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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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In recent years, county officials have run into resistance from cities that are reluctant to host shelters. -
The city estimates 7,500 homes are being illegally rented through online booking platforms. Here’s how they plan to crack down before the Olympics. -
California and federal prosecutors have accused software company RealPage of enriching itself ”at the expense of renters who pay inflated prices.” -
Many California cities offer their homeless residents one-way bus tickets to other places. -
With a stay now granted by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, work on any new housing will be put on ice until April. -
Before her time at L.A.’s homeless services agency, Lilly Simmering oversaw a county government department in Orange County that greenlit millions of taxpayer dollars to a nonprofit now embroiled in a fraud scandal.
