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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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Despite COVID rent freezes, tenants still get demands from landlords to pay more. Whether they can fight back depends on where they live.
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We asked L.A. drivers what it would take for them to go car-free.
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Backers say SB 679 would centralize affordable housing efforts across a divided region. Opponents say it could lead to higher taxes on homeowners.
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The Bell Gardens city council voted to advance a plan that caps annual rent hikes at 4%, joining Pomona in adopting new rent controls.
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Featured in countless true crime stories, the downtown L.A. hotel has had a rough start in getting tenants into the building.
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State and local laws meant to stop massive rent hikes are now allowing double-digit increases. Why? Blame inflation.
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Cockroaches, suspected mold and exposed wires are just some of the problems found in a recent inspection of the troubled landlord’s property.
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Weaker state rules superseded L.A. County eviction protections in April. But now, the county’s rules are coming back.
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For more than two years, L.A. has protected renters from evictions and rent hikes. Now, the city council wants to “reassess” those rules.
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Tenants facing large rent hikes cheered a City Council vote to acquire their building. But the landlord doesn’t want to sell.
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Tenants at the Chesapeake apartments still deal with mold, pests and leaking sewage despite years of complaints and an LAist investigation exposing neglect.
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A portion of the state’s record budget surplus would go toward low-income renters who applied for help before March 31.
