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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 .
Stories by David Wagner
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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.”
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Most L.A. apartments are covered by the city’s decades-old rent control law. New limits on annual rent hikes take effect July 1 without reforms that have been waiting for a City Council vote.
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Legal aid and rent relief for L.A. tenants facing eviction is set to continue after the City Council voted to temporarily extend a contract the city attorney refused to sign.
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After the LA fires, mortgage companies promised to give devastated homeowners a break. Some have notBorrowers who lost homes tell LAist their banks are not following the rules of a state mortgage relief program. Some have been told they could face foreclosure.
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An order against hiking rents more than 10% after January’s wildfires was set to expire on July 1. The L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted to extend it until July 31.
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Renters have been getting legal aid and rent relief through Stay Housed L.A. for years. If Hydee Feldstein Soto lets the city’s contract lapse, those services could end June 30.
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Two-thirds of undocumented households were already burdened by L.A. housing costs. With breadwinners locked up and workplaces closed, paying rent is only getting harder.
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One of the state’s largest landlords — the man at the center of an LAist investigation — is being sued for allegedly letting his properties fall into dangerous disrepair.
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Two L.A. City Council members are putting forward a new proposal that could let developers skip on-site parking, with the goal of creating more housing.
