-
Listen Listen
David Wagner
What I cover
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.
My background
I’ve been helping people understand their rights, housing market trends, policy changes and the solutions being proposed to fix the region’s housing crisis for more than five years.
My goals
I want my coverage to help renters, landlords and anyone else affected by L.A.’s affordability issues navigate the region’s ongoing housing crisis.
Best way to reach me
I would love to hear from you if you have questions or concerns related to housing in Southern California. You can reach out by email. I'm at dwagner@laist.com. Or, if you have a tip you’d like to share more privately, you can reach me on Signal. My username is @reporterdavidwagner.38. For instructions on getting started with Signal, see the app's support page.
Stories by David Wagner
-
Skid Row Housing Trust receiver Mark Adams told the judge if he can’t secure operational funding soon, security guards will walk off the job.
-
Renters at Barrington Plaza want a judge to block their multibillion-dollar landlord from evicting them under California’s Ellis Act.
-
Under the settlement, state officials will spell out why applications were denied — and give tenants a path to appeal the decision.
-
L.A. County landlords file thousands of evictions every month, and most tenants can’t get a lawyer. Here’s what happens when they go to court.
-
L.A. will be part of a new federal initiative to reduce homelessness by 25% over the next two years.
-
On average, two unhoused people in L.A. County died from overdoses every day in 2020 and 2021.
-
A new study finds drawn-out city approvals and slow electrical hookups contribute to L.A.’s ongoing housing shortage.
-
A new report finds that the region’s homeless services sector rarely pays workers a living wage.
-
A massive fire broke out at Barrington Plaza in 2020. The landlords say they must clear everyone out to install sprinklers.
-
Los Angeles is the center of U.S. clothing production. But garment workers worry new housing could push them out of downtown’s Fashion District.
-
In 1980, two-thirds of Californians aged 35 to 45 owned a home. A new study finds that number is now less than 40%.
-
The new community plans, which have been in the works for decades, aim to bring 135,000 new homes to Hollywood and Downtown L.A.
