It’s expensive to live in LA County. That’s a fact that most wouldn’t deny, but it’s important not to take lightly what that means for local communities. The high cost of housing is damaging to the quality of life for many LA residents because it can keep them from living where they want – and can even force them to move away from the communities they consider home. High rent prices do more than drive away potential new residents, they also affect older and already-established communities, which leads to gentrification. Fortunately, some organizations are dedicated to changing this and are working to empower communities and to give them the tools to stay and to be active in preserving their communities. And with a few simple tips, you can do your best to find affordable housing in LA County too.
In an AARP California survey of African American adults aged 36-70 in LA County, only 33% identified as living comfortably financially. Two in five identified as either just getting by or finding it difficult to get by financially. One in three said they wouldn’t be able to pay for emergency expenses of $1,000 or more. Although these are stats affecting older black residents, there’s no doubt these sentiments trickle down to millennials as well.
Lori R. Gay is the current president of Neighborhood Housing Services for LA County, and she sees how the current landscape is affecting millennials of color.
“It’s not going to get better unless there’s policy change. Change has to happen, and if we let the market do it for us, people of color will not benefit.” So how do we change it? Become an advocate for legislation. Be aware of legislation that will affect the housing landscape and support elected officials who can help make it happen.
But in addition to the legal work that can be done to make affordable housing a reality for California residents, there are also small things you can do to make a big difference in your housing experience.
-
Build good credit
Staying on top of your credit score is helpful when turning in rental applications as well as getting approved for home loans. Maintaining good credit will make finding affordable housing in the LA County area a more attainable goal, especially if you’re building your credit the right way while in college.
-
Figure out your budget
How much can you afford? Look at your income, expenses and bills in a realistic light. Then find housing that you can afford and within your budget and stick to that price range. Being realistic about what you can afford will prevent you from ending up in situations you can’t maintain.
-
Live with loved ones if you need to
If you find that your budget doesn’t allow for you to afford housing you’re comfortable with, see if you can live with your parents for a while to save up or until you can land a better paying job. Of course this isn’t an option for everyone, but if it is an option for you, don’t write it off. It could be a built-in solution to help you gain some financial stability.
In her work with Neighborhood Housing Services, Lori understands the need to provide this type of information and additional resources for her community.
“Our #1 tool is financial education, counseling and literacy,” she says, “We host everything from 45 minute workshops to 8-hour events. Then people get a lifelong counselor that helps them manage their money and manage their life.”
They also have a community development bank where people can borrow cheap to buy, fix, sell or refinance a home. If people don’t need all that, but still need help on a project, they have a construction management team.
“Neighborhood building and advocacy is 20 percent of the business, making people aware of problems and teaching them how to advocate and coalesce what’s important to them. We make sure they understand it so they don’t get stuck watching things happen to their community. We have a pretty aggressive volunteer and advocacy base that works together and keeps residents involved. That’s been our role.”
They also are opening centers for sustainable communities in Compton, San Fernando Valley, Santa Fe and San Gabriel Valley. In Compton, people can go to get info about health, fitness, small business development, financial management, legal services and more. And those kind of resources are what make communities great. These centers and organizations get to know residents and help them to stay, grow and thrive in their neighborhoods — instead of just being driven out by sky-high rent and major corporations. Get in the know!
This post is brought to you in collaboration with AARP.
