents worried about deportation
  • 26% – Residents reporting wildfire-related income loss
  • 56% – Dissatisfied with wildfire recovery efforts

Declining quality of life

In addition to the drop in the overall index, eight of the nine categories that make up the index declined in satisfaction, with six reaching historic lows. Education, transportation/traffic and cost of living — already the lowest-rated areas — saw the steepest declines, reinforcing the ongoing strain of affordability and infrastructure challenges.

“Los Angeles County residents’ rating of their quality of life has been in decline since the peak of the COVID pandemic,” said Zev Yaroslavsky, director of the Los Angeles Initiative at UCLA Luskin, which conducts the poll. “We’ve been through a lot in the last five years. COVID, increases in the cost of living, immigration sweeps, and the Altadena and Palisades fires have taken their toll on virtually every aspect of our lives.

“Despite the challenges county residents have faced, when asked if they were generally optimistic or pessimistic about their own economic future in Los Angeles County, a majority of survey respondents (53%) said they were optimistic.”

Immigration enforcement driving anxiety

Immigration enforcement actions over the past year have contributed to widespread concern across the county. Nearly one-third of residents (31%) say they are worried that they or someone close to them could be deported.

These concerns are not abstract. Three in 10 residents report knowing someone who lost income or was afraid to leave home due to enforcement activity, and roughly 15% say they know someone who has been detained or deported. The impacts are most pronounced among Latino residents and younger Angelenos.

“The ICE sweeps have cast fear and insecurity in many of our communities,” said Yaroslavsky. “When so many residents are directly touched by these experiences, it’s no wonder that anxiety is widespread.”

Lingering impacts of 2025 wildfires

The economic effects of the 2025 wildfires continue to ripple across Los Angeles County. More than 1 in 4 residents (26%) report losing income due to the fires, and only a small share of those affected say they have fully recovered. Overall, about 1 in 5 residents continues to experience unrecovered financial losses tied to the disaster.

Public sentiment toward recovery efforts is broadly negative. A majority of residents (56%) report dissatisfaction with local government response and rebuilding efforts, including nearly one-third who are very dissatisfied.

Mayoral race remains wide open

The survey also gauged voter sentiment in the upcoming Los Angeles mayoral election, revealing a highly unsettled race. Among 813 likely June primary voters, incumbent Mayor Karen Bass leads with 25% support, followed by Spencer Pratt at 11% and Nithya Raman at 9%. A striking 40% of voters remain undecided — by far the largest bloc.

With no clear second-place candidate emerging, the findings suggest that while Bass is well positioned to advance, the contest for the second spot remains fluid and voter preferences are still taking shape.

The Quality of Life Index

The Quality of Life Index is based on a survey of 1,400 Los Angeles County residents conducted March 15–29, 2026, with a margin of error of 2.6%. The index is a project of the Los Angeles Initiative of the Luskin School, with major funding provided by Meyer and Renee Luskin and the California Community Foundation.

“The QLI captures both the hope and the challenges in Los Angeles,” said Miguel Santana, president and CEO of the California Community Foundation. “Through our partnership with UCLA Luskin over the next decade, we can better understand the region — and what it takes to ensure a good life is within reach for all.”

The full report is being released on April 15 as part of the UCLA Luskin Summit, which will focus on building community resilience through local solutions. In addition to Yaroslavsky and Santana, the event features other public officials, including former U.S. Sen. Laphonza Butler, as well as scholars and community leaders.

Supporting Justice-Involved Youth: MSW Michelle Cisneros on Trauma-Informed Care

/0 Comments/in , /by
Michelle Cisneros is a Master of Social Welfare student at UCLA, where she is focused on supporting system-impacted communities. Through her work at Los Padrinos Juvenile Detention Center and in school-based settings, she brings a trauma-informed, community-centered approach to advancing equity and mental health.
Headshot of Michelle Cisneros

Michelle Cisneros

You’ve worked with justice-involved youth at Los Padrinos Juvenile Detention Center. What has been the most rewarding or eye-opening part of supporting these youth, and how has it shaped your approach to social work?

One of the most eye-opening parts of working with justice-involved youth at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall has been realizing how many of their behaviors are rooted in unmet needs, trauma, and lack of support rather than simply “bad choices”. Building trust in such a structured environment has been especially rewarding, as seeing a student open up or try new coping and communication skills shows how impactful consistency and genuine care can be. At the same time, I have learned that supporting youth is not just about the one-on-one relationship, but also about building strong connections with the other adults in their lives, including probation staff, teachers, and administration. Establishing that rapport helps create bridges across systems, streamline communication, and makes it easier to provide consistent and effective support when everyone is aligned. This experience has shaped my approach by reinforcing the importance of being trauma-informed, strengths-based, collaborative, and intentional in both direct practice and system-level work.

Looking ahead, how do you hope to apply your Luskin education and field experiences to make an impact on at-risk youth or survivors of violence after graduation?

Looking ahead, I hope to apply what I have learned at UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs by working with system-impacted individuals in a way that feels both culturally grounded and genuinely supportive. As a Latina in this field, I carry a strong awareness of how culture, family, and community shape the way people experience and talk about mental health, and I want to use that perspective to create spaces where individuals feel seen without having to explain or justify their identities. My goal is not only to provide individual support through skills like emotional regulation and communication, but also to challenge systems that often overlook or misunderstand communities like the ones I come from. I hope to bridge direct practice with advocacy by pushing for more accessible, culturally responsive mental health resources and by showing up in this field as someone who reflects the lived experiences of the individuals I serve.

What advice would you give to students or early-career professionals interested in pursuing a career that bridges social work, community engagement, and system-involved populations?

My biggest advice would be to stay open, patient, and grounded in why you chose this work, because working with system-involved populations can be challenging but deeply meaningful. Focus on building strong foundational skills like active listening, rapport building, and trauma-informed care, as these matter more than having all the “right” answers. Seek out hands-on experiences early, even if it feels uncomfortable at first, because that is where the most growth happens. It is also important to understand the systems your clients are navigating while still seeing each person as more than their involvement in those systems. Most importantly, find your why and hold onto it. This work can be heavy, but when you find purpose and happiness in it, along with strong supervision and support, it will help you stay grounded and continue showing up in a genuine way.

Gen Z Demands More: Andrea Escobar on California’s Leadership Gap

/0 Comments/in , /by

Since November 2025, MPP student Andrea Escobar has traveled across California attending gubernatorial forums in her role as a Senior Fellow at Unseen, engaging directly with candidates on issues including health access, environmental justice, and housing affordability. Drawing from these experiences, Escobar co-authored a CalMatters op-ed that reflects her perspective as a Gen Z Latina seeking clarity on who is prepared to lead the state.

Public Policy student Andrea Escobar's headshot

Andrea Escobar

In the piece, Escobar offers a grounded and urgent critique of the current gubernatorial race, arguing that candidates are failing to meet the moment for Generation Z. She emphasizes the widening gap between the promise of the “California Dream” and the reality facing students today. She highlights the financial strain of higher education and cost of living, noting, “As a full-time student, I have to balance two jobs to afford tuition and rent in Los Angeles.”

Escobar’s critique centers on candidates’ lack of bold, actionable plans particularly around economic mobility, affordable housing, and education funding. She points out that young voters and Latino communities are often discussed in abstract terms rather than addressed through concrete policy proposals. This disconnect, she argues, risks alienating a generation already disengaged from the political process. As she puts it, “Without a clear plan to address the issues we care about, like college access and affordability, these candidates remain disconnected from mobilizing young voters like us.”

Read the full op-ed in CalMatters.

Zev Yaroslavsky Discusses Los Angeles Quality of Life Survey Ahead of Luskin Summit

/0 Comments/in /by

Zev Yaroslavsky appeared on ABC7 Los Angeles to discuss findings from the Los Angeles County Quality of Life Index (QLI), which will be released April 15 at the 2026 Luskin Summit. The annual survey, conducted since 2016, asks residents to rate their quality of life across nine different categories, including cost of living, education, the economy, healthcare, and sentiments around their neighborhood.

Yaroslavsky noted that the survey’s design allows researchers to track changes in public sentiment over time. Cost of living has consistently ranked as the lowest-rated category and has declined significantly since the pandemic. Concerns about traffic, transportation, and the education system have also received relatively low ratings.

This year’s results will provide insight into additional issues, including wildfire recovery, immigration enforcement, and housing preferences. Yaroslavsky emphasized that the QLI serves as a critical tool for policymakers and researchers working to better understand and address the evolving priorities of Los Angeles County residents.

View the full segment on ABC7 News.

Zepeda-Millán on Remembering 2006’s March for Immigrant Rights

/0 Comments/in /by

In March 2006, more than one million people marched through Downtown Los Angeles in one of the largest demonstrations for immigrant rights in U.S. history. The protest became a defining moment for Latino political mobilization in California.

Chris Zepeda-Millán, associate professor of public policy at UCLA Luskin, recalled the event to KQED. “People were out there demonstrating their pride and their dignity,” he said. “They were refusing to be silenced while they were being demonized by Washington.”

Nearly two decades later, that legacy continues to shape present-day activism. Over the weekend, tens of thousands gathered across California in “No Kings” rallies to protest policies under Donald Trump, including mass deportations.

BGI Report Examines Hungary’s Democratic Future Ahead of Key Election

/0 Comments/in , /by

On the eve of Hungary’s April 12 parliamentary election, a new report from the UCLA Berggruen Governance Index (BGI) examines whether Viktor Orbán’s 16-year “illiberal democracy” experiment is a model for Europe’s future or a cautionary tale.

Using BGI data, researchers found that Hungary‘s democratic accountability has fallen sharply since 2010, state capacity has mildly deteriorated, and public goods provision has improved only modestly thanks to EU transfers.

Crucially, Orbán’s Fidesz party now trails the center-right Tisza Party by nearly 10 points —raising the prospect of a democratic reset echoing Poland’s 2023 election. The report outlines three post-election scenarios: continued illiberalism, cosmetic reform, or genuine democratic renewal.

The Berggruen Governance Index is a collaborative project between the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, the Hertie School, and the Berggruen Institute,

Read the full report.