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California City

Deep in the Mojave Desert, there is a little town with a big name and a bizarre history: California City. For decades, real estate developers have sold a dream here: if you buy land now, you’ll be rich one day. Thousands of people bought this dream. Many were young couples and hard-working immigrants looking to build a better future. But much of the land they bought is nearly worthless.  In this new podcast from LAist Studios, host Emily Guerin tells a story of money, power and deception. 

100 episodes

Episodes

Imperfect Paradise: On the ground for LA's historic ICE protests

00:38:306/13/2025

Imperfect Paradise: Return from Mexico

00:39:426/3/2025

Imperfect Paradise: How the Rent Brigade took on LA’s landlords

00:39:275/7/2025

Imperfect Paradise: From ranchers with guns to gurus with crystals: How extremism in the American West has evolved

00:26:034/30/2025

Imperfect Paradise: Can Oakland point the way for the future of liberal cities

00:34:504/23/2025

Imperfect Paradise: The fallout over LAFD funding: Bass vs. Crowley

00:36:134/16/2025

Imperfect Paradise: Rebuild or leave? One Black family in Altadena decides their future after Eaton Fire

00:40:254/9/2025

Imperfect Paradise: When the disinformation machine comes for you

00:39:404/2/2025

Imperfect Paradise: Meet the filmmakers who love AI

00:34:043/19/2025

Imperfect Paradise: How AI became a Hollywood villain – especially for animators

00:35:313/12/2025