Producer, 'Press Play'
Anna Scott is a reporter and producer for KCRW, focused on housing. She works on Press Play with Madeleine Brand and reported for KCRW's podcast There Goes the Neighborhood: Los Angeles. Before that, she produced Warren Olney's news programs To the Point and Which Way, LA? Anna also reports regularly on homelessness for NPR's national programs. She's previously written for Bloomberg Businessweek, the Los Angeles Times and various local publications.
Are those ‘we buy houses’ signs a scam? You’ve probably seen the signs around LA -- usually stapled to telephone poles -- that say “Emma Buys Houses” or “Joe Buys Houses.” All cash. There are usually a few dollar signs and a phone number too. We find out who puts up those signs, and who calls the numbers listed.
What will it take to get more Angelenos on public transit? The number of bus and train trips taken in LA dropped 15 percent between 2012 and 2017. But last year, LA County voters passed Measure M, a sales tax increase to generate $120 billion for transit projects. So why aren’t more people getting out of their cars, and what can we do about it? A new UCLA study looks into that.
LA's homelessness crisis spreads to the Valley L.A.’s annual homeless count started last night in the San Fernando, San Gabriel and Santa Clarita Valleys. Almost 8000 volunteers will walk the streets of greater L.A., taking a visual survey of how many people are sleeping on sidewalks, in tents, and in vehicles. The count helps officials decide where to direct federal, county, and city resources for homelessness.
Efforts to spur development near transit runs into opposition A bill in Sacramento would allow more development along transit lines. The goal is to increase the housing supply and get more people out of their cars. But some locals say it would ruin their neighborhoods.
Why rent control laws could change this year to become stronger for tenants Rent control is shaping up to be the battle on the housing front in Sacramento. We find out what could happen and whether stronger rent control laws would actually help with housing costs.
Skid Row activist: Toilets from mayor are 10 years too late, 300 too short Last month, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti held a press conference to celebrate the opening of a new Skid Row “hygiene center.” The center offers free showers and toilets. However, local activists say this is too little too late. When Garcetti called up a local homeless activist known as General Dogon to give him a certificate of appreciation, Dogon refused it. “This award is just like the mayor and his cronies. It’s worthless,” he said.
The spread of meth on Skid Row Meth is on the rise in Los Angeles, particularly in some neighborhoods like Skid Row. Social workers and police are concerned about the growth in meth use because people on the drug can be violent and erratic. KCRW’s Anna Scott has been reporting on how this increase is changing the area that’s been ground zero for LA’s homelessness crisis.
The debate over linkage fees The Los Angeles City Council is expected to approve new fees for developers to build affordable housing. The mayor and housing advocates are pushing for these linkage fees, while developers and business leaders are opposed, saying they will stifle new building and drive up prices.
How The Nutcracker became an American tradition It’s Nutcracker season! There are at least a dozen productions of The Nutcracker in and around Los Angeles this month. It might be the most popular ballet in the world. But when it premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia more than a century ago, critics hated it. So how did The Nutcracker become so famous? Where can you see it in Los Angeles this year? A rehearsal/fitting from the new "George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker" by Miami City Ballet. Costumes designed by Isabel Toledo. (Photos by Alexander Iziliaev, courtesy of the Music Center)
Mayor Garcetti: LA is taking new urgent approach to homelessness As of the latest homeless count, 58,000 people are on the streets of greater Los Angeles. Why aren’t city and county leaders responding with the urgency of a natural disaster? L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti told Press Play’s Anna Scott that he has an emergency plan that includes pop-up shelters in some parking lots.
Ideas from other countries on solving LA's high cost housing problems Earlier this week, we hosted a live panel discussion at the Central Library to cap our podcast series “There Goes the Neighborhood,” about gentrification. Four guests with different perspectives talked about possible solutions to LA’s housing crisis. We get highlights from the event.
There Goes the Neighborhood LIVE: Solutions In this podcast bonus, four guests discuss solutions to high housing costs and gentrification in Los Angeles. Recorded live at the Central Library on Nov. 15 and moderated by "Press Play" host Madeleine Brand, this event was a companion to the KCRW-WNYC podcast series "There Goes the Neighborhood."
There Goes the Neighborhood: How food can symbolize gentrification Coffee, beer, and pizza are humble food items, but when they’re transformed into pour overs, craft brews, and are wood fired, they spell gentrification. “There Goes the Neighborhood” explores what happens when the new, artisanal business moves in. Rex Roberts and Lorena Jurado, owners of Little Ripper coffee shop in Glassell Park. (By Saul Gonzalez)
There Goes the Neighborhood: How artists change neighborhoods The art galleries and coffee shops that have moved into Boyle Heights over the past years have generated heated protests. Are artists to blame for luring real estate speculators who then drive up prices, forcing long-time residents out? Or are they also victims who can’t afford to live there? Get the podcast . Many in Downtown LA's Arts District are worried about pending evictions and getting pushed out. (Photo: Saul Gonzalez)
Film director James Toback at center of sexual harassment scandal Nearly 40 women have come forward with sexual harassment stories involving director James Toback. Many report that Toback first approached them in public in New York, promising entree to the movie business. KCRW’s Anna Scott shares her personal encounter with Toback, and we hear from the LA Times writer who broke the story.
There Goes the Neighborhood: The effects of house flipping The word “gentrification” probably brings up images of long-time tenants being forced out of an apartment -- in favor of some young tech worker with a beanie and an Audi. Well, that happens. But the issue is a lot more complicated. Get the podcast . Peter Schulberg does demo work on a craftsman home he's flipping in LA's Jefferson Park neighborhood. Peter bought the property for $578,000 and thinks he can sell it after renovations for $850,000. (Photo: Saul Gonzalez)
Industry insights and lessons learned from memorable guests We have interesting guests on The Business, and sometimes our conversations are too long to fit into one show. This week we give you stories that were too good to leave on the cutting room floor, including some sharp insights on making it in the industry from David Mandel, David Simon, Shawn Levy and Matt Reeves.
Jordan Peele: Get Out Comedian Jordan Peele joins Elvis Mitchell to discuss his directorial debut Get Out. (REPEAT)
Revisiting showrunner Steven Bochco on his memoir Steven Bochco, the writer-producer behind record-breaking Emmy winners Hill Street Blues, LA Law and NYPD Blue, fought battles with everyone from out-of-control actors to network censors in his long career. He isn’t afraid to tell those tales in his memoir, Truth Is a Total Defense. This week we revisit the conversation where he shared some of his favorite stories with us.
How do Trump supporters feel about the Paris Accord? Globally and around the U.S., there are strong opinions whether or not the Paris Climate Accord is a good idea. The American exit is either a horrifying abdication of American leadership or a forceful and long overdue statement about U.S. sovereignty.