Producer, 'Press Play'
Anna Scott is a reporter and producer for KCRW, focused on housing. She works on Press Play with Madeleine Brand and reported for KCRW's podcast There Goes the Neighborhood: Los Angeles. Before that, she produced Warren Olney's news programs To the Point and Which Way, LA? Anna also reports regularly on homelessness for NPR's national programs. She's previously written for Bloomberg Businessweek, the Los Angeles Times and various local publications.
Inside the new homeless housing at El Pueblo LA has a plan to put an emergency homeless shelter in every city council district. We look inside the first one built. It’s downtown, near Olvera Street. It’s a little village of trailers in a parking lot. Reporter Anna Scott talked to some residents. New homeless housing at El Pueblo. Photo by Anna Scott.
Dorm-living for adults It’s a struggle to keep up with LA’s high rents. So how about moving into a “community home” to save money? That’s a building offering private rooms -- but shared kitchens, bathrooms, and living space. There are several of these under development in L.A. right now. But are they a great way to live affordably in the city’s most sought-after neighborhoods, or are they just glorified dormitories?
The glamorous world of home stagers The median home price in LA surpassed $600,000 for the first time this year. Prices are fueled by big market forces, but today we’re looking at one little factor juicing the stats: home staging. If you go to enough real estate open houses, you start to see some trends, such as strategically placed wine bottles and pieces of art. It’s to get the highest price possible for a house.
Is historic landmarking being used to block new housing development? City leaders are considering making an old gas station in Silver Lake a historic monument. They only nominated it, however, when the property owner made plans to build a new apartment building. It’s one of several examples of historic preservation being used to foil real estate projects around the city.
Venice property becomes flashpoint in fight over neighborhood change Jay Penske is the 39-year-old son of auto racing billionaire Roger Penske, and his wife Elaine is a supermodel. Last year, they bought an abandoned church in Venice. They made plans to turn it into a private mansion, which has caused a big fight that’s inflamed racial tensions and divided the neighborhood.
LAPD Chief considers clearing old bench warrants for homeless people LAPD Chief Michel Moore tells the LA Times he’s open to the idea of clearing old bench warrants for the chronically homeless. These warrants are issued when people don’t show up for court dates -- something that is common for homeless people who rack up a lot of minor violations.
Renting out an apartment -- Airbnb style When you think of short-term rentals like Airbnb, you might picture someone renting out a back house or a spare room. Well some Los Angeles property owners are turning entire apartment buildings into de facto hotels. That’s an issue for a city struggling with a housing shortage, and it’s an even bigger issue when those buildings are rent-controlled. The city council has been considering a number for measures for the past three years.
Merchants are unhappy about the mayor's plan to house the homeless near Olvera Street A new homeless facility is being built in downtown LA, near the El Pueblo historic site. The city is putting trailers in a parking lot there to provide short-term stays. It’s a test model for the whole city, and it was supposed to be up and running by now. But there are delays and unhappy business owners in the area.
Home staging helps drive housing prices higher The median home price in LA surpassed $600,000 for the first time this year. Prices are fueled by big market forces, but today we’re looking at one little factor juicing the stats: home staging. A 3-bedroom house at 2337 Addison Way in Eagle Rock. Images by Erik Grammer.
Helping the homeless in Malibu Colin Dangaard renovated an old storage space next to his Malibu house into a studio apartment for a homeless man named Rigo Velasco, who had a section 8 voucher. The voucher covered most of the $1100/month rent. Rigo Veloso in his studio apartment (Photo by Anna Scott)
LA's plan for thousands of more housing units by the Expo Line L.A. City Council will vote tomorrow on a plan that could pave the way for up to 6,000 new housing units near the Expo Line by 2035. It’s a model city leaders hope to emulate all over the city: dense housing near public transportation. Many homeowners here are embracing it.
Are those ‘we buy houses’ signs a scam? You’ve probably seen the signs around LA -- usually stapled to telephone poles -- that say “Emma Buys Houses” or “Joe Buys Houses.” All cash. There are usually a few dollar signs and a phone number too. We find out who puts up those signs, and who calls the numbers listed.
What will it take to get more Angelenos on public transit? The number of bus and train trips taken in LA dropped 15 percent between 2012 and 2017. But last year, LA County voters passed Measure M, a sales tax increase to generate $120 billion for transit projects. So why aren’t more people getting out of their cars, and what can we do about it? A new UCLA study looks into that.
LA's homelessness crisis spreads to the Valley L.A.’s annual homeless count started last night in the San Fernando, San Gabriel and Santa Clarita Valleys. Almost 8000 volunteers will walk the streets of greater L.A., taking a visual survey of how many people are sleeping on sidewalks, in tents, and in vehicles. The count helps officials decide where to direct federal, county, and city resources for homelessness.
Efforts to spur development near transit runs into opposition A bill in Sacramento would allow more development along transit lines. The goal is to increase the housing supply and get more people out of their cars. But some locals say it would ruin their neighborhoods.
Trump says goodbye Paris Accord: What does it mean for U.S. and the planet? President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the U.S. will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, the landmark international agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Trump was to renegotiate a new deal, but will that happen?
Previewing James Comey's blockbuster testimony Former FBI director James Comey testifies Thursday in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee, but his opening statement has been released. In it, he says he felt pressured by Donald Trump to declare loyalty to him and publicly clear him of any wrongdoing in the Russia investigation.
How do Trump supporters feel about the Paris Accord? Globally and around the U.S., there are strong opinions whether or not the Paris Climate Accord is a good idea. The American exit is either a horrifying abdication of American leadership or a forceful and long overdue statement about U.S. sovereignty.
Accusations of lying fly between James Comey and White House During his testimony Thursday, former FBI Director James Comey accused President Trump and other White House officials of lying when they said the FBI was in disarray and its staff had lost confidence in him. President Trump’s lawyer said Comey was wrong -- that the president never asked for his loyalty, and never asked him to back off the investigation into former NSA director Michael Flynn.