Civic Engagement Project ART 3170
Social Issue Project
Problem Definition: Rent Costs in Los Angeles
Research
According
to the article called “Rising Rent Burden in Los Angeles” by Megan Goulding, owning
a home in Southern California used to represent the realization of the
California Dream. Los Angeles is now one of the most populated rental market.
It has now built 10.000 new high-end units in Downtown LA, but they aren’t
affordable for an average renter that has to deal with increases of rental costs
in the past few years.
According
to the data, in 2013, “Los Angeles was the most rent-burdened city in the
entire nation”, 62% of the people were spending more than 30% of their
household income on rent every month. This makes it difficult to find an affordable
place for renters, with the median apartment rent being one of the highest in
the nation at $2,483.
This is
even worse for the very low-income people, they were spending more than 50% of
their household income in rent. The percentage of these rent-burdened people in
the lowest 20% of the income distribution went up from 53.6% to 77.8% since the
70’s. By having to pay high amounts of rent, their income is not enough to
support their expenses on a monthly basis on things such as transportation,
groceries, healthcare, and childcare.
Currently
in a new 2019 report from the “Apartment List”, the median rent price for a
single-bedroom apartment was $1360 during January, and two-bedroom one was
$1750. With the current date, it still shows that Los Angeles renters still pay
a lot of their income toward the cost of housing, in fact more than $40 billion
was spent on rent in 2018, and half of the residents of this area still spent
more than 30$ of their household income on rent, making it hard to afford basic
necessities.
Sources:
Personal
This
issue affects not only me but our community, as the data shows, it just too
much money going toward rent, and we experience this in my household. Like many
other students, I still live with my family, and it’s a bit crazy to think that
at one point in the future, being able to afford buying your own home will be
very difficult, you virtually can’t save up any money. But more than that just
basically living your everyday life, it seems like almost half of your money
goes to rent, and the rest of it goes to basic necessities, I’m not saying
you’re not having a decent life, but it’s a very restricted one for now, and
without the financial support of your family, you wouldn’t be able save up for
your own future.
Gathering Evidence
Christophoros
Zoumis
“The
cost of living in Los Angeles comes at a high price. As a student myself living
a minimum wage job, it’s really difficult to pay all my bills and still have
enough to pay my rent. After paying my rent I have less than $300 to myself,
and that’s supposed to last me the rest of the month. I live check to check and
it’s a stressful way to live. Last month I had a medical emergency and borrowed
money to keep up with the rent I pay monthly. God forbid another unforeseen circumstance
occurs, or I might end up living in the streets.”
Kevin
Chimil
“It
affects me dearly, because I ain’t trying to pay over two thousand for a one
room apartment. Might as well move to Mexico and take over.”
Aristorelis
Zoumis
“The
rent here in Los Angeles is getting out of hand. Before we had large
communities of people in mid-city LA who could afford to live in Los Angeles. Within
the last 5 years, gentrified have moved into the neighborhood driving up the
prices. Land lords kick out people in an effort to make a profit. Quickly
communities are being pushed out for hipsters and coffee shops. This has to
stop.”
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