Paved Paradise Podcast

We explore the story of the last Skid Row in America in the face of the biggest homelessness crisis we’ve ever seen in this city. There’s a lot we can learn from Skid Row about structural inequity - and the community resiliency required to resist. See pavedparadisepodcast.com for links shared in the episode.

We explore the many failed solutions to our housing inequities over the years - public housing, Section 8, and affordable housing incentives. We also investigate models that may have promise but are not widespread - co-ops, land trusts, and other efforts that give communities control of their land. With Betty Marin, Jennifer Ganata, Carol Sobel, and Hayes Davenport. See pavedparadisepodcast.com for links and episode notes.

We get into the weeds of our current housing affordability crisis - what got us here? We dig into global real estate speculation, weird state and local housing policies, and a deeply unsustainable addiction to the California Dream. With Hayes Davenport, Jennifer Ganata, Peter James, Betty Marín, and Hayk Makhmuryan. See pavedparadisepodcast.com for links and episode notes.

In this episode we examine the idea of "creative placemaking" - a funder's term for using the arts and artists to revitalize parts of the city under economic or social duress. How can artists help to shape the city, and when are their efforts part of the wedge of gentrification, contributing to the massive displacement of people?  See pavedparadisepodcast.com for links mentioned in episode.

In Episode 2, we go on a walking tour of old Sonora Town in Downtown LA to discover the rise and fall of the frothing Reds of an anarchist and socialist movement thriving in the early 20th century. The tense and often violent foment of this time was a struggle for the very future of Los Angeles – and paints a picture of an alternate imagined destiny for this city which was ultimately crushed. With Janet Owen Driggs, artist, curator, and professor at Cypress College.

For our first episode, we investigate some of the causes of our current housing affordability crisis – namely, racist housing policies that have led to intergenerational wealth inequalities in our society. We talk about racial covenants, redlining, and the resiliency of black Santa Monica. With Robbie Jones, Harriette McCauley, and Professor David Sloane from USC. Hosted by Sue Bell Yank.