We Get Letters: Addressing Housing Scarcity: Unlocking Pasadena’s Vacant Homes

I live in Pasadena but thankfully wasn’t in an evacuation zone. However, since last week I’ve been getting requests to rent or even buy my house, from both friends and strangers. People are desperate for housing. Even those whose homes are still standing can’t return anytime soon, until utilities are on and smoke abatement is completed.

Meanwhile, houses stand vacant on my street, and will stay that way even as locals double up in houses or rent places an hour away and commute back for work and school. One newly constructed house on my block was purchased by someone who lives in another country and hasn’t set foot in there. Another is a house a neighbor inherited and is holding on to for financial reasons, but not living in or renting out. He stops by once a month to cut back the weeds. Several more in the area are owned by the California Department of Transportation, part of a purchase from when the 710 freeway was supposed to go through here, and have sat vacant for years.

I agree that we need to build more affordable housing, but what about all the existing housing that’s unused? What policy can we put into place to discourage people from letting a second home they own in LA sit vacant? How can we move the State along to get those 710 freeway houses inhabited? There might be plenty of housing for everyone, if only every house standing became a home someone lived in.

Rebecca Tuynman, Pasadena

Got something to say, email Managing Editor André Coleman, at andrec@pasadenanowmagazine.com