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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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Facing $22 million in reduced funding, L.A. County officials have decided to close parks two days per week and increase entrance fees.
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One year ago, Los Angeles received recommendations for updating a decades-old rent control formula. But the City Council still hasn’t scheduled a vote.
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CalAssist Mortgage Fund offers up to three months of mortgage payments for homeowners who lost their homes in the Eaton and Palisades fires.
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Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority CEO says the embattled agency won’t have enough funding to carry out the 2026 count.
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L.A. permitted about 17,000 new homes last year. To keep pace toward its 2029 goals, the city needs to approve more than triple that number each year.
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Local officials have told tenants to sue landlords who refuse to clean post-fire smoke damage. A new lawsuit seeks to require inspections and enforcement.
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Price gouging exploded after LA fires. Community rent hike investigators ask: Where are the charges?More than 1,300 Zillow listings appeared to illegally raise rents in the early days after the fires. Four months later, few criminal cases have been filed.
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The new LAX/Metro Transit Center station will open in June. But a direct connection with the airport won’t be ready until next year.
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Say goodbye to the 9ZZZ999 format. Sometime next year, California drivers will start receiving license plates with a reversed configuration.
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The horse with the newsy name recently won the Santa Anita Derby and is seen as a favorite to win the Kentucky Derby on May 3.
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L.A. resident Samuel Patrick Groft was taken into custody Tuesday on suspicion of felony vandalism.
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On top of layoffs and budget cuts, the mayor’s budget proposal includes a pessimistic outlook for the city’s housing market in the upcoming year.
