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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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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Weaker state rules superseded L.A. County eviction protections in April.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.
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In March, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said Pasadena was violating SB9. The city’s mayor says Bonta had it wrong all along.
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Named after the late Jeopardy! host, the Trebek Center will bring 107 shelter beds to a community that currently has none.
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When the state closed its rent relief program on April 1, many tenants still waiting for funds suddenly faced eviction.
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Promising to ensure the state remains a haven for abortion access, Newsom said. “We will affirm the currently constitutionally protected rights of women and girls.”
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Is the county’s plan to appoint a new homelessness leader a real solution? Or just shifting deck chairs on the Titanic?
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Voters could soon be asked to raise homelessness funding in the city by taxing home sales of $5 million or more.