Housing Activists Denounce Backroom Decision to Preserve Status Quo in California Housing Crisis
Abundant Housing LA hosting forum this week on the racist history of single-family zoning
Leaders from Abundant Housing LA denounced the recent backroom decision by State Senator Anthony Portantino to kill SB 50 and preserve the status quo of California’s housing crisis.
“At a time when 60% of Los Angeles renters are rent burdened and 66% of California’s support real housing reform and SB 50, it is unconscionable that one politician can singlehandedly kill this bill – supported by NRDC, Habitat for Humantiy, and countless others – behind closed doors and preserve the broken status quo,” said Leonora Camner, Managing Director of Abundant Housing LA.
“Killing SB 50 behind closed doors is terrible for middle class Californians who can’t keep up with rising rents.” said Nick Burns, member of Abundant Housing LA. “When Senator Anthony Portantino shelved SB 50 without so much as a vote, and Senator Toni Atkins condoned this un-democratic abuse of power, they demonstrated why California is and will continue to be the most unaffordable state to buy or rent a home in America.”
This week, Abundant Housing LA is hosting an event titled “The Racist History of Single Family Zoning,” where three housing experts will discuss why single family zoning was created and what its disparate impacts have been on poor people and people of color.
Event details
When: Thursday, May 23, 6:30pm
Where: Indie Desk: 333 S. Grand Ave. Suite 3310, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Panelists:
- Joss Tillard-Gates, from Enterprise Community Partners and “Undesign the Redline”,
- Mark Vallianatos, Policy Director for Abundant Housing LA, who has published articles on the racist history of single family zoning, and
- Yusef Alexander, UCLA Economics Alum and workforce housing developer with on-the-ground experience with the racist effects of single-family zoning
Abundant Housing LA also scored two recent victories for affordable housing projects. Abundant Housing LA did a support letter drive for Burbank Boulevard Senior Housing in Sherman Oaks, which was unanimously approved by the Neighborhood Council. Abundant Housing LA also organized in support of bridge funding for The Whole Child’s Supportive Transitional Housing project located at the Echo Park Gateway Cottages, which was approved by the County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, May 14th.
