EP 16: The Battle for Rent Control in Long Beach, Calif.

Priced Out: The Podcast

This week we do a stylistic turn inspired by NPR shows like This American Life in order to cover the battle to get rent control on the ballot in Long Beach, California. Many people don't know that Long Beach is the sevenths largest city in California. Overshadowed by LA to the north and Orange County to the south, Long Beach is 60 percent renters - the highest rate in the state. We talk to Josh Butler of Housing Long Beach about their struggle to put rent reform on the ballot and their pitched battle against the shadowy group Better Housing for Long Beach. Butler describes their nemesis as an Orwellian, AstroTurf Group (instead of a grassroots group). The two fought it out for signatures in the streets of Long Beach. It got ugly and allegedly literally came to blows. We'll be down in Long Beach for a screening on Sept. 20th. If you are anywhere near Southern California and the world's largest urbanized area, come check the show out. More at: https://www.pricedoutmovie.com/ https://www.facebook.com/PricedOutPDX https://twitter.com/pricedoutusa https://www.instagram.com/pricedoutmovie/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/priced-out-podcast/support