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.
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Facing new legal action to comply with state housing laws, the Orange County city has announced its own plan to sue the state. -
L.A.’s home sharing ordinance was passed in 2018. But researchers say many listings continue to break the law, and the city fails to collect fines. -
L.A. landlords are legally required to provide indoor heating. Here’s what renters need to know if they’re not getting it. -
Most people in L.A. are renters — but most of their political representatives are not. Why that’s starting to change. -
The idea of a renter’s right to counsel has been floated in L.A. for years. With new voter-approved funding, plans are moving forward. -
L.A. County renters are losing COVID-19 protections, but other safeguards will remain in place. -
The city’s law regulating vacation rentals is more than three years old, but a new study suggests violations are rampant. -
The need for affordable housing in L.A. continues to far exceed the number of vouchers available to low-income renters. -
Bob Hertzberg and Lindsey Horvath are vying to represent District 3. The winner will join a five-member board that oversees a county of about 10 million residents, more than the population of most states. -
Despite COVID rent freezes, tenants still get demands from landlords to pay more. Whether they can fight back depends on where they live.
