Goldsmith Housing/Homelessness Q2
The issue of housing affordability can be tied directly to economic justice. Liberty Hill recently co-published a report entitled Priced Out, Pushed Out, Locked Out: How Permanent Tenant Protections Can Help Communities Prevent Homelessness and Displacement in LA County.
This report describes how tenants across unincorporated LA County are facing larger rent increases, higher rent burden, and more evictions than ever. With a population greater than one million, more than half of Unincorporated LA County residents find themselves rent burdened—spending 30% or more of their income on rent. And the problem is growing.
While rents and costs of living have skyrocketed, wages have largely remained flat. Since the year 2000, median rent in L.A. County is up 32% while median renter income is down 3%.
To afford the average $1,791/month “fair market rent” for a two-bedroom apartment in L.A. metro, tenants in unincorporated LA County would need nearly three full-time minimum-wage jobs — a 115-hour workweek.
That’s why Liberty Hill is standing with tenants unions and activists across the County to urge our Board of Supervisors to enact a permanent rent stabilization ordinance that prevents extreme rent increases and no-fault evictions.
We know addressing our housing crisis long-term will require building more housing. Yet we need immediate relief for families who are struggling right now. Fortunately, our board of supervisors has enacted a temporary rent freeze and will consider a permanent policy this September.
Additionally, in more than seven other cities throughout L.A. County, tenant activists and organizers are leading rent control campaigns, building momentum, and winning. Inglewood just enacted a new permanent rent stabilization ordinance and Culver City recently passed a temporary rent freeze. These successes have been years in the making and are the result of tenant leaders hard at work building power in their communities.
