We are facing a climate crisis. To address this, we should increase the stock of multifamily housing in urban areas. Increasing urban density and adding housing willnot only reduce our emissions but also allow us to address the cost of living crisis in our cities. Advocates of climate action and advocate for housing can and must work together to tackle these intertwined crises.
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Los Angeles is in the midst of a historic housing crisis, with nearly half of households struggling to afford rent or mortgage payments, over a third of renters spending half their income on rent, and the highest rates of homelessness in the U.S.

The city’s existing multi-family zoning and recent developments are restricted by law to a small fraction of residential land in lower-resource and renter neighborhoods. The City of Los Angeles’ Citywide Housing Incentive Program (CHIP) creates the opportunity to rebalance this pattern, ensuring Angelenos can access housing they can afford in every neighborhood. Unfortunately, the CHIP maintains housing bans in single-family and high-resource areas, perpetuating inequitable land use patterns that caused the housing affordability crisis. 

Assessing the Impact, Progress, and Challenges of LA’s Executive Directive 1 

In a stunning display of misplaced priorities, the City Council of Los Angeles has formally opposed SB 79 (Wiener), a bill designed to advance equity, sustainability, and affordability in California by building more housing near transit. Instead of listening to the needs of everyday Angelenos who struggle with rising rents, dangerous commutes, and worsening climate impacts, city leaders have chosen to elevate the voices of a wealthy, entrenched elite.