Los Angeles Affordable Housing

Los Angeles Affordable Housing

Why aren’t some housing advocates supporting Measure JJJ?

by Alissa Walker Nov 7, 2016, 3:00pm PST

Trade groups and unions are supporting the ballot measure, which would require developers to incorporate affordable housing into their residential projects. But some experts say it doesn’t go far enough.

7 comments

Historic Downtown hotel turning into affordable housing

by Elijah Chiland Oct 30, 2016, 1:31pm PDT

The century-old Panama Hotel has long served as a temporary shelter for residents of Skid Row, but now the building is being converted into permanent housing. The eco-friendly project seeks to preserve the hotel's historic features.

9 comments

Only 34 affordable housing units were built last year in Santa Monica

by Jenna Chandler@jennakchandler Oct 27, 2016, 3:53pm PDT

Under a mandate approved by voters in 1990, the city of Santa Monica is supposed to require 30 percent of all new apartments and condos be designated affordable. It’s only met the benchmark half the time.

9 comments

This map shows where LA can build to close its housing gap

by Elijah Chiland Oct 27, 2016, 11:01am PDT

The cost of housing in California is becoming increasingly out of reach to many Californians. A new study argues that major cities like Los Angeles need to build much more supply using available land that is already zoned for multifamily use.

22 comments

Affordable apartments tenants are now unsure about redevelopment

by Elijah Chiland Oct 24, 2016, 5:00pm PDT

A group of renters at an affordable apartment complex in Exposition Park is anxious about finding housing while the apartments are redeveloped into a larger community. They also have their doubts about the nonprofits behind the project.

2 comments

Los Angeles Affordable Housing

LAUSD built affordable housing for teachers who earn 'too much' to live there

by Bianca Barragan Oct 20, 2016, 11:11am PDT

A new teacher working for the Los Angeles Unified School District earns about $50,000 a year. That's too much to qualify for the affordable housing that was built for them, but probably not enough to afford a market-rate two-bedroom in Los Angeles.

14 comments

$65M state grant will fund hundreds of affordable housing units across LA

by Elijah Chiland Oct 13, 2016, 11:33am PDT

The money is for projects that include the redevelopment of Watt's Jordan Downs and a six-story mixed user near subway stops in Westlake, plus it will help bring nearly 350 units of housing and services to formerly homeless residents.

2 comments

1,569 renters applied to live in this affordable housing complex

by Bianca Barragan Sep 30, 2016, 2:42pm PDT

The 66-unit building is 100 percent leased and it hasn't even opened yet. More than half of the units were earmarked for LAUSD employees; the remainder were set aside for local families.

10 comments

LA has the lowest homeownership rate in the US

by Elijah Chiland Aug 18, 2016, 3:49pm PDT

A new report from Apartment List shows LA continues to have the lowest rate of homeownership in the country—and it has dropped significantly since the beginning of the recession nearly a decade ago. Meanwhile, the cost to rent is on the rise.

7 comments

Los Angeles Affordable Housing

Los Angeles is one of the worst cities for young homebuyers

by Jeff Wattenhofer Jul 28, 2016, 4:07pm PDT

It seems like we can never bring you good news when it comes to buying a home in Los Angeles. Bloomberg blames that on too much demand and too little supply. Plus, on average, we're making $20K less than what's needed to make a house payment.

5 comments

Highland Park renters are going on strike

by Jeff Wattenhofer Jul 22, 2016, 1:55pm PDT

Some 50 tenants are protesting a staggering $1,000 rent hike. The North East Los Angeles Alliance, a community activist group, has been working to organize tenants into a unified front in their fight against new owners, Skya Ventures and Gelt Inc.

14 comments

Los Angeles Affordable Housing

There's a handy new guide on Los Angeles renters' rights

by Jeff Wattenhofer Jul 12, 2016, 3:41pm PDT

Mayor Eric Garcetti launches a campaign to target the city's "most vulnerable" renters. A new guidebook, plus ads and flyers, will teach tenants living in rent-controlled units about everything from rent hikes to evictions.

10 comments

Is LA rent too damn high?

by Elijah Chiland Jul 6, 2016, 9:20pm PDT

A new affordable housing advocacy group called Abundant Housing LA is hosting an "LA Rent is Too Damn High" pizza party Thursday to discuss ways to advocate for the creation of more housing in Los Angeles.

17 comments

Hollywood apartment building becoming a hotel

by Elijah Chiland Jun 30, 2016, 5:29pm PDT

In spite of an uproar from tenant advocates, the city will allow a developer to turn a rent-controlled apartment building into a boutique hotel. Tenants of the building were evicted three years ago, and many did not receive relocation funds.

6 comments

Median price of a starter home in LA: $334,000

by Elijah Chiland Jun 24, 2016, 7:51am PDT

Many homes in that price range are in South Los Angeles and parts of Long Beach. A report from Trulia says an average Angeleno would have to set aside 89 percent of their monthly income to afford a starter home.

6 comments

Affordable housing initiative officially added to November ballot

by Elijah Chiland Jun 22, 2016, 9:45pm PDT

The city council has officially added the Build Better LA Initiative to the November ballot. It would require developers to add affordable housing units to many large projects.

11 comments

Los Angeles Affordable Housing

LA Courting Landlords So They'll Take Section 8

by Bianca Barragan May 20, 2016, 1:32pm PDT

It's legal to discriminate against Section 8 renters in California, and a tight rental market means it's extra hard for those people to find a place that will take them, so the city is offering an array of incentives to landlords.

11 comments

Pro-Development Measure Headed For LA's Fall Ballot

by Elijah Chiland May 17, 2016, 9:49am PDT

The Build Better LA Initiative has gathered enough petition signatures to appear on ballots this fall. The plan would require developers build more affordable housing units and hire local workers.

7 comments

Governor Wants to Speed Up Affordable Development

by Elijah Chiland May 14, 2016, 12:10pm PDT

A new plan from California Governor Jerry Brown would speed up the approval process for affordable development throughout the state by allowing developers to skip certain stages in the local permitting and review process.

8 comments

LA Has a Plan to Legalize Bootleg Apartments

by Elijah Chiland May 10, 2016, 9:05pm PDT

The amnesty program will make it easier for landlords caught renting illegal units to continue housing those tenants; the bill seeks to better address the hundreds of illegal units that building inspectors find each year throughout Los Angeles.

5 comments

The Plan to Help Venice's Homeless

by Bianca Barragan Apr 18, 2016, 12:02pm PDT

While Los Angeles's nearly-$2-billion plan to alleviate the city's homelessness crisis is still in the "finding funding" stages, a plan proposed for Venice would include storage, bathrooms, and eventually housing for homeless residents.

7 comments

Handsome Supportive Housing Opens in Westlake

by Bianca Barragan Apr 11, 2016, 1:49pm PDT

This lovely building holds 52 apartments for formerly homeless veterans and disabled people. The complex has gardens, courtyards, and on-site support services to help the tenants, and is expected to receive LEED Gold certification.

4 comments

Shocking Number of Angelenos Worried About Losing Homes

by Elijah Chiland Apr 6, 2016, 8:10pm PDT

A new UCLA survey shows Angelenos are struggling to meet basic needs like food and shelter, even if they make north of $100k. Nearly a third of all respondents have recently worried about falling into homelessness.

10 comments

Rent-Control Evictions Have Doubled Since 2013

by Elijah Chiland Apr 2, 2016, 11:00am PDT

A new LA Times report shows that more than 1,000 rent-controlled units were taken off the market in 2015, and 20,000 have left since 2001. Meanwhile, landlords may be using threats of eviction to buyout tenants.

3 comments

Landmark South LA Funeral Home to Become Housing

by Bianca Barragan Mar 25, 2016, 4:38pm PDT

A former funeral home designated as historic at both a local and national level is about to get a new life as part of a modest affordable housing project in Historic South-Central. The Angelus Funeral Home was originally designed by Paul R. Williams.

1 comment

9 Ways LA Could Pay For Its Plan to End Homelessness

by Jeff Wattenhofer Mar 24, 2016, 1:46pm PDT

It will cost $1.85 billion over 10 years to end homelessness in Los Angeles (supposedly). The LA City Council has come up with four new fees, five new taxes, and one potential bond measure that they think could raise the funds.

4 comments

First Look at the LGBT Center's Stylish New Campus

by Bianca Barragan Mar 18, 2016, 5:28pm PDT

Located just about a block away from the storied gay club Circus Disco, which is soon to be demolished, this new project will bring housing for oldsters and youngsters to the neighborhood.