Phone Calling Campaign this weekend

March 7, 2009

Los Angeles Families Phone City Council Urging Passage of a Mixed-Income Housing Ordinance By June!

Housing Advocates establish a hotline this week to urge city council to take decisive action on the Los Angeles Housing Crisis and pass a mixed-income housing ordinance by June. This ordinance would ensure that in every new development in the city would include units affordable to working families.

This week LA Voice PICO, a faith-based community organizing group and the Housing LA Coalition is urging communities all throughout Los Angeles to make a phone call to City Council and the Chair of the Housing Committee, Herb Wesson to urge him to pass a mixed-income housing ordinance by June of 2009. Recent studies show that out of 14,000 units built in LA in 2006, 90% of those units were affordable only to those who made $135,000 or more. This ordinance would ensure that every new development in Los Angeles would include units affordable to working and middle class families.

Over the last two years, LA Voice and Housing LA secured commitments to address the Cityʼs Housing Crisis from the following Council members: Council Member Ed Reyes (CD 1), Wendy Greuel (CD 2), Richard Alarcon (CD 7), Jan Perry (CD 9), Herb Wesson (CD 10), Bill Rosendahl (CD 11), Council President Eric Garcetti (CD 13), Jose Huizar (CD 14) and Janice Hahn (CD 15).  All pledged to support a comprehensive housing strategy that would ensure affordable housing to Los Angeles residents. In October of 2008, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa included a Mixed-Income Housing Ordinance as part of his comprehensive housing plan that would ensure that all new developments built in Los Angeles would include affordable units for LA residents. Los Angeles cannot wait to pass this ordinance any longer. Thousands of families are losing there homes during this financial downturn and entering a rental market that is only affordable to wealthy Los Angeles residents.

LA Voice Clergy Leader, Pastor Ryan Bell states, “Los Angeles residents canʼt wait any longer. The City of Los Angeles needs to address this housing problem and introduce a Mixed-Income Housing Ordinance now!”

This Saturday and Sunday, March 7th and 8th residents from all across Los Angeles are launching the campaign and calling the hotline to be directed to their City Officials to urge them to act. The Phone Calling Campaign will continue for the next few weeks.

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WHO: LA Voice PICO and Housing LA Coalition, along with residents all across Los Angeles

WHAT: LA Voice PICO and the Housing LA Coalition have created a hotline (1- 888-531-1335) for residents to call City Council and Chairman of the Housing Committee Herb Wesson to urge passage of a Mixed-Income Housing Ordinance for the CIty of Los Angeles.

WHEN: the Campaign will be launched Saturday, March 7 through the end of the month in
neighborhoods across the city

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