Liam Dillon
@liamjdillon.com
Covering housing in Los Angeles and California for POLITICO.
I see there’s Homelessness Discourse today. Good evidence that the recent national surge in homelessness numbers was due to an increased migrant arrivals. But in general, differences in US homelessness rates attributable to the cost and availability of rental housing in a given area.
December 21, 2025 at 4:34 PM
I see there’s Homelessness Discourse today. Good evidence that the recent national surge in homelessness numbers was due to an increased migrant arrivals. But in general, differences in US homelessness rates attributable to the cost and availability of rental housing in a given area.
Los Angeles city attorney has outlined her legal attack on SB 79, the high-profile bill to allow dense housing near mass transit. She's planning to make a claim to an obscure state commission to reimburse the city for $2b+ in costs. For subscribers: subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
POLITICO Pro: Los Angeles city attorney plans legal attack on new state housing law
Representatives for City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto told a housing group she's planning to challenge Senate Bill 79 through an obscure state commission.
subscriber.politicopro.com
December 19, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Los Angeles city attorney has outlined her legal attack on SB 79, the high-profile bill to allow dense housing near mass transit. She's planning to make a claim to an obscure state commission to reimburse the city for $2b+ in costs. For subscribers: subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
C'mon man!
Just when you thought this campaign couldn’t get worse.
This is a photo of Bali
This is a photo of Bali
December 18, 2025 at 5:34 PM
C'mon man!
Reposted by Liam Dillon
Newsom’s troll energy takes over the DNC
Newsom’s troll energy takes over the DNC
Newsom met privately with Ken Martin, the Democratic National Committee chair.
dlvr.it
December 12, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Newsom’s troll energy takes over the DNC
"We will not allow outside groups — even longstanding allies — to attack the Palisades," @gavinnewsom.bsky.social spokesperson on a now-filed YIMBY Law lawsuit against his July executive order banning duplexes in L.A. wildfire rebuilding www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
Newsom wouldn’t budge on his duplex ban for the Los Angeles wildfire rebuild. So, a YIMBY group is suing him.
Gov. Gavin Newsom shrugged off a lawsuit by a YIMBY group over his executive order to ban duplexes in Pacific Palisades.
www.politico.com
December 10, 2025 at 10:32 PM
"We will not allow outside groups — even longstanding allies — to attack the Palisades," @gavinnewsom.bsky.social spokesperson on a now-filed YIMBY Law lawsuit against his July executive order banning duplexes in L.A. wildfire rebuilding www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
It's my aspirational goal that the governor stop calling his 2018 campaign pledge to build 3.5 million homes through 2025 an aspirational goal. www.politico.com/newsletters/...
December 10, 2025 at 9:47 PM
It's my aspirational goal that the governor stop calling his 2018 campaign pledge to build 3.5 million homes through 2025 an aspirational goal. www.politico.com/newsletters/...
I see that New York Times transcription service is unfamiliar with California's Regional Housing Needs Assessment
December 10, 2025 at 7:08 PM
I see that New York Times transcription service is unfamiliar with California's Regional Housing Needs Assessment
“Anyone coming to the Palisades with the idea of increasing density whether it’s low-income housing, high-income housing, whatever it is, we will be vehemently opposed without question.” www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
YIMBY group threatens suit over Newsom's duplex ban in LA wildfire recovery
YIMBY Law says unless Gov. Gavin Newsom reverses course it will sue this week over his executive order allowing cities to ban duplex projects in neighborhoods rebuilding after January's Los Angeles wi...
www.politico.com
December 9, 2025 at 9:27 PM
“Anyone coming to the Palisades with the idea of increasing density whether it’s low-income housing, high-income housing, whatever it is, we will be vehemently opposed without question.” www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
How rebuilding in LA’s wildfire zones mixes with all the pro-density housing laws passed recently in California is a major ongoing subplot in the recovery www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
YIMBY group threatens suit over Newsom's duplex ban in LA wildfire recovery
YIMBY Law says unless Gov. Gavin Newsom reverses course it will sue this week over his executive order allowing cities to ban duplex projects in neighborhoods rebuilding after January's Los Angeles wi...
www.politico.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:07 PM
How rebuilding in LA’s wildfire zones mixes with all the pro-density housing laws passed recently in California is a major ongoing subplot in the recovery www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
Reposted by Liam Dillon
Newsom accuses Trump of wildfire aid snub
Newsom accuses Trump of wildfire aid snub
The Democratic governor's office said the administration denied its request to make an official available.
dlvr.it
December 5, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Newsom accuses Trump of wildfire aid snub
Reposted by Liam Dillon
A Times investigation found that California’s top insurance regulator logged at least 32 trips to 23 countries and territories but consistently failed to disclose who paid for the five-star hotels, premium airline seats and fine dining. www.latimes.com/business/st...
International travel. Fancy meals. Missing receipts. Who paid the tab for this top official?
California's insurance commissioner logged 32 trips to 23 countries and territories, but he consistently failed to disclose who paid for the five-star hotels, premium airline seats and fine dining.
www.latimes.com
December 4, 2025 at 4:40 PM
A Times investigation found that California’s top insurance regulator logged at least 32 trips to 23 countries and territories but consistently failed to disclose who paid for the five-star hotels, premium airline seats and fine dining. www.latimes.com/business/st...
I spoke with @politico.com PM Playbook today about the furor surrounding the first house rebuilt after the fire in Pacific Palisades, and why a first house is important for symbolic and practical reasons. www.politico.com/newsletters/...
California Playbook PM
Your afternoon must-read briefing on politics and government in the Golden State
www.politico.com
December 2, 2025 at 11:08 PM
I spoke with @politico.com PM Playbook today about the furor surrounding the first house rebuilt after the fire in Pacific Palisades, and why a first house is important for symbolic and practical reasons. www.politico.com/newsletters/...
On the Friday before Thanksgiving, LA Mayor Karen Bass announced that the first house had been rebuilt in the Pacific Palisades after January’s wildfires. She immediately faced backlash from wildfire survivors because no one is going to live in it.
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
What is the first house rebuilt after the wildfires in Los Angeles? It’s complicated.
Furor erupted when Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass celebrated a home owned by a homebuilder company, not a homeowner, as the first to be completed.
www.politico.com
December 1, 2025 at 7:10 PM
On the Friday before Thanksgiving, LA Mayor Karen Bass announced that the first house had been rebuilt in the Pacific Palisades after January’s wildfires. She immediately faced backlash from wildfire survivors because no one is going to live in it.
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
Reposted by Liam Dillon
What happens when you downzone?
Our new open-access research paper in @findingspress.org investigates effects of decades of downzoning in Chicago.
Findings:
—Downzoned areas added 1/7th of the new units as comparable non-downzoned areas;
—Downzoned areas became more white & were more expensive.
Our new open-access research paper in @findingspress.org investigates effects of decades of downzoning in Chicago.
Findings:
—Downzoned areas added 1/7th of the new units as comparable non-downzoned areas;
—Downzoned areas became more white & were more expensive.
Downzoning Chicago: How Local Land Use Policy Has Reduced Housing Construction and Reinforced Segregation | Published in Findings
By Yonah Freemark, George Kisiel. Downzonings were used by US cities in the postwar period to preserve neighborhood character. These land-use policies were associated with lower housing supply, higher...
findingspress.org
November 26, 2025 at 8:33 PM
What happens when you downzone?
Our new open-access research paper in @findingspress.org investigates effects of decades of downzoning in Chicago.
Findings:
—Downzoned areas added 1/7th of the new units as comparable non-downzoned areas;
—Downzoned areas became more white & were more expensive.
Our new open-access research paper in @findingspress.org investigates effects of decades of downzoning in Chicago.
Findings:
—Downzoned areas added 1/7th of the new units as comparable non-downzoned areas;
—Downzoned areas became more white & were more expensive.
It's underappreciated in LA's wildfire recovery how much the lack of accountability for government failures leading up to/exacerbating the disasters is contributing to residents' lack of trust for government to find solutions for rebuilding www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
November 24, 2025 at 4:15 PM
It's underappreciated in LA's wildfire recovery how much the lack of accountability for government failures leading up to/exacerbating the disasters is contributing to residents' lack of trust for government to find solutions for rebuilding www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Digging into LAND @birdyword.bsky.social
November 22, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Digging into LAND @birdyword.bsky.social
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass just announced the completion of the first rebuilt house after January's Palisades fire. Homebuilder Thomas James owned the property pre-fire, the house burned and the company's rebuilt home will now serve as a model for the builder in the community.
November 22, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass just announced the completion of the first rebuilt house after January's Palisades fire. Homebuilder Thomas James owned the property pre-fire, the house burned and the company's rebuilt home will now serve as a model for the builder in the community.
NEW: The first rebuilt home after Los Angeles' January wildfires is a two-bedroom ADU in Altadena. The property owner built the ADU himself replacing a garage that burned down. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
The first home has been rebuilt after the Los Angeles wildfires. It’s an ADU.
A two-bedroom accessory dwelling unit has been completed in Altadena, replacing a garage that burned in January’s Eaton fire.
www.politico.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:21 AM
NEW: The first rebuilt home after Los Angeles' January wildfires is a two-bedroom ADU in Altadena. The property owner built the ADU himself replacing a garage that burned down. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
After failing to stop a major state housing bill from becoming law, Los Angeles leaders are turning to plan B: Delaying Senate Bill 79's implementation and pushing for unspecified legislative changes next year. My dispatch for @politico.com Pro subscribers subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
POLITICO Pro: Los Angeles failed to defeat a major housing law, so it's turning to Plan B: Delay, delay, delay
A report from the city planning department outlines strategies for pushing off many of the effects of SB 79 through 2030.
subscriber.politicopro.com
November 15, 2025 at 1:45 AM
After failing to stop a major state housing bill from becoming law, Los Angeles leaders are turning to plan B: Delaying Senate Bill 79's implementation and pushing for unspecified legislative changes next year. My dispatch for @politico.com Pro subscribers subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
Such a pleasure to be back on @kcrw.com today. Talked about LA’s major new rent control changes www.kcrw.com/shows/press-...
Why California has some of the country’s weakest… | KCRW
Plus, the impact of the LA City Council tightening rent increases, our weekly film reviews, and Evan Kleiman has suggestions for spots offering takeout or dine-in Thanksgiving.
www.kcrw.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Such a pleasure to be back on @kcrw.com today. Talked about LA’s major new rent control changes www.kcrw.com/shows/press-...
A vote to sharply lower rent hikes for 1.5 million Los Angeles tenants caps years of wins for local activists and comes amid a national focus on affordability punctuated by Zohran Mamdani's victory in New York. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Los Angeles limits rent hikes in historic vote
The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to cap rent increases for most apartments, a decision that continues a wave of tenant victories in the city and across the country.
www.politico.com
November 13, 2025 at 3:13 AM
A vote to sharply lower rent hikes for 1.5 million Los Angeles tenants caps years of wins for local activists and comes amid a national focus on affordability punctuated by Zohran Mamdani's victory in New York. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
The LA city council just voted on a major change to sharply lower annual rent increases in rent stabilized units — 660k apartments — to between 1% and 4% depending on inflation. Story to come
November 12, 2025 at 9:17 PM
The LA city council just voted on a major change to sharply lower annual rent increases in rent stabilized units — 660k apartments — to between 1% and 4% depending on inflation. Story to come
The state of California owns dozens of empty houses in Los Angeles County. It's spent more than $17 million since 2020 on private security and extra police patrols to guard them from protestors and keep them vacant. My first byline for @politico.com www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
California owns dozens of vacant houses in Los Angeles County. It's paying millions to guard them from protesters.
The California Department of Transportation has spent more than $17 million since 2020 to guard the homes, which it purchased to make way for a freeway that was never completed.
www.politico.com
November 3, 2025 at 6:44 PM
The state of California owns dozens of empty houses in Los Angeles County. It's spent more than $17 million since 2020 on private security and extra police patrols to guard them from protestors and keep them vacant. My first byline for @politico.com www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Interesting assessment of the state of affairs in California's home insurance market. The liability of the state FAIR plan — insurer of last resort — "is now nearly $700 billion, more than double the level two years ago." subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eene...
E&E News: Insurers flee wildfire-prone California despite state assistance
Regulations to enable large rate increases contrast with other state efforts to stabilize insurance markets.
subscriber.politicopro.com
October 28, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Interesting assessment of the state of affairs in California's home insurance market. The liability of the state FAIR plan — insurer of last resort — "is now nearly $700 billion, more than double the level two years ago." subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eene...
Why it takes so long to rebuild after major wildfires and why it's all the more important as California continues in the middle of its most destructive era of wildfire in state history.
I broke things down with @npr.org's Here & Now earlier today: www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2...
I broke things down with @npr.org's Here & Now earlier today: www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2...
Why the road to rebuilding homes after fires is complicated
A Los Angeles Times analysis finds just 38% of homes have been rebuilt after some of the most destructive fires in California history.
www.wbur.org
October 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Why it takes so long to rebuild after major wildfires and why it's all the more important as California continues in the middle of its most destructive era of wildfire in state history.
I broke things down with @npr.org's Here & Now earlier today: www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2...
I broke things down with @npr.org's Here & Now earlier today: www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2...