SoCal Connected

on KCET

Why the DWP seems insulated from the recession. And high-speed, high-cost rail.

November 2009 Archives

FEMA Relents Under Deluge Of Protests

Two weeks after SoCal Connected's investigation, FEMA announced it would revise its flood insurance rate maps, granting certain Ventura County homeowners at least a temporary reprieve from paying new premiums.

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Family Matters

Watch this award-winning documentary about a unique foster high school, a group of teens and "grandparents" prove that family is about more than blood relation. A KCET Thanksgiving tradition.

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Interview: A Different Kind Of Homeless Shelter

An interview with the executive director of Door of Hope, a transitional housing program that serves homeless families with young children.

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Steve Lopez Commentary

LA Times columnist Steve Lopez says a recent report showing a drop in LA's homeless population was more than wrong. It was harmful to those trying to solve the problem.

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Mortgage Scams

If someone offers to help you "fix" your troubled home mortgage—beware. L.A. Times columnist David Lazarus has the low-down on the latest "mortgage modification" scams.

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Hidden Homeless

Take a recession, add a housing collapse and you end up with formerly solid, middle-class working families on the street.

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Hidden Homeless, Mortgage Scams & Steve Lopez

Middle-class and homeless. Mortgage scammers preying on those facing foreclosure. And a commentary from LA Times columnist Steve Lopez

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The Young and the Homeless

Homelessness is painful enough, but especially so for the young. Some disturbing facts about the number of children with no place to call home.

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Mortgage Scams? Who Can Afford A Mortgage?

For large numbers of workers in the LA area, getting scammed over a mortgage isn't a concern. They don't earn enough to come close to owning a home.

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Overgrown and Overwhelmed

When a plant-loving woman got in trouble for having TOO many plants, her neighbors came to the rescue. Click inside to see what happened.

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Swallowing Stereotypes

How quickly can you match a stereotype to an ethnicity? An art exhibit playing off of whites-only and blacks-only drinking fountains will put you to the test.

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Ling, Lazarus and Lopez

Lisa Ling on the new, homeless middle-class. David Lazarus on avoiding mortgage scammers. And columnist Steve Lopez questions a finding that homelessness is actually decreasing.

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The Art of the Mortgage Scam

As foreclosures rise, so do scams that target desperate homeowners. Find out how to avoid being taken, and what to do if you suspect fraud.

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Catching Arsonists

Many crimes are difficult to solve. But imagine when the crime scene is in ashes. Sifting through the rubble to catch an arsonist.

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Commentary: Swine Flu

Novelist, teacher and family man Marcos Villatoro shares his personal tale of involvement with the H1N1 flu virus.

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Update: Hung Out To Dry?

Last week, we heard from LA residents who faced big insurance bills after FEMA declared their homes to be in flood zones. We follow up, this time, it's Ventura county.

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Catching Arsonists

Crime investigation isn't easy. But when the crime scene is a pile of smoldering ashes, it's really tough. How arson investigators get to the bottom of the crime.

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Arson, FEMA Flood Follow-up, Swine Flu

How to catch an arsonist, a follow up on last week's story about FEMA and flood zones, and a commentary on the Swine Flu.

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A Most Notorious Arsonist

Southern California produced a man that investigators say was among the worst serial arsonists of the 20th century. He was also an arson investigator.

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Name That Spot #3

Another week, another challenge. This week's subject is beloved by all. Well, OK, beloved by many, many who live in Los Angeles. Take a look, and see if you can name the location of this week's Name That Spot.

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