David Wagner
Housing Reporter
(he/him)
I cover housing in Southern California, a place where ever-rising rents and a persistent lack of affordable housing have led to many living on the edge of homelessness. I help people understand their rights, housing market trends, policy changes and the solutions being proposed to fix the region’s housing crisis.
I grew up in Anaheim, where my parents had the car radio constantly tuned to LAist 89.3 (formerly KPCC). Before coming to KPCC and LAist, I covered science for the NPR affiliate in San Diego, KPBS.
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Following uproar from homeowners and local elected leaders, a state law allowing denser housing in single-family areas will no longer apply to the Pacific Palisades. -
Starting Aug. 1, a state rent control law will limit annual increases to 8%. The region’s ceiling on rent hikes has been 8.9% over the last year.
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Should Palisades and Altadena homeowners be able to build duplexes on their burned lots? Some state and local officials say no.
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Starting Aug. 1, the city will decrease rent subsidies for its federally funded Section 8 housing vouchers, leaving 60,000 households stuck with fewer places to go.
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Facing budget shortfalls, local governments are now asking philanthropists to help provide cash assistance and rent relief to families with detained workers.
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The district attorney’s office has not filed any charges for post-fire price gouging. Now, county leaders want the ability to issue daily fines of up to $1,000 per violation.
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A new study finds promising early results from a program that tries to find and assist those most at risk of becoming unhoused.
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Ahead of July 4th celebrations, stockpiles of fireworks exploded inside homes in Pacoima and Simi Valley.
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L.A. homeowners are building thousands of backyard units. A new City Council motion aims to let them sell, and not just rent out, those ADUs.
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Civil rights groups allege feds have targeted people based on skin color and blocked detainees from seeing lawyers. Officials say actions have been lawful and “highly targeted.”
Stories by David Wagner
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