Over 40,000 eviction notices — and counting — have been issued to Los Angeles residents since the start of 2023, putting tens of thousands of our neighbors at risk of losing their housing, including our students, their families, and fellow educators. This map by the office of the LA City Controller gives a striking visual of how many tenants have been threatened with losing their housing just this year.

The housing crisis in Los Angeles is intensifying, but mainstream media often misdirects blame or doesn’t tell the whole story. Rents have skyrocketed over the last several years as control of the rental market has become more concentrated in the hands of large owners and ownership groups.

Corporations, trusts, and large ownership groups make up 15% of all rental owners yet own 64% of the rental units in Los Angeles. And these corporate owners are setting the standard for what’s required to move in by charging steep security deposits and move-in fees, doing invasive background checks, and requiring unreasonable income levels and credit scores.

Dawn Alpi, a Special Education teacher in the Valley, said her children had to make sacrifices so they could get approved for a rental unit.

“I know that I’m not the only person experiencing housing insecurity and this demand to have exorbitant security deposits to move into a rental was not unique to me. We didn’t have any pets. We didn’t have a fish tank anymore. And my children stopped playing musical instruments just to make it easier to find a place to live.”

The path to ensuring every single person has a safe and stable place to live can feel daunting. But our elected representatives have the power to develop legislation on at least three factors — more affordable housing development, strict enforcement of rent control and tenant harassment, and transferring ownership out of the hands of corporate landlords.

The housing crisis impacts us all. And the fight to make housing accessible to everyone will take citywide solidarity and maximum pressure.

On Saturday, September 30, join the Keep LA Housed coalition to demand our LA elected representatives strengthen and create permanent tenant protections:

Tenant-Worker Solidarity March
Saturday, September 30 
9 AM in front of Pershing Square