L.A. eviction attorney Dennis Block submitted a court filing in 2023 containing fake case law. It set off a debate about the use of AI in legal proceedings. Now, he's facing disciplinary charges from the CA State Bar. Read more in my @laist.com story:

L.A.'s embattled "mansion tax" is getting another look from city leaders. The city council voted today to set up a new committee tasked with developing potential reforms that could be sent to voters in November. More details in my @laist.com story: laist.com/news/politic...

In a confidential memo, LA's City Attorney warned city leaders against funding an eviction defense provider that has previously sued the city. But city council just voted to OK the contract. My @laist.com story looks at why this dispute matters for LA renters:

Rare affordable housing in the Pacific Palisades could be permanently lost as owners try to quietly sell a burned mobile home park, pitching it as a "blank canvas for redevelopment." My @laist.com story looks at where that leaves hundreds of former residents.

In order to comply with a major court settlement, L.A. needs deep cuts to some homelessness programs. At least that’s the conclusion outlined in a city report that's alarming some service providers and their clients. Read more in my @laist.com story:

L.A. County leaders just shot down a proposal to expand eviction protections for tenants late on rent. Supporters said it would have helped immigrants who've lost income due to ICE raids. Find out how the proposal died in my @laist.com story:

Many L.A. renters have lost income from ICE raids. County leaders just voted to protect some from eviction if they're late by up to two months of rent. One County Supervisor wants to up it to three months and apply it county-wide. More in my @laist.com story:

After fires destroyed thousands of L.A. homes, local leaders passed new laws aimed at stopping massive rent hikes on the housing still available to fire victims. But a new report finds those laws aren't being used. More in my @laist.com story:

The fires that tore through L.A. County last year didn’t just destroy thousands of homes — they left thousands more filled with toxic ash. A state bill aims to set new standards for post-fire contamination testing and cleaning. More in my @laist.com story:

Should L.A. voters get a do-over on the city's embattled "mansion tax"? The L.A. City Council delayed voting on a proposal seeking to exempt new apartment buildings. That means city voters won't see this on the June ballot. More in my @laist.com story:

L.A. voters could get another chance to weigh in on Measure ULA, better known as the city's "mansion tax." Researchers say it has led to a slowdown in new apartment building. Now some City Councilmembers think it needs reform. More in my @laist.com story:

L.A. politicians tried to stop SB 79, a state law allowing more apartments near transit stops. It passed anyway. But L.A. leaders aren't done fighting. Today the L.A. Metro Board of Directors voted to oppose local implementation. More details in my @laist.com story:

Did you know that California cities must give landlords who are financially struggling a way to get around rent control? I looked into these programs and found that few landlords apply, and even fewer are approved. Why? Read more in my @laist.com story:

When it comes to renters, Scorpios are “particular,” Libras are “gold,” and Aquariuses “can't make up their mind.” That's according to one L.A. landlord who asks his applicants about their astrological sign. Is that legal? Find out in my @laist.com story:

Prominent L.A. eviction lawyer Dennis Block — who once said he has "evicted more tenants than any other human being on the planet Earth" — is now facing disciplinary charges from the CA State Bar. 👇

A pandemic-era housing voucher program is running out of money. Housing officials in the city of Los Angeles say they've told renters their subsidies could expire by November, putting thousands at risk of homelessness. More details in my @laist.com story: laist.com/news/housing...

A new report finds that investors are scooping up 44% of vacant lots in Altadena. That's leading to anxiety over change in fire-ravaged neighborhoods. Are corporate buyers helpful rebuilders? Or "disaster capitalists?" More in my @laist.com story:

Housing advocates filed a lawsuit today against Gov. Newsom and L.A. leaders, saying they illegally banned duplexes in burn zones. The fight over how much new housing should be allowed as L.A. rebuilds is headed to court. My @laist.com story has the details:

Late on this month's rent? In a growing number of SoCal cities, you could be protected from eviction. Read my @laist.com story on a proposal that would make Huntington Park the next city to halt evictions until tenants are more than one month behind.

Should small landlords be allowed to raise rents more than their corporate counterparts? The L.A. City Council is set to vote on that question today. More details in my @laist.com story:

The first completed home on an Altadena lot burned in the Eaton Fire is here. It's an ADU built by a retired construction worker who wanted to replace his son's lost home. Read more about what County leaders are calling "an important milestone" in my @laist.com story:

L.A. City Hall is moving forward with plans to cancel the "mansion tax" for Pacific Palisades homeowners recovering from January's fire. Get details on today's city council vote in my @laist.com story:

NEW: After years of debate, L.A. is moving to lower the rent hikes allowed in most apartments. The city council just voted to cap increases at 4% moving forward, down from the current maximum of 10%. Get the full details in my @laist.com story:

In 1923, a fire tore through Berkeley, destroying roughly 600 homes, including many by architect Bernard Maybeck. Years before, he was already a big fan of concrete (see his 1910 First Church of Christ, Scientist, now a national landmark). But the fire -er- cemented his love of fireproof materials.

Concrete, more associated with freeways and skyscrapers, is now being used in home rebuilding after the Palisades Fire. Insurance companies offer discounts for using the non-combustible material. Read about one homeowner's plans in my @laist.com story:

How did an ‘implausible’ claim about jobs created by LA’s ‘mansion tax’ get cited by watchdogs? Read the emails I unearthed through a public records request for this @laist.com story:

Gov. Newsom has signed a law clarifying that landlords must clean debris from fires and other disasters. State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez said the bill was driven by tenant complaints and @laist.com's reporting on confusion over post-Eaton fire clean-up.

Gov. Newsom just signed SB 79, allowing denser housing near transit lines. I'm re-posting my previous @laist.com story on how to find out if this major bill could bring new kinds of housing to your L.A. neighborhood.

Hoping to boost new housing, cities across California have considered building code changes to let apartment buildings have just one staircase. But only Culver City has passed that guarantee. Why did L.A. miss a key deadline? Find out in my @laist.com story:

The days of L.A. landlords telling renters to bring their own fridge are numbered. Here's my @laist.com story on the bill Gov. Newsom just signed requiring working refrigerators in California rental housing.

L.A.'s notorious refrigerator-less apartments will soon be illegal. Gov. Newsom just signed AB 628, a bill requiring all landlords to provide tenants with a working fridge and stove starting next year. Here's my previous @laist.com story on this bill: laist.com/news/housing...

I'll be joining LAist's Airtalk at 10:05 a.m. to discuss a new attempt at changing L.A. rent control limits. The caps on annual rent hikes cover 42% of the city's households. They haven't been updated in 40 years. Tune in! 89.3 FM or LAist.com/listen

L.A.'s rent control formula hasn't been updated in 40 years. Now, the city council is discussing reforms that could lower annual rent hikes from the current maximum of 10% to 5%... or less if tenant advocates prevail. Get the full story at @laist.com:

Would California’s big new housing bill affect your LA neighborhood? Use this map to find out.

Almost 8.5 months after the Eaton Fire, L.A. County has now agreed to enforce toxic ash cleanup standards in Altadena as part of a legal settlement with tenants announced this week. A case against Pasadena is ongoing. Get the details in my @laist.com story:

First for the pandemic. Then for fires. Next, for ICE raids? L.A. County considers reviving COVID-era eviction policy to aid immigrant renters. Details in my @laist.com story:

Following an uproar about plans for denser housing in areas rebuilding from fires, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass banned duplexes in the Pacific Palisades. But in Altadena, county leaders are taking a different approach. Find out why in my @laist.com story:

Well that fizzled fast... State lawmakers have now shelved their efforts to reform L.A.'s "mansion tax." Mayor Bass said she asked State Senators to hold off and introduce an amended version of the bill next year. Details in my @laist.com story:

BREAKING: California lawmakers are out with plans for new limits on the city of L.A.'s hotly debated "mansion tax." This comes as signatures are being gathered for a potential 2026 ballot measure to throw out the tax. Get the details in my @laist.com story: laist.com/news/housing...

L.A.'s lead provider of legal aid for struggling renters is now being audited by the L.A. City Attorney's Office. The increased scrutiny comes after Hydee Feldstein Soto rejected a new contract for city-funded eviction defense and rent relief. My @laist.com story has details:

Some renters displaced by the Eaton Fire still haven't returned to their homes, because their landlords haven't removed toxic ash. Now, more than seven months after the fire, L.A. County says it will order landlords to clean Altadena apartments. Details in my @laist.com story:

For @laist.com, Elly Yu reports on a troubling trend: Even as L.A. makes some progress on sheltering unhoused adults, the region is failing to stem the rise of homelessness among families with kids. laist.com/news/educati...

How many additional homes should be allowed in Altadena and the Palisades as homeowners start to rebuild? Gov. Newsom plans to let L.A. suspend a state law allowing duplexes to replace single-family homes in burn zones. Get the details in my @laist.com story:

After federal immigration raids, L.A. families are losing income and struggling to make rent. So far, cities have relied on private donors to fund cash assistance programs. Some renter advocates say local governments should dig deeper to help. Read my @laist.com story for more:

Despite thousands of listings that appear to have illegally raised rents since the January fires, L.A. County prosecutors have yet to file any charges. Now, county leaders want a new approach to enforcement: fines of up to $1,000 per day. Read our @laist.com story for details:

“It's a real breach of trust when servicers have raised this expectation of giving certain disaster relief and then they're not offering it at a moment where these homeowners really don't need any more stress.” laist.com/news/housing... via @laist.com #housing+ #urbanism+ #urbanism

After the L.A. fires, hundreds of mortgage companies said they would pause monthly payments for homeowners who lost everything. They promised to give people time to recover. But some are now demanding borrowers pay up — or risk losing their properties. My story for @laist.com:

L.A. County has extended a ban on rent gouging after the January fires. Limits were set to expire July 1 under an order from Gov. Newsom. Now they'll last through July 31. Tenant advocates say they're still seeing 100s of illegal listings every week. More in my @laist.com story:

“This could have the result of increasing homelessness for entire families.” laist.com/news/housing... Via: @laist.com #housing+ #urbanism+ #urbanism

Legal aid for thousands of L.A. renters is at risk of vanishing on June 30, tenant advocates say, because City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto is refusing to sign a contract approved by the City Council and the Mayor. Get the details in my story for @laist.com: