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Building Your Block
A newsletter course from LAist that explains the obstacles around housing development in L.A. and what you can do to make things better.
We know there’s a housing shortage in L.A., and it’s created major challenges for the region. But try to understand how to fix the problem and it gets murky, fast. We need more housing, but where can we actually build it? Why does it seem like all the new buildings going up are luxury apartments? Why isn’t there enough affordable housing? And most importantly: What can you actually do to support the housing you want to see in L.A.?
These are just some of the questions that Building Your Block will tackle in this seven-issue newsletter course.
Think of it as your starter guide to the conversations L.A. is having about housing development, plus we’ll bring you some real talk on what you can do to advocate for the housing future you want.
What can I expect?
Over seven issues, we’ll cover everything from how zoning rules determine what gets built and where, to why there’s so little affordable housing.
We’ll cap it all off with a long list of ideas you can put into action to influence housing decisions in your backyard, your city and beyond.
How often will you email me?
This newsletter has seven issues in total. Once you sign up, you’ll get one new issue a day until it’s done.
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Fifteen years ago Los Angeles passed a law to preserve residential hotels as housing of last resort. Now, amid the homelessness crisis, Capital & Main and ProPublica found some hotels may be violating that law by offering rooms to tourists. -
Plaintiffs argued the ban was overly broad and discriminated against people living in their vehicles, especially people with disabilities. -
The renters’ caucus is pushing to win both protections and political clout for the state’s 17 million renters. -
The homeless program has moved nearly 1,400 people into hotels and motels, but just 77 have secured long-term housing. L.A. Mayor Karen Bass reacted to the newly revealed figure on LAist’s AirTalk. -
The California Coastal Commission has broad authority to protect the state’s shoreline. Now, some want to curtail its power over affordable housing proposals. -
Tents may be the public face of homelessness across the region, but more people are living in vehicles. People living in their vans skyrocketed 44%.
