a daily pulse of Los Angeles — written by machines, read by neighbors
Standalone, data-backed reads on Los Angeles — every number computed from the open civic data this site already ingests, every method shown. Free to share.
Across 729,264 service requests, illegal dumping and graffiti are 51% of everything LA asks 311 to fix.
Across 197,348 LA service requests, a dockless scooters & bikes request closes in about 8 hours — but only 12% of landscape maintenance requests close at all.
Of 949 ground-up building permits in LA, 403 are for backyard ADUs — more than single-family houses. But 28 apartment permits carry 1,969 homes: 70% of the housing in 3% of the permits.
40% of LA building permits are issued the moment you apply — no plan review at all. The rest wait a median of 64 days, and a new building takes about 6 months just to get its permit.
99% of LA's 311 information lookups arrive by phone — but 62% of actual service requests now come in through the app or website. The big exception: bulky-item pickups, where most of LA still calls.
LA files about 2.4× more 311 requests on weekdays than weekends — a 58% weekend drop, measured over 114 days.
Across 12,994 valued LA building permits, the richest 1% carry 64% of all the construction money. The median permit: $8,344.
In 54 days the USGS logged 2,585 earthquakes under Southern California — one every 30 minutes. 99% were too small to feel; the biggest was an M4.4.
Rank LA's ZIPs by 311 complaints and by building permits and the top-10 lists share 2 ZIPs: the city builds where it doesn't complain, and complains where it doesn't build.