Oren Hadar
@futureis.la
LA has the best bones of any city in the world. It can become a true world capital if we only let it. Sign up at https://futureis.la
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Oren Hadar
@futureis.la
· May 20
10 million Angelenos by 2075
LA should be the biggest city in the USA.
futureis.la
My manifesto for the city I love.
Did you know over a million new homes are at stake in the SB 79 implementation fight in LA over the next few months? I talked to two of the main players and wrote up a rundown of the abundant opportunities for City Councilmembers to play games and exempt favored neighborhoods.
The first SB 79 battle
LA has to pick which neighborhoods to let the law take effect in next July. Advocates are already drawing lines.
futureis.la
November 7, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Did you know over a million new homes are at stake in the SB 79 implementation fight in LA over the next few months? I talked to two of the main players and wrote up a rundown of the abundant opportunities for City Councilmembers to play games and exempt favored neighborhoods.
A big fight is brewing over SB 79 implementation in LA, where the law allows the city to delay up to 2/3 of the eligible areas for the first 5 years. Low-income areas, historic districts, fire zones, and even some wealthy single family neighborhoods. The city only has about 4 months to decide!
The first SB 79 battle
LA has to pick which neighborhoods to let the law take effect in July. Advocates are already drawing lines.
futureis.la
November 6, 2025 at 8:05 PM
A big fight is brewing over SB 79 implementation in LA, where the law allows the city to delay up to 2/3 of the eligible areas for the first 5 years. Low-income areas, historic districts, fire zones, and even some wealthy single family neighborhoods. The city only has about 4 months to decide!
Counties that seriously under-reported to the state how much housing got built last year (compared to census data):
Riverside - 12k units missed (55% undercount)
San Joaquin - 10k units (92%!)
San Diego - 8k units (44%)
San Bernardino - 6k units (52%)
Placer - 6k units (65%)
Orange - 5k units (46%)
Riverside - 12k units missed (55% undercount)
San Joaquin - 10k units (92%!)
San Diego - 8k units (44%)
San Bernardino - 6k units (52%)
Placer - 6k units (65%)
Orange - 5k units (46%)
October 28, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Counties that seriously under-reported to the state how much housing got built last year (compared to census data):
Riverside - 12k units missed (55% undercount)
San Joaquin - 10k units (92%!)
San Diego - 8k units (44%)
San Bernardino - 6k units (52%)
Placer - 6k units (65%)
Orange - 5k units (46%)
Riverside - 12k units missed (55% undercount)
San Joaquin - 10k units (92%!)
San Diego - 8k units (44%)
San Bernardino - 6k units (52%)
Placer - 6k units (65%)
Orange - 5k units (46%)
Is it possible more housing is being built in CA than reported? This new Census Bureau tool, which tracks changes in the number of residential addresses the Postal Service has in its database, says CA gained 184k new homes last year - HCD reports only 110k. In LA County, Census says 39K, HCD 28k.
Experience
mtgis-portal.geo.census.gov
October 27, 2025 at 4:01 AM
Is it possible more housing is being built in CA than reported? This new Census Bureau tool, which tracks changes in the number of residential addresses the Postal Service has in its database, says CA gained 184k new homes last year - HCD reports only 110k. In LA County, Census says 39K, HCD 28k.
The NIMBY framing of this article is actually less gross than the quotes inside from entitled neighbors. You can cross off "I’d like to think I’m a compassionate person, but..." on your bingo card. When do we start caring more about people without homes than people with them?
L.A. County blindsided Santa Monica by announcing two homeless housing projects. Residents fought back
Neighbors say they had no idea what the county had planned for the empty buildings on Ocean Avenue.
www.latimes.com
October 23, 2025 at 5:38 PM
The NIMBY framing of this article is actually less gross than the quotes inside from entitled neighbors. You can cross off "I’d like to think I’m a compassionate person, but..." on your bingo card. When do we start caring more about people without homes than people with them?
Reposted by Oren Hadar
By popular demand, @aceckhouse.bsky.social and I have put together a deep-in-the-weeds explainer on SB 79. Enjoy!
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Everything You Need To Know About SB 79
…but were too afraid to read about in the actual bill.
substack.com
October 12, 2025 at 7:37 PM
By popular demand, @aceckhouse.bsky.social and I have put together a deep-in-the-weeds explainer on SB 79. Enjoy!
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Calling the Governor's office to urge him to support SB 79 is so easy! Just dial 916-445-2841, press 1, then 6. All you have to do is say something like "Hi, I'm calling to urge the Governor to sign SB 79." They're not even bothering to take down callers' info at this point. It took me 30 seconds.
Gavin Newsom has been California’s best housing governor ever -- SB 79 will make or break that legacy. @gavinnewsom.bsky.social
✍️ SIGN SB 79 IN FULL ✍️
✍️ SIGN SB 79 IN FULL ✍️
October 3, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Calling the Governor's office to urge him to support SB 79 is so easy! Just dial 916-445-2841, press 1, then 6. All you have to do is say something like "Hi, I'm calling to urge the Governor to sign SB 79." They're not even bothering to take down callers' info at this point. It took me 30 seconds.
It's even worse if you look at all approved ED 1 buildings, not just the ones that broke ground. According to the *city's own report*, requiring union wages for buildings with 75 apartments or more would likely kill 2/3 of the homes in the pipeline.
September 26, 2025 at 8:13 PM
It's even worse if you look at all approved ED 1 buildings, not just the ones that broke ground. According to the *city's own report*, requiring union wages for buildings with 75 apartments or more would likely kill 2/3 of the homes in the pipeline.
Reposted by Oren Hadar
I’m a housing and tenants rights lawyer running to represent LA City Council District 11 (the Westside), challenging the conservative incumbent who authored that reso against SB 79. Had I been on Council, I would’ve voted No too against that bad faith reso. Post here: bsky.app/profile/faiz...
I was shocked when I heard Scott Wiener say LA City Council's divided SB 79 vote helped convince state reps to vote yes on the bill. So I mapped it - sure looks like he's telling the truth! The only state reps from LA who voted for SB 79 overlap with city councilmembers who supported the bill. A 🧵:
Oops! City Council helped pass SB 79
...and in the process showed both our ugly segregationist past and our promising prohousing future.
futureis.la
September 25, 2025 at 6:40 AM
I’m a housing and tenants rights lawyer running to represent LA City Council District 11 (the Westside), challenging the conservative incumbent who authored that reso against SB 79. Had I been on Council, I would’ve voted No too against that bad faith reso. Post here: bsky.app/profile/faiz...
I was shocked when I heard Scott Wiener say LA City Council's divided SB 79 vote helped convince state reps to vote yes on the bill. So I mapped it - sure looks like he's telling the truth! The only state reps from LA who voted for SB 79 overlap with city councilmembers who supported the bill. A 🧵:
Oops! City Council helped pass SB 79
...and in the process showed both our ugly segregationist past and our promising prohousing future.
futureis.la
September 24, 2025 at 7:43 PM
I was shocked when I heard Scott Wiener say LA City Council's divided SB 79 vote helped convince state reps to vote yes on the bill. So I mapped it - sure looks like he's telling the truth! The only state reps from LA who voted for SB 79 overlap with city councilmembers who supported the bill. A 🧵:
Not one white elected official who represents the City of LA, at the city or state level, supported SB 79. These legislators placed themselves in a long tradition of white leaders supporting zoning rules to keep brown people out of their white constituents' neighborhoods.
September 22, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Not one white elected official who represents the City of LA, at the city or state level, supported SB 79. These legislators placed themselves in a long tradition of white leaders supporting zoning rules to keep brown people out of their white constituents' neighborhoods.
Scott Wiener says LA City Council helped pass SB 79: "I think those five councilmembers being willing to stand up and oppose the resolution actually sent a shockwave through the assembly….and I will say Imelda Padilla definitely played her part."
Streets For All Happy Hour ft. Scott Wiener - September 2025
YouTube video by Streets For All
youtu.be
September 18, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Scott Wiener says LA City Council helped pass SB 79: "I think those five councilmembers being willing to stand up and oppose the resolution actually sent a shockwave through the assembly….and I will say Imelda Padilla definitely played her part."
I wrote about Nithya Raman's evolution on housing from cautious DSA lefty to full-throated prohousing leader. She's gone on a Buffy Wicks-like policy tear in 2025, tackling everything from single stair to permitting reform. Zoning is likely next.
Could housing politics in LA be getting better?
Could housing politics in LA be getting better?
Nithya Raman's YIMBY moment
Finally, an LA politician is taking our housing crisis seriously.
futureis.la
September 17, 2025 at 5:30 PM
I wrote about Nithya Raman's evolution on housing from cautious DSA lefty to full-throated prohousing leader. She's gone on a Buffy Wicks-like policy tear in 2025, tackling everything from single stair to permitting reform. Zoning is likely next.
Could housing politics in LA be getting better?
Could housing politics in LA be getting better?
Yesterday as I, a white guy, was walking my two young white kids to school, we passed an older black guy walking his dog. I said good morning. He paused, glanced at my kids, and said "Teach them not to praise people who say civil rights was a mistake".
September 13, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Yesterday as I, a white guy, was walking my two young white kids to school, we passed an older black guy walking his dog. I said good morning. He paused, glanced at my kids, and said "Teach them not to praise people who say civil rights was a mistake".
My 2¢ on Imelda Padilla: She is a problem of politics not policy. All the streamlining in the world won't stop her meddling in land use decisions. Instead, YIMBYs should build power so she has to answer to us when making those decisions. When YIMBY is stronger than NIMBY, local control won't matter.
Better policy won't fix Imelda Padilla
Only by building power can the prohousing movement fully overcome local control
futureis.la
September 9, 2025 at 5:36 PM
My 2¢ on Imelda Padilla: She is a problem of politics not policy. All the streamlining in the world won't stop her meddling in land use decisions. Instead, YIMBYs should build power so she has to answer to us when making those decisions. When YIMBY is stronger than NIMBY, local control won't matter.
Housing theory of everything, exhibit #43,961: LA public school enrollment plummeted in the last 10 years as rent skyrocketed and families were priced out. From www.latimes.com/california/s...
August 29, 2025 at 5:56 AM
Housing theory of everything, exhibit #43,961: LA public school enrollment plummeted in the last 10 years as rent skyrocketed and families were priced out. From www.latimes.com/california/s...
This statement is particularly galling considering two councilmembers have gone to prison in the last couple years for leveraging their power over land use decisions to accept bribes from developers. City Council isn't just bad at land use. It's being corrupted by it.
“A council member’s number-one job description, especially here in the city of Los Angeles, is land-use decisions”:
Well, it shouldn’t be! That shouldn’t be the job! And even if one believed it should be the job, the record shows that the L.A. city council has been *demonstrably bad* at it.
Well, it shouldn’t be! That shouldn’t be the job! And even if one believed it should be the job, the record shows that the L.A. city council has been *demonstrably bad* at it.
Very illuminating clip here: Los Angeles City Councilmember Imelda Padilla criticizes SB 79 because it limits local elected officials’ power to block new housing, then @jonlovett.bsky.social reminds her that we have a massive housing shortage that is strangling our state’s growth.
August 28, 2025 at 3:13 PM
This statement is particularly galling considering two councilmembers have gone to prison in the last couple years for leveraging their power over land use decisions to accept bribes from developers. City Council isn't just bad at land use. It's being corrupted by it.
Pretty amazing to see an LA Councilmember fully embracing prohousing views. Unthinkable just a couple years ago. She voted for a resolution opposing SB 9, the duplex law.
Why is the rent so damn high in LA? Simple economics: the demand for housing is extremely high and our housing supply is extremely low.
August 27, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Pretty amazing to see an LA Councilmember fully embracing prohousing views. Unthinkable just a couple years ago. She voted for a resolution opposing SB 9, the duplex law.
LA City Council voted against legalizing apartments in single family neighborhoods in February. Here are the no votes, with what % of their constituents say yes:
Soto-Martinez: 89%
Hutt: 79%
Rodriguez: 67%
McOsker: 65%
Padilla: 64%
Yaroslavsky: 62%
Blumenthal: 61%
Lee: 62%
Park: 54%
Nazarian: 48%
Soto-Martinez: 89%
Hutt: 79%
Rodriguez: 67%
McOsker: 65%
Padilla: 64%
Yaroslavsky: 62%
Blumenthal: 61%
Lee: 62%
Park: 54%
Nazarian: 48%
August 16, 2025 at 9:11 PM
LA City Council voted against legalizing apartments in single family neighborhoods in February. Here are the no votes, with what % of their constituents say yes:
Soto-Martinez: 89%
Hutt: 79%
Rodriguez: 67%
McOsker: 65%
Padilla: 64%
Yaroslavsky: 62%
Blumenthal: 61%
Lee: 62%
Park: 54%
Nazarian: 48%
Soto-Martinez: 89%
Hutt: 79%
Rodriguez: 67%
McOsker: 65%
Padilla: 64%
Yaroslavsky: 62%
Blumenthal: 61%
Lee: 62%
Park: 54%
Nazarian: 48%
Look at this widespread popular support in LA for building apartments in single family zones! Perhaps our leaders should listen to their constituents.
August 16, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Look at this widespread popular support in LA for building apartments in single family zones! Perhaps our leaders should listen to their constituents.
Reposted by Oren Hadar
The LA Mayor’s budget won’t let us build street safety improvements but will happily pay millions in liability settlements when that same street segment causes an Angeleno’s death. Shame on @mayor.lacity.gov! #urbanism+
LA budget cuts fallout: Angelenos can't ask for traffic calming in their neighborhoods any more. The city is now saying it won't consider any requests due to staffing shortages. @lintonjoe.bsky.social @streetsforall.org
August 9, 2025 at 7:30 PM
The LA Mayor’s budget won’t let us build street safety improvements but will happily pay millions in liability settlements when that same street segment causes an Angeleno’s death. Shame on @mayor.lacity.gov! #urbanism+
Reposted by Oren Hadar
Funny, when @crosswalksla.bsky.social paints crosswalks the city’s go-to deflection is: “Why didn’t you ask us to do it first.” Lol.
LA budget cuts fallout: Angelenos can't ask for traffic calming in their neighborhoods any more. The city is now saying it won't consider any requests due to staffing shortages. @lintonjoe.bsky.social @streetsforall.org
August 9, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Funny, when @crosswalksla.bsky.social paints crosswalks the city’s go-to deflection is: “Why didn’t you ask us to do it first.” Lol.
LA budget cuts fallout: Angelenos can't ask for traffic calming in their neighborhoods any more. The city is now saying it won't consider any requests due to staffing shortages. @lintonjoe.bsky.social @streetsforall.org
August 9, 2025 at 5:13 PM
LA budget cuts fallout: Angelenos can't ask for traffic calming in their neighborhoods any more. The city is now saying it won't consider any requests due to staffing shortages. @lintonjoe.bsky.social @streetsforall.org
Huge news from the LA Planning Dept. Since CHIP passed five months ago, almost 15,000 apartments have been submitted under the program! Of those, about 1,000 are by-right and went straight to Building and Safety. 43% of projects are AHIP, which is the new ED 1.
August 8, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Huge news from the LA Planning Dept. Since CHIP passed five months ago, almost 15,000 apartments have been submitted under the program! Of those, about 1,000 are by-right and went straight to Building and Safety. 43% of projects are AHIP, which is the new ED 1.
Reposted by Oren Hadar
Another Double Duplex article, this one from @futureis.la bsky.app/profile/futu...
Double duplexes are a super popular and weird kind of LA housing that you’ve probably never heard of. Originally built as co-living buildings for USC students, they are now getting snapped up by homeless service agencies to give unhoused people a home. Guess who hates them? LA politicians!
The new missing middle
Developers accidentally discovered a solution for homelessness. Will the city kill it?
futureis.la
August 1, 2025 at 6:42 AM
Another Double Duplex article, this one from @futureis.la bsky.app/profile/futu...