About Housing LA

From 1994 through 1999, the LA Working Group led SCANPH's LA City Policy agenda. In 1999 the LAWG folded into the Housing LA campaign. The campaign succeeded in winning the Trust Fund in 2001, but the struggle continues so the LA Working Group reconvened as the Housing LA Working Group in early 2003.

Why Join Housing LA?

Housing LA, the broad coalition that fought for and won Los Angeles's Housing Trust Fund, is now working to significantly increase the supply of safe, decent homes that people can afford. Our current housing crisis is tearing at the social and economic fabric of many Los Angeles neighborhoods. For many people - school teachers, health care workers, bus drivers, security officers, and many middle class professionals - our city's sky high rents and home prices are out of reach. To make ends meet, many employees live hours away from where they work. In the midst of great wealth, 48,000 homeless men, women and children sleep on the streets each night.

The housing market is broken. Most developers are only building expensive new apartments and houses. Some owners are also evicting poor and middle-class renters to convert their apartments to high-priced condominiums. The gap between the rich and the working poor - those who can afford housing and those who cannot - continues to widen. Hardworking people should be able to afford housing and still have enough money for groceries and other basic necessities. Creating more affordable housing that people can afford is necessary if we are to restore the middle class in Los Angeles.

It's time for our City Council to approve a comprehensive plan that gives everyone from all walks of life more housing choices: the choice of a home that meets your budget, the choice to stay in your neighborhood, the choice to live near your work, the choice to get off the street. With strong leadership, we can build many more homes that people can afford, as well as protect the ones we have.

In November 2006, we sent a clear message that we want the Mayor and Council Members to address the city's housing crisis. In 13 out of 15 council districts, strong majorities voted for new housing bonds, state Proposition 1C and local Proposition H. We know reliable and practical ways to increase housing choices do exist - if only the Mayor and City Council will take action.

Organizations That Have Endorsed Housing LA

1010 Development Group, A Community of Friends, ACLU of Southern California, AFSCME Local 685/LA County Probation Officers Union, Alcott Center for Mental Health Services, A New Way of Life, Architecture for Humanity Los Angeles, Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council, Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), Bethany Baptist Church of West Los Angeles, Beyond Shelter Housing Development Corporation, Blacksmith Records Inc., Blessed Sacrament Church, California Partnership – LA Chapter, Center for Food and Justice, Century Housing, Chinatown Service Center, Coalition for Responsible Community Development, Coalition for Economic Survival, Coalition LA, Community Build, Inc. , Community Benefits Law Center, Concerned Citizens of South Central Los Angeles, Corporation for Supportive Housing, East LA Community Corporation, Enterprise Community Partners, Esperanza Community Housing Corporation, Eviction Defense Network, Fair Housing Council of the San Fernando Valley, Figueroa Corridor Coalition for Economic Justice, Grant A.M.E. Church, Green LA, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, Hillview Mental Health Center, Hollywood Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Homeless Healthcare Los Angeles, Homies Unidos, Hunger Action L.A., Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance, Koreatown Resource Center, Koreatown Youth and Community Center, Inquilinos Unidos, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, District Council 36, LA Voice – Pico, Little Tokyo Service Center, Los Angeles Alliance for A New Economy, Los Angeles Coalition Against Hunger and Homelessness, Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, Los Angeles Family Housing, Los Angeles Housing Partnership, Los Angeles Metropolitan Churches, Los Angeles Neighborhood Housing Services, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, McCormack Baron Salazar, Methodist Foundation for Social Action – Cal-Pac Chapter, Mercy Housing, Pacoima Beautiful , PATH Ventures, People Organized for Westside Renewal, Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California, Progressive Jewish Alliance, Public Counsel, Rabbi Laura Geller, Ron Milam Consulting, San Fernando Mental Health Centers, SEIU Local 721, SEIU Local 1877, Skid Row Housing Trust, South Asian Network, Southern Christian Leadership Council of Greater Los Angeles, SRO Housing Corporation, St. Agatha Catholic Church, Temple Judea, The Blazers Foundation, The Canaan Group, Thai Community Development Center, Trinity Episcopal Church, UNITE HERE Local 11, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1442, United Long Term Care Workers Union, United Methodist Ministries – LAD, United University Church, United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Urban and Environmental Policy Institute , Valley Economic Development Center, Valley Interfaith Council, Venice Community Housing Corporation, Verde Coalition, W.O.R.K.S, Ward Economic Development Corporation, Watts/Century Latino Organization, Watts Labor Community Action Committee, West Angeles CDC, YWCA of Greater Los Angeles

Nine L.A. City Councilmembers sign Housing Pledge!



The housing crisis is tearing at the social and economic fabric of our neighborhoods. The City of Los Angeles needs a comprehensive plan that gives everyone from all walks of life more housing choices: the choice of a home that meets your budget, the choice to stay in your neighborhood, the choice to live near your work, the choice to get off the street.

I commit to working on behalf of and with LA Voice – PICO and the faith-based community, and Housing LA in the coming year to achieve the following:

1. Champion a citywide mixed-income housing policy

2. Work to dedicate permanent revenue sources to fully fund the Housing Trust Fund

3. Work on preserving existing housing units that are affordable

4. Support a comprehensive citywide tenant education campaign

In making my pledge, I commit to using my leadership to work with the Mayor and my colleagues on the City Council toward creating a comprehensive housing plan.

Signed,

Ed Reyes, Council District 1
Wendy Greuel, Council District 2
Richard Alarcon, Council District 7
Jan Perry, Council District 9
Herb Wesson, Council District 10
Bill Rosendahl, Council District 11
Eric Garcetti, Council District 13
Jose Huizar, Council District 14
Janice Hahn, Council District 15

City Council Committees Move Mixed Income Forward & Adopt Housing L.A.'s Recommended Draft Instructions (Updated November 2008)

On Wednesday, November 19th, over 100 community leaders, labor allies, clergy, and Housing L.A. endorsers attended the joint Housing, Community and Economic Development (HCED) and Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) hearing to pressure council members to instruct the Planning Department to draft the strongest Mixed-Income Housing Ordinance (MIHO) possible.

The day before the hearing the Los Angeles Daily News published an opinion piece by Housing L.A.'s Honorary Co-chair Laura Chick (Click to read the Op-Ed). In addition, over 35 organizations wrote letters in support of mixed income to the committee members (see below for a complete list).

Back in October Councilmembers Wesson and Reyes introduced motion calling for the Planning Department to draft a mixed-income housing ordinance.  Housing L.A. turned out in full force to strengthen the instructions and support the motion moving forward.  Housing L.A. also successfully pushed for a mixed-income policy that will produce homes at a range of incomes in all parts of the city, preserve apartments with modest rents, and be robust enough to have a significant impact.

Council members listened on as speaker after speaker urged the city to adopt these recommendations and testified to the critical need for producing and preserving affordable homes throughout Los Angeles. Labor allies giving excellent testimony were: Maria Elena Durazo of the L.A. County Federation of Labor, Tom Walsh of UNITE HERE Local 11, Kevin Norton of the International Brother of Electrical Workers Local 11,  Desmond Murray of the California Nurses Association, Teresa Sanchez of SEIU 721, and Robert Smith of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. In addition a number of people representing other Housing LA coalition members testified, including: Donna Rodriguez of ACORN, Ollie Jones of POWER, and Sr. Karen Collier of LA VOICE, Roxana Tynan, LAANE; Alicia Lara of the United Way of Greater Los Angeles; Larry Gross, Coalition for Economic Survival; Maria Tejada and Bilal Ali, Coalition LA; Ann Sewill, California Community Foundation; Grace Dyrness and Suzanne Kite, LA Coalition to End Hunger & Homelessness.  Also testifying in support were representatives from the LA County Democratic Club, the Justice & Peace Commission of the Archdiocese, Strategic Actions for a Just Economy, LA CAN, and Union de Vecinos.  All speakers showed great passion as they called for a strong mixed-income policy to help create neighborhoods that work for people from all walks of life.

In addition, former neighborhood council member Molly Rysman submitted a letter of support for a Mixed-Income Housing policy signed by 35 current and former members of neighborhood councils.

After hearing the compelling testimonies of these individuals and witnessing the presence of our broad coalition, PLUM Chair Councilmember Ed Reyes proposed adoption of the Housing L.A. recommendations.  Committee members all agreed, voting unanimously to adopt the recommended instructions.

The Planning Department now has 90 days to report back to HCED and PLUM with a draft mixed-income ordinance.  Housing L.A. thanks all our supporters and endorsers who submitted letters, turned out, and testified - all of which were instrumental in the success of the hearing.

List of organizations that submitted letters in support of a strong mixed-income housing ordinance:

A Community of Friends
Abode Communities
Adat Ari El
Blessed Sacrament Cathlic Church in Hollywood
California Community Foundation
First Baptist Church of Los Angeles
Green LA Coalition
Hollywood Seventh-day Adventist Church
Inquilinos Unidos
Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance
McCormack, Baron & Salazar
O.N.E. Company
Our Mother of Good Counsel Parish
Path Ventures
People Organized for Westside Renewal
PICO-LA Voice
Ron Milam Consulting
San Fernando Valley Interfaith Council
SCANPH
St. Agatha Church
Thai Community Development Center
The Peace Center of United University Church
The Ring Group
Trinity Episcopal Church
UNITE HERE Local 11
Valley Economic Development Center
Venice Community Housing Corporation
Verde Coalition
W.O.R.K.S.
Watts/Century Latino Organization
West Angeles Community Development Corporation

Homes for All Summit (Updated October 2008)



On the last Saturday in September, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, LA City Councilmember Herb Wesson, LA Labor leader Maria Elena Durazo and over 300 people gathered at UNITE HERE Local 11 for Housing LA’s “Homes for All Summit.”

Community members, union workers, grassroots organizations, church groups, and politicians from all different pockets of the city came together in solidarity for more affordable housing and for a Mixed-Income policy for Los Angeles.

Addressing the summit were community and union members across the income spectrum that face Los Angeles stubborn housing crisis every day. People like Justice for Janitors member Blanca Flores who has been cleaning office buildings for 15 years, but in order to make the high rent, doubles up with her sister’s family in a one-bedroom apartment.

“Too many ordinary people -- hotel workers, schoolteachers, computer programmers, carpenters -- cannot find homes they can afford. Even with home prices and interest rates falling, people still can’t afford to buy or even rent a decent home,” said Tom Walsh, President of UNITE-HERE Local 11.

“Even before the mortgage crisis, nearly all the new apartments and condos were luxury – way beyond the reach of all but a select few. In 2006, almost nine out of ten new apartments and condos were only affordable to people making over $90,000,” according to Mireya Peña, a leader with the LA Voice interfaith organization.



LA Councilmember Wesson and Mayor Villaraigosa committed to working with Housing LA on passing a mixed-income housing ordinance in Los Angeles. Two days later the Mayor unveiled his Five Year Housing Plan which includes a new mixed income ordinance for the city. The same week Councilmembers Wesson and Ed Reyes introduced a motion calling for a mixed-income housing ordinance. Hearings are expected in October and November.

The Housing LA campaign has gotten a lot of momentum these past few months and as we come down the home stretch we will be asking our friends and allies to come out and show support.

For more information:
LA Times http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-housing28-2008sep28,0,6390321.story
LA Observed http://www.laobserved.com/boyarsky/2008/09/affordable_housing_in_the_wors.php
KNBC video http://www.knbc.com/video/17575889/index.html


LA City Council Unanimously Adopts Housing Element Containing Strategies for Mixed-Income, Preservation and Funding the Housing Trust Fund (Updated August 2008)


City Councilmember Ed Reyes

Giving a big boost to the Housing LA 3-point plan, the LA City Council unanimously adopted the Housing Element update on Wednesday, August 13. The vote was in response to a housing crisis that affects all kinds of people across Los Angeles from families living in unsafe or overcrowded apartments to people commuting long distances and paying high gas process, from local businesses who can't find workers to seniors and young families being pushed out of their neighborhoods. The Housing Element is a blueprint for beefing up the City's policies over the next six years so that real progress can be made on the housing crisis.


Myung-Soo Seok of the LA County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO

Housing LA members gathered on the steps of City Hall to celebrate the victory. Joined by LA County Labor Federation's , United Way's Alicia Lara, Yvonne Mariajimenez of Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles, and Councilmembers Reyes, Huizar and Rosendahl, supporters heard from a wide variety of people whose lives have been touched by the housing crisis. Senior citizen Thelma Meredith lost her home of 42 years, a rent-controlled apartment, when it was demolished last year. Juan Carlos Aguilar, a special education teacher living in Hollywood, shared his fears of being pushed out of his home, an apartment in Hollywood, as his landlord remodels each apartment as it becomes vacant. And Kendra Moore, a single mom whose subsidized apartment is within five miles of her job, spoke about how her family has thrived thanks to living in stable community and organizing to win the kind of affordable housing that we are fighting for.

Pointing out that nearly all the new apartments and condominiums built during the previous boom were only affordable to those with the highest incomes, Housing LA successfully pushed a pro-active agenda to address the failure of the market. Housing LA achieved an important victory by getting programs included to craft a Mixed-Income Housing requirement and to find permanent funding for the Housing Trust Fund. Housing LA's successful push for a preservation policy that includes limits on condominium conversions and demolitions continued right up to the vote.


City Councilmembers Jose Huizar and Bill Rosendahl

Special thanks were extended to the nine City Council members who signed the Housing LA pledge and voted in favor of the Housing Element. Thank you Council Members Ed Reyes, Wendy Greuel, Richard Alarcon, Jan Perry, Herb Wesson, Bill Rosendahl, Eric Garcetti, Jose Huizar and Janice Hahn! Special thanks the staffs of CD 1, 10 & 13, for all their hard work.

Congratulations to all the Housing LA members who worked on the Housing Element from reviewing potential sites for building new affordable housing to attending Wednesday's hearing and press conference: LA Voice, ACORN, POWER, SCANPH, Public Counsel, LA CAN, East LA Community Corporation, Coalition LA, Coalition for Economic Survival, LA Community Design Center, Venice Community Housing Corporation, Inquilinos Unidos, PATH, Mercy Housing CA, Little Tokyo Service Center, Clinica Romero, Western Center on Law & Poverty, LA Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness, and countless others.

Contact Housing LA:

Madeline Wander, Housing LA Organizer
Southern Califonia Association of NonProfit Housing
Phone 213.480.1249 x254
Fax 213.481.1788