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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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Months after the county cited a property for roaches, holes in the walls and lack of hot water, tenants say problems haven’t been fixed. Activists say it’s just one example of a larger problem. -
L.A. saw a 23% drop in shelter beds due to COVID-19 concerns, but a 34% increase in private rooms and spaces with the help of programs like Project Roomkey. -
Residents of the Imperial Avalon Mobile Estates say the closure of their park will leave them with no affordable housing. -
California has improved language accessibility for tenants seeking rent relief after coming under harsh criticism from housing advocates. -
Mary's Kitchen has served the unhoused in Orange County for nearly 30 years; now it's challenging the city of Orange's decision to terminate its lease. -
At one point, the button for "return" read as "go back to your country, applicant" in Chinese. At issue: the state housing department’s heavy reliance on Google Translate.
