LA Podcast - Shelter Skelter

Alissa and Mike are joined by guest co-host Laura Raymond for a whole episode on homelessness and housing. Gavin Newsom orders cities to ban visible homelessness, again. Is Measure ULA’s “mansion tax” stifling housing production in the city of LA? And post-fire Altadena is championing new models of property ownership to combat speculation and displacement. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

“There are no more excuses.” Gavin Newsom wants homeless people to go away but isn’t necessarily offering permanent housing

“Tough Talk, Bad Policy”: Mike’s story on Newsom’s ongoing attempts to criminalize encampments

Under Karen Bass’s leadership, the Mayor’s Fund pivoted to homelessness prevention, and, according to a new LMU study of 30,000 program participants, is keeping people housed: “Nearly 75% of survey participants reported improved housing stability after seeking help from We Are LA”

LAist reported that auditors in Judge David Carter’s court couldn’t verify 1,400 new shelter beds. LAHSA issued a statement claiming the funding data about the shelter beds has been shared

Whistleblowers at LAHSA claimed that outgoing director Va Lecia Adams Kellum “withheld accurate data about Mayor Karen Bass’ signature homelessness program, Inside Safe, ‘because [Adams] Kellum did not want Mayor Bass to look bad'”

LACAHSA, the LA County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency, is LA’s regional housing agency that’s funded by one-third of Measure A dollars. You can find upcoming meeting information here

“We are setting up the infrastructure where we can actually create more affordable housing.” Read Alissa’s Report Forward interview with LA County Supervisor and inaugural LACAHSA board chair Holly Mitchell: “What is LACAHSA and how can it prevent homelessness?”

The United to House LA city dashboard includes all sorts of information about what Measure ULA dollars are doing

UCLA Lewis Center’s report: “The Unintended Consequences of Measure ULA”

See the United to House LA coalition’s letter of opposition to state legislation AB 698

“Compounding Disaster: A Spatial Analysis of Housing Risk and Speculation in Post-Fire Altadena”: a new report by SAJE

“As developers swoop in post LA fires, one nonprofit offers an alternative to Altadena sellers,” writes Josie Huang in LAist 

State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez introduced SB 658, which would create a Community Opportunity to Purchase Program

Alissa’s Report Forward on social housing models in Vienna

Community ownership and land banking are the topline recommendations of a preliminary report from the UCLA Blue Ribbon Commission on Climate Action and Fire-Safe Recovery. A LA Times story about the preliminary report includes commentary from Mike

“In Altadena, the fire’s embers have been extinguished, but a new threat is spreading. In order to stave off an impending land grab and community displacement, state and local leaders must act quickly to establish a community land banking strategy.” Doug Smith’s essay for Think Forward

“The right kind of government action can peel back layers of inequality and redirect our region towards a more just, environmentally resilient future.” Alfonso Directo’s essay for Think Forward

Produced by Sophie Bridges

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