The LA Development Fight

Should Los Angeles keep growing taller and denser or not? Some angry residents and activists say developers have been given carte blanche to make up their own rules. A group of them have written a ballot proposal for next March that would stop all big developments for two years. Other angry residents and activists, as well as city officials like Mayor Eric Garcetti are advocating for more development. Now Garcetti’s pushing back. Yesterday he announced that he’ll hire 28 city planners to update the city’s very old development guidelines. New rules would presumably mean fewer exceptions for real estate developers. But will it do anything to cool the debate? And why can’t we all get on the same page about the future of our city?

Credits

Guest:

  • Zev Yaroslavsky - former member of LA City Council and LA Board of Supervisors; author of “Zev’s Los Angeles: From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power” - @ZevYaroslavsky