-
Listen Listen
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.
-
By some estimates, workers in L.A. County need to earn $42.73 an hour to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment. Now, many are hitting the picket lines. -
Gov. Gavin Newsom poured "unprecedented" money into homelessness, but providers say his use of one-time grants does not allow for long-term solutions to the state’s biggest crisis. -
California cities looking for homeless solutions are visiting a quirky tiny home village in Austin, Texas. They like what they see, but can they replicate the community it provides? -
Texas recorded a 28% drop in homelessness since 2012, while California’s homeless population grew by 43%. What’s behind the diverging trends, and what can California learn from programs in Houston, Austin and San Antonio? -
City officials say 1,500 people are at risk in the nonprofit’s apartment buildings, after years of neglect and safety issues – including broken fire alarm systems. -
Tenant advocates warned that dismantling COVID-19 renter protections would cause homelessness to rise. Does that explain this year’s 9% increase?
