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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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Undercover testers were deployed to find out if landlords discriminate against Section 8 tenants. The results suggest voucher refusal remains common.
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As Los Angeles County shifts millions in homeless services spending from LAHSA, officials are placing a big bet on Housing for Health, a health-centered model to address the homeless crisis.
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LA homeless agency refuses to release records on $800,000 in payouts for wrongful termination claimsThe government agency known as LAHSA settled wrongful termination claims with two former executives of the agency last month and is alleging the public cannot see the records. “That is something the public absolutely has the right to know,” said public records attorney David Loy.
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The county will fund homeless prevention at 25% of last year's levels.
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Officials are asking what qualifications you think the department's leader should have.
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UCLA and Rand researchers say Measure ULA has decreased new apartment development, including some units that would have gone to low-income renters.