Housing LA Kicks-Off Campaign For Affordable Homes

Pastor Ryan Bell moderated the press conference


LA City Controller Laura Chick


Labor Leader Maria Elena Durazo


SEIU 1877 President Mike Garcia


Valley Economic Development Center Director Roberto Barragan

Housing LA Rallies Hundreds of City Residents for 3-Point Plan for Affordable Homes

(Los Angeles, CA.)  Hundreds of city residents rallied and a broad-based coalition of businesses, housing advocates, labor and religious leaders, nonprofits and developers hosted a press conference to present Mayor Villaraigosa and the City Council with a plan of action to address the city's housing crisis. Labor leader Maria Elena Durazo, LA City Controller Laura Chick, and Director of the Valley Economic Development Center, Roberto Barragan all spoke on behalf of the plan.

Housing LA was born from the historic coalition that succeeded in establishing the L.A. Housing Trust Fund in 2001. Today, with the housing crisis tearing at the social and economic fabric of the city's neighbourhoods, the Housing LA coalition is again advocating that our elected officials take action to significantly increase the supply of safe, decent homes that workers and families can afford.

At the press conference, Housing LA unveiled its 3-Point-Plan to produce and preserve affordable homes. The plan calls for the City to: 1) dedicate a long-term source of funding to the Housing Trust Fund; 2) pass a strong, city-wide mixed-income ordinance; and 3) protect affordable homes that are currently at risk of conversion or demolition.

Many workers who provide critical services to our communities - firemen, police officers, teachers, and health care workers - cannot afford to live here. Many hard working families have doubled-up as the only way to avoid homelessness. While nearly 1.8 million households earn Los Angeles' median income of $45,000 or less, only 1,200 homes were built for these people in 2006. In the same year, over 12,500 of the 14,000 housing homes built in Los Angeles (nearly 90%) were affordable to only those households earning more than $135,000. In the last five years, over 15,000 rent stabilized homes were demolished or converted to expensive condominiums. This is not an accident or an act of nature, but the failure of our public policy makers to address a badly broken housing market.

City Council members Jan Perry, Herb Wessen, and Eric Garcetti have all endorsed the 3-point plan and have pledged to work with Housing LA to craft implementing legislation. Similarly, Mayor Villaraigosa has announced his intention to shepherd a mixed-income ordinance though council this year.

For a full list of the honorary committee and endorsers to Housing LA's 3-Point Plan please download at http://www.scanph.org/files/Housing LA EndorsersHC1.pdf

If you or your organization would like to be an endorser, please contact Francesa de la Rosa at 213.480.1249.