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.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation president’s big efforts to fight development in L.A. and house the homeless Last week, California voters rejected Proposition 10. The measure would’ve potentially expanded rent control throughout the state. Real estate investment companies spent more than $70 million to defeat Prop 10. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation spent $23 million to advocate for the measure. The nonprofit is headquartered in Hollywood. In the past few years, it has become a big player in L.A. housing -- led by one man.
Should you vote yes or no on Prop 10? We run through housing-related ballot initiatives. Prop 10 is perhaps the most controversial and confusing. Both “yes” and “no” sides say they’re protecting renters from rising housing costs. We also hear about Props 1, 2, 5, and 10.
The big fight in Venice over a planned homeless shelter Los Angeles city officials plan to open 15 new homeless shelters – one in every city council district. The idea is to move people off the streets by bringing services to where they’re already living. The first shelter opened last month near Union Station. But in more residential areas, some big fights are brewing. We’ve seen it in Koreatown, Sherman Oaks, and now Venice Beach. Tonight, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti and City Councilman Mike Bonin are hosting a town hall about the shelter planned there, and it’s likely to get heated.
Challenging what we think we know about rent control Proposition 10 would allow California cities and counties to expand rent control. But there’s a lot of disagreement over whether stronger rent control would help or hurt LA’s housing crisis. Today, USC researchers published a new study that challenges conventional wisdom about rent control.
Some LA landlords are threatening to raise rents if Prop 10 passes Proposition 10 is on next month’s ballot. If it passes, California cities and counties will be able to expand rent control. But it’s controversial, with landlords and renters fighting over it. In LA, some landlords are apparently threatening to raise rent if Prop 10 passes. Tenant activists say this amounts to voter intimidation.
Hundreds of kids are living in emergency homeless shelters in LA L.A. voters recently passed ballot measures to fund homeless housing, but there are still lots of homeless encampments on the streets. There’s a big disagreement over how to allocate that funding and it’s playing out among city and county leaders, and homeless service providers. The latest battleground is a Skid Row shelter, where more families with children are showing up than ever before.
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)
Why reading on a page is different from reading on a screen Reading literature not only stirs up empathy, it changes our brains. So what happens to our brains when we no longer deep-read, but skim through pages in between digital disruptions, or read only short blurbs on our phones and other devices?
Microdosing This is Rob Long and on today’s Martini Shot I hypothetically and with names changed, explore some of the ways writers get scripts written, from Adderall to ten micrograms of LSD, everything but just sitting down and doing the work.
With a new divided federal government is there any chance that Americans can expect effective health care legislation? While obtain access to affordable health care remains a top priority for a majority of Americans there seems no agreement that basic health care should be a human right and not a privilege.
Rep. Schiff’s priorities for the House Intelligence Committee In January, Burbank Congressman Adam Schiff is expected to be chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. We ask what investigations he will open, and what recourse there will be if Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker shuts down Mueller’s Russia probe.