Today on AirTalk, we discuss potential rent relief options for Californians as the pandemic continues to take an economic toll on them. Also on the show, we update you on the latest COVID-19 news and answer your questions; breakdown what's going on with the stock market and Gamestop; and more.
Should CA ‘Cancel’ Rent? Stakeholders Discuss Rent Relief Options Amid The Pandemic
COVID-19 has hit low-income renters the hardest.
In a Jan. 19 report, California’s Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates the state’s renters owe $400 million in unpaid rent because of financial hardship tied to the pandemic, down from initial estimates, which were as high as $1.7 billion.
Federal, state and local eviction moratoriums have temporarily staunched the bleeding, but eventually, rent is going to come due -- and without intervention, lead to a wave of evictions and people sliding into homelessness. Eviction cases are projected to double over the next year.
Activists want city, county and state leaders to “cancel rent” – but what does that look like? What kind of support would be most effective? And how would landlords keep making their mortgage payments?
There’s an urgent deadline looming at the end of the week: Currently, the state’s eviction moratorium ends Jan. 31, but new Gov. Newsom and Democratic leaders in the legislature agreed to a proposal, SB 91, to extend the eviction moratorium until June 30 and create a rent subsidy program with 2.6 billion in federal funds.
Many observers say it falls far short of what’s needed, and leaves tenants’ fates up to their landlords -- but some form of a plan has to be approved ASAP to avoid mass evictions.
We dive into rental debt during the pandemic and options for addressing rent relief.
With guest host Libby Denkmann
Guests:
Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino), state assemblymember representing California’s 45th district, which includes Calabasas, Sherman Oaks and Northridge; he’s a member of the State Assembly’s Committee of Housing and Community Development; he tweets
Shanti Singh, communications and legislative director for Tenants Together, a statewide coalition of local tenant organizations for renters’ rights
Debra Carlton, executive vice president of state public affairs for the California Apartment Association, the statewide trade group representing owners, investors, developers, managers and suppliers of rental homes and apartment communities; she tweets
DOC AMA: Community Concerns About Receiving Second Vaccine Dose, Drug-Resistant Infections & More
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Peter Chin-Hong from UCSF.
Topics today include:
You got your first COVID-19 vaccine shot, but will you be able to get the second one?
Essential workers, disability advocates fear being left out as California shifts to age-based COVID-19 vaccine priority
With all eyes on COVID-19, drug-resistant infections crept in
Shape-shifting virus threatens cycles of illness, lockdowns
Racial inequities in Los Angeles COVID-19 vaccine rollout raise concern
Johnson & Johnson expects to report COVID-19 vaccine results by next week
COVID-19 spread appears limited in schools when precautions followed, CDC says
Why shaming people won't change pandemic behavior
New USC survey shows people are letting their guards down on protective measures
With guest host Libby Denkmann
Guest:
Peter Chin-Hong, M.D., infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the UCSF Medical Center; he tweets
The Real Wolves Of Wall Street: What’s Going On With Reddit, Gamestop And The Stock Market?
A David and Goliath saga is unfolding in financial markets over the stock price of struggling retail chain GameStop. On Wednesday, Goliath walked away from the battle. Two Goliaths, actually.
A pair of professional investment firms that placed big bets that money-losing video game retailer GameStop's stock will crash have essentially admitted defeat. The victor, for now at least, is a volunteer army of smaller investors who have been rallying on Reddit and elsewhere online to support GameStop's stock and beat back the professionals. GameStop's stock surged as high as $380 Wednesday morning, after sitting below $18 just a few weeks ago.
GameStop's stock has long been the target of investors betting that its stock will fall as it struggles in an industry increasingly going online. The retailer lost $1.6 billion over the last 12 quarters, and its stock fell for six straight years before rebounding in 2020. That pushed investors to sell GameStop's stock short. Essentially, these short sellers borrowed shares of GameStop and sold them in hopes of buying them back later at a lower price and pocketing the difference. At the same time, smaller investors gathering on social media have been exhorting each other to keep pushing the stock higher. The battle has created big losses for major Wall Street players who shorted the stock. As GameStop's stock soared and some of the critics got out of their bets, they had to buy GameStop shares to do so. That can accelerate gains even more, creating a feedback loop. As of Tuesday, the losses had already topped $5 billion in 2021, according to S3 Partners.
Today on AirTalk, we’ll dive deeper into GameStop’s big day on Wall Street on Tuesday, how Reddit and the internet played a role, and what the surge of short-selling driven by internet message boards means for stock trading overall.
With guest host Libby Denkmann
Guest:
Katie Greifeld, markets reporter for Bloomberg who’s been following this; she tweets
Acknowledging, Assessing And Addressing Racism Within The Fantasy Genre
The fantasy role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons has editions that date back to the 1970s. While the game is made up of mythical characters and spells that can be cast, its depiction of race and gender are anything but a fantasy.
The Dungeon Master uses the rule book to narrate the story that allows players to decide the actions of their characters. According to a recent piece in WIRED, “genetic determinism is a fantasy tradition.” Game makers are starting to grapple with the deeply ingrained stereotyping that exists. But experts recognize that changing a few rules here and there only goes so far. So where does the fantasy genre of gaming go from here and how can it increase representation? Today on AirTalk, we talk with experts who have been following this. Do you have thoughts or questions? Give us a call at 866-893-5722.
With guest host Libby Denkmann
If you're interested in learning more about role-playing games from BIPOC & LGBTQ+ game makers, here are just a few places to start:
Guests:
Aaron Trammell, assistant professor of informatics and core faculty in Visual Studies at UC Irvine, he writes about inclusivity in geek culture and how tabletop games inform the lived experiences of their players, he's also editor-in-chief of Analog Game Studies; he tweets
Antero Garcia, assistant professor at Stanford University, where he studies how tech and gaming shape youth learning, his recent research recent research explores learning and literacies in tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons; he tweets
Vice President Kamala Harris And The Contemporary And Historical Influence of Black Sororities
When Kamala Harris assumed the vice presidency and became the first Black person, South Asian person and woman to hold the office, she wore a string of pearls to mark the occasion.
For members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority— the first sorority to be founded by Black women— the image was a familiar one. Harris has been a member of the sorority since she was a teenager at Howard University, and has often been seen out in the string of pearls AKAs are known for. As a part of the “Divine 9” (as the group of historically Black sororities and fraternities are known) AKA’s history dates back to 1908, when it was founded by nine college students at Howard University. These days, there are many primarily Black Greek organizations in addition to the Divine 9 at colleges and universities throughout the United States. Their influence can be lifelong, providing community and friendship to members for many years after college.
Today on AirTalk, we’re hearing more about the lifelong community provided by historically Black sororities. Are you part of a primarily Black sorority? What has your experience been like? We want to hear from you! Comment below or give us a call at 866-893-5722.
With guest host Libby Denkmann
Guests:
Erika D. Smith, columnist for the Los Angeles Times and author of the recent piece, “How Kamala Harris’ decision to join a sorority helped her become vice president”; she tweets
Shelby Boagni, regional director of the Far Western Region of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, which encompasses nine states, including California