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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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Many low-income unhoused people rely on Section 8 or emergency housing vouchers to access Los Angeles’ pricey rental market. The housing authority plays a critical role. -
That’s because the new law — while providing protections for rent relief applicants throughout the state — strips stronger protections from many tenants in L.A. County by superseding a new county ordinance. -
Affordable housing takes years to build. Unhoused advocates say temporary solutions aren’t good enough. What’s the way forward for solving L.A.’s housing crisis? -
The state will stop taking new rent relief applications after March 31. If tenants don’t apply, they could soon face eviction. -
The pandemic has exacerbated existing patterns of "fewer births, an aging population, and increased mortality," according to the Census. But also: housing costs. -
Home prices rose nearly 20% last year, in large part because the U.S. is several million homes short of demand. Builders say the pandemic is partly to blame, but the problem goes deeper than that.
