(The above photo of Redondo Beach’s “Tall and Skinnies” shows how SB 9 and SB 10 would decimate yards and overrun single-family streets. But the dense 4-plexes in the photo above are half the density allowed by SB 9 and SB 10, which would jam 8 to 10 market-rate units on the lots depicted above, no yards, no garages.)

March 8, 2021

Bay Area and San Diego legislators are leading an attack on single-family zoning, reintroducing failed 2020 bills renamed SB 10 and SB 9. Bay Area legislator Scott Wiener repeatedly alludes to homeowners as elitists protecting yards and perpetuating redlining. He does not represent large areas of Black or Latino homeowners, and his ill-informed views threaten to force invasive urban renewal and market-rate density on Southern California and other highly diverse parts of the state.

In Los Angeles County alone, Black and Latino homeowners number in the millions and many have fought against redlining. Now, they must face developer-backed state legislators. In Greater L.A., 36 heavily Black, Latino/Black and Latino suburbs and urban areas house 1.4 million people, 45% of whom live in homes they own, the average ownership rate across L.A County.

If SB 9 and SB 10 become law, Greater L.A.’s most diverse working-class and middle-class homeowner areas will face an existential threat from developers, speculators and rental giants.

South L.A. has more than two dozen neighborhoods (L.A. Times “Mapping LA” data) with significant homeownership. The surrounding, highly diverse suburbs bring to at least 36 the number of cities and communities in Greater L.A. with substantial Black and Latino homeownership (L.A. Times “Mapping LA” Black Neighborhood List). As the below list is not exhaustive, the number is likely higher.

There is simply nothing like this breadth of homeowner diversity in Wiener’s district. In recent decades, market-rate density and low wages have driven many people of color out of San Francisco. Yet SoCal‘s vast Latino and Black homeowner areas are treated as non-existent by Wiener Inc. He slams homeowners as elites who take up space that Wiener thinks should contain 6-unit to10-unit market-rate rental projects without garages or yards for families. Few of the market-rate units produced by SB 9 and SB 10, if put on the market, would cost less than $620K. That’s the average price of homes sold in South L.A. in January of 2021 (Redfin).

[The below compilation is a project of volunteer urban planners and researchers at Livable California, livablecalifornia.org]

The Black, Latino and Latino/Black homeowner suburbs and communities of Greater LA

These 36 communities, well-located for speculators, investors and rental giants, face potential upheaval and demise under SB 9 and SB 10

1 View Park-Windsor Hills  (unincorporated) Population 11K

87% Black

Ownership: 75%

 

2 Gramercy Park Population 10K

86% Black

Ownership: 70%

 

3 Leimert Park Population 12K

79% Black

Ownership: 50%

 

4 Manchester Square Population 12K

78% Black

Ownership: 57%

 

5 Ladera Heights (unincorporated) Population 7K

71% Black

Ownership: 77%

 

6 Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw Population 30K

71% Black

Ownership 31%

 

7 Hyde Park Population 37K

66% Black

27% Latino

Ownership 51%

 

8 Chesterfield Square Population 6K

59% Black

37% Latino

Ownership 51%

 

9 West Compton   (unincorporated) Population 6K

58% Black

36% Latino

Ownership 57.6%

 

10 Athens   (unincorporated) Population 9K

54% Black

40% Latino

Ownership 56%

 

11 Harvard Park Population 11K

Black: 48%

Latino: 48%

Ownership 51%

 

12 Inglewood   (a city) Population 112K

Black: 46.4%

Latino: 46%

Ownership 37%

 

13 Vermont Vista Population 24K

Latino: 52%

Black: 45%

Ownership 44%

 

14 Willowbrook   (unincorporated) Population 35K

Latino 53%

Black: 44.3%

Ownership 52%

 

15 Green Meadows Population 28K

Latino: 54%

Black: 44.1%

Ownership 49%

 

16 Vermont Square Population 46K

Latino: 56%

Black: 39.2%

Ownership 37%

 

17 West Adams Population 22K

Latino: 56%

Black: 37.6%

Ownership 37%

 

18 Compton (a city) Population 95K

Latino 57%

Black, 39.8%

Ownership 57%

 

19 Downey (a city) Population 108K

Latino: 58%

White: 28%

Ownership 52%

 

20 Broadway-Manchester Population 24K

Latino 59%

Black: 39.3%

Ownership 37%

 

21 Vermont-Slauson Population 27K

Latino 60%

Black 36.8%

Ownership 39%

 

22 Watts Population 37K

Latino 62%

Black 37.1%

33% Ownership

 

23 Norwalk (a city) Population 104K

Latino 63%

Ownership 66%

 

24 South Whittier (unincorporated) Population 56K

Latino 70%

Ownership 65%

 

25 Florence Population 44K

Latino: 70%

Black: 28.1%

Ownership 35%

 

26 Santa Fe Springs (a city) Population 12K

Latino 72%

Ownership 63%

 

27 El Monte  (a city) Population 116K

Latino 73%

Ownership 41%

 

28 Paramount  (a city) Population 56K

Latino 73%

Ownership 43%

 

29 Montebello (a city) Population 62K

Latino: 75%

Ownership 48%

 

30 Pico Rivera (a city) Population 64K

Latino: 88%

Ownership 70%

 

31

 

 South Gate (a city) Population 97K

Latino 92%

Ownership 47%

 

32 Commerce (a city) Population 12K

Latino 94%

Ownership 47%

 

33 Lynwood  (a city) Population 70K

Latino 82%

Ownership 47%

 

34 Carson  (a city) Population 89K

Latino: 35%

Asian 25%

Black: 25%

Ownership 78%

 

35 Altadena   (unincorporated) Population 43K

White: 40%

Black: 31%

Ownership 75%

 

36 Gardena Population 59K

Latino: 32%

Asian 27%

Black: 25%

Ownership 47%