About Us

Coalition: Los Angeles

While home prices in Los Angeles have begun to experience a downturn, the Los Angeles real estate market still remains one of the least affordable in the nation. Available homes remain out of reach for nearly all middle-income working families.

The Current Perspective

"Any discussion of getting priced out of Los Angeles has to begin with housing, by far the biggest expense for most people. Never mind buying. Even with the real estate market on the ropes, buying a house or condo remains a fantasy for the majority of Southern Californians. The real story here is rentals. About 60 percent of Los Angeles residents are renters, according to the National Multi Housing Council, an industry group. That compares with a nationwide average of 32 percent."

- Los Angeles Times, March 9, 2008

" 'Small and medium-size businesses create jobs, but where are those workers going to live?' asked Roberto Barragan, president of the Valley Economic Development Center. 'We haven't done enough to make sure there is housing available for these employees.' "

- The Daily News of Los Angeles, March 5, 2008

Los Angeles Resident Speaks Out

"Part of the American Dream is owning your own home. We have lost the American Dream - You have to be a millionaire in order to own your own home!"

- Linda B., Los Angeles Resident

Fast Facts on the Problem

A family earning even 200 percent of the median household income cannot afford a median-priced home.
Between 2000 and 2005, the price of the average single-family home jumped 131 percent. During that same time, the area's median income rose only 4.5 percent.
As of 2006, 67 percent of Los Angeles metropolitan area renters were unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment at fair-market rent.
Nearly 99 percent of Los Angeles metropolitan area residents use an automobile for their daily commute. With the highest congestion index in the nation, Los Angeles residents spend almost 1.8 million vehicle hours in congested traffic every day.

Affordability Gap

The affordability gap in Los Angeles is expansive. Median-income families — hard-working citizens who form the backbone of the community — simply cannot afford homes. The data below is startling.

Median home price: $459,400
Salary needed to afford median-priced home: $132,605

Average chef salary: $41,130
Average dental hygienist salary: $79,670
Average firefighter salary: $69,870
Average flight attendant salary: $67,390
Average librarian salary: $61,190
Average registered nurse salary: $75,740
Average professor salary: $80,590
Average kindergarten teacher salary: $52,340

Our Efforts

Homes for Working Families is currently working to assemble a coalition that includes leaders from key industries in the Los Angeles economy.

Once the coalition is assembled, Homes for Working Families staff in Los Angeles and in Washington, D.C., will help coalition members to promote policy initiatives that make homes more affordable to working families.

We also are commissioning research to define, in greater detail, the scope of the affordability problem in Los Angeles.