Housing LA: Business, Housing Advocates, Labor and Religious Leaders, NonProfits and Developers Kick-Off City Wide Campaign

 

HOUSING LA PRESS ADVISORY

February 14, 2008 Robert Dhondrup - ofc (213) 480-1249 x237

(Los Angeles, CA.) A broad-based coalition of business, housing advocates, labor and religious leaders, nonprofits and developers will host a press conference and rally to present Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa and the City Council a comprehensive plan to address the city's housing crisis outside City Hall on the South Lawn on Wednesday, March 5, 2008 at 10:00 AM.

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 within the city's neighborhoods, Housing LA campaigns to significantly increase the supply of safe, decent homes that workers and families can afford. For many residents the city's high rents and home prices are out of reach. The city's business, workforce, nonprofit, and moral environment suffer from the impacts of the housing crisis.

At the press conference, Housing LA will be unveiling its 3-Point-Plan to produce and preserve affordable homes. The plan calls for the City to: 1) Dedicated 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.

A series of events organized by affordable housing advocates will lead up to the Hosuing LA campaign kick off on March 5, to bring attention to the housing crisis in Los Angeles:

Today, February 14, the California Budget Project will release a report, "Locked Out 2008: The Housing Boom and Beyond," which analyzes the high costs of housing in the state and calls for greater local, state, and federal efforts to build more affordable homes. In Los Angeles, a household needs to earn $133,605 annually to afford a median priced home or earn $20.02/hr. to afford rent on a one-bedroom apartment. The report is located at: http://www.cbp.org/pdfs/2008/080212_LockedoutReport.pdf

On Tuesday, February 19, Housing LA members ACORN, a community organization, and SEIU Local 1877, the Justice for Janitors union, will Rally and March to Save Housing for Working Families. The march will begin at SEIU Local 1877, 1247 W. 7th Street, in Los Angeles, CA. at 10:00 AM. Contact Lupita at 213.747.4211 x226.

On Wednesday, February 27, Housing LA member LA Community Action Network will rally to to bring to bring attention to the plight of residential hotels that have been lost over the last 5 years in the City of Los Angeles and the resulting impacts on tenants and the communities. The rally will begin at 456 South Main Street, in Los Angeles, CA. at 10:00 AM. Contact Steve at 213.228.0024 or email steved@cangress.org.

Interviews with individuals impacted by the city's housing crisis or HLA leaders are available to the media. Please contact Robert Dhondrup at SCANPH at 213.480.1249 for information.

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