LA's housing crisis is inescapable. From people forced to sleep on the sidewalk to those who have to spend hours commuting to their jobs. In Search of a City covers the effort to fix it, two weeks at a time. It's hosted by people who actually work on the problem: a city councilmember, a housing advocate, a developer, and a young urbanist voice, all talking through the week's biggest housing news together. Every episode also digs into one issue in depth, with an expert guest, to help you actually understand what's blocking new homes and what could fix it.
Housing Research and Measure ULA with Shane Phillips
UCLA housing researcher and host of the UCLA Housing Voice podcast Shane Phillips joins us to discuss the housing research he's most excited about, his involvement with ULA and efforts to reform it, whether YIMBYs should support sprawl housing, and more. PUBLIC COMMENT Got something to say to us? We read everything. Which empty LA building would you turn into housing? Tell us in the comments. Email: lahousingpod@gmail.com X: @HACdotorg TikTok: @lahousingpod Threads: @lahousingpod Blue...
23 Oct 2026
Can Nithya Win Over Developers? with Andrew Slocum
The Mayor's race is in the final stretch, and two groups that are typically allies - housing advocates and housing builders - aren't aligned. Developer and housing advocate Andrew Slocum joins the podcast to discuss the concerns some in the development community have with our usual hosts: Jesse Zwick, Southern California director of the Housing Action Coalition, Jonny Hale of People's Vision Zero and the Inner City Law Center, Principal of ShelterX Io Sunwoo, and Downtown LA 4 All and Downtow...
9 Oct 2026
Mayor of the Reluctant Metropolis with Bill Fulton
He wrote one of LA’s most influential histories. Now he joins the podcast to share his thoughts on the LA mayor’s race, housing, and the new politics of growth. [Note: the initial post of this episode had an incorrect audio file. This issue was quickly fixed; please re-download it if you got the old version]. Plus: * Pro-housing charter amendments on the ballot * Small but impactful reforms signed into law * Two separate housing memes brainstormed * Our first public comment! It's been 30 ye...
29 Sept 2026
SB79 Update + The Keys to Turning LA's Empty Offices Into Homes (with Karin Liljegren)
LA has tens of millions of square feet of empty office space and a severe housing shortage. Why aren't we turning one into the other? Architect Karin Liljegren, who has spent 25 years converting old buildings into homes, explains what's standing in the way, from seismic rules to property taxes, and the fixes that could unlock thousands of units. We also discuss the slow start of SB 79, the landmark transit housing law, and find out why LA hasn't seen a single project submitted yet--whi...
11 Sept 2026
Why Is LA the Worst Big City in America at Housing?
LA has the highest rate of overcrowded households in America, the lowest homeownership rate of any major city, and the most unsheltered homelessness in the country. Over the past five years, LA County lost about 300,000 people — from a region that's still adding jobs. So is LA uniquely bad at this? Or just unlucky? In the first episode of In Search of a City, four Angelenos who work on housing from very different angles break down what happened at the end of California's Legislative session...
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
8 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
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