The first half of 2026 was the most active period in YIMBY LA's history. We published original research, ran 12 events across six neighborhoods, engaged more than 130 races in the June primary, and continued building coalitional and institutional relationships to make this work sustainable. We accomplished all of this against a policy backdrop that remains resistant despite incremental rhetorical, political, and legislative progress.
Kicking Off 2026 With a Plan to Move Faster and Advocate Harder
January opened with our first-ever chapter kickoff call, which recapped a year of building in 2025 where we saw over 14 campaigns launched to support housing projects. That resulted in over 680 letters sent, 4,283 homes supported, and a 93% development approval rate - the people are getting housing! We conducted our first-ever member survey, revealing the primary barriers to in-person advocacy (travel time and work/caregiving responsibilities), and giving us a clear-eyed picture of where to go next.
YIMBY LA's leadership structure evolved in 2026 to reflect the scope of the work, with functional areas now covering content and communications, project advocacy, events, electoral engagement, and social media. This year we've already supported six housing development proposals, helping secure approvals for 3,887 new homes.
Using Our Voice Through Original Research and Position Articles
YIMBY LA published two data-driven report cards [report card 1; report card 2] in the first half of 2026, both produced in partnership with Zenith Economics, making it one of the few LA housing advocacy organizations producing repeatable original research at this cadence.
The inaugural report card established a baseline on permitting, vacancy, and rent trends:
- 8,714 units permitted in 2025
- 5.1% vacancy rate
- Average rent of $2,168
The most recent report provided tangible proof that housing supply is the key to affordability: asking rents in Los Angeles fell to four-year lows as new completions outpaced absorption. That is the causal argument YIMBY LA exists to make, and now we have the receipts.
In collaboration with YIMBY LA member Dave Deeks, we took a clear, evidence-driven position on the Governor's SB 9 suspension in fire zones with the piece, "Fire Survivors Need Options. The SB 9 Ban Takes Them Away."
Twelve Events in Six Months
The geographic range of events mattered as much as the volume. We engaged with YIMBY LA members in WeHo, Downtown, Japantown, Chinatown, Long Beach, Beverly Hills, and on Zoom, growing the community, advancing the endorsement process, and showing up in the neighborhoods where housing decisions are decided.
Learning events connected members to the full complexity of the housing conversation, not just policy. A Developer Roundtable in DTLA in March emphasized the importance of project feasibility. An LA ART gondola presentation in Japantown in April highlighted the relationship between mobility infrastructure and development location., A fundraiser with personal finance coach and influencer Ramit Sethi in June directly connected personal finance and regional housing policy, mapping policy decisions to individual and household finances and wealth creation. ,
Activation events put us at the table with candidates, elected officials, and the broader ecosystem of people who shape housing outcomes. Hosting the LA Council District 3 Debate; a YIMBY Mayoral Debate co-hosted with Streets For All; the LA Council District 9 Candidate Debate; a Michael Tubbs lieutenant governor event in Chinatown; and the LA Says Yes fundraiser in Beverly Hills built the relationships that make future advocacy more effective.
Social events were the foundation of the rest of our work. A Friends and Families Picnic in WeHo in February and a Long Beach Social in May saw members meet each other for the first time outside of Slack, building a net of familiarity that shows up when it matters.
The first confirmed late summer event is a Livable Communities Initiative Garden Hour in August in Larchmont. Stay connected with us for more details.
Yimby LA’s Political Moment
2026 is a consequential year for LA housing politics. We published twenty-two endorsements across LA City, West Hollywood, the state legislature, statewide offices, and Congress, each backed by a 13-question questionnaire and a chapter recommendation process. The mayoral race carries the clearest stakes: YIMBYLA -endorsed Nithya Raman, whose early leadership on ULA reform and SB 79 set her apart in the field, and her advancement out of the primary is one of the clearest near-term tests of whether a supply-serious platform can win in Los Angeles. A full breakdown of results and what they mean for November can be found in our YIMBY LA post-primary recap.
Team News
The first half of 2026 brought team growth alongside transition. Shreya Tandri raised YIMBY LA's social media presence in meaningful ways before departing for law school. One of our founding leads, John Gregorchuk, is taking a step back from day-to-day advocacy. John was a consistent and positive presence who made strategic connections across the housing ecosystem, and brought his real estate development experience into discussions in ways that kept our YIMBY conversations grounded.
The Yimby LA leads team continues to grow, and we’d love to connect with you if you are interested in joining.
What the Rest of the Year Looks Like
The post-primary reflection blog post recently went live, the Livable Communities Initiative in August is coming up, and the Q2 Housing Report Card is in the pipeline.
None of this happens without the people who show up to debates, fill out surveys, knock doors, and stay engaged between the moments that make the news, so thank you to YIMBY LA members, subscribers, and our partners.