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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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A California housing law grants generous benefits to builders who agree to only hire union workers. Trouble is, few if any builders found a way to do it.
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In a contentious hearing, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter said L.A. County's proposal was woefully inadequate.
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It’s a major jump from a previous proposal rejected by a judge, though still far short of the 3,000 additional mental health beds a county report found were needed as of 2019.
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“How do I say the state of the city is strong when 40,000 people are in tents?” L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said as she released her budget proposal.
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The Umeya facility will be demolished in the coming weeks to make way for 175 affordable units, half for unhoused people.
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The mayor wants to scale up her Inside Safe program to $250 million, and hire hundreds more police officers.