Los Angeles will raise its minimum wage incrementally to $15 an hour by 2020. But with an inadequate supply of new housing, will this new spending power simply enable landlords to charge more? Some economists say yes.
Although low-income renters in Los Anegeles were no doubt heartened by news of a forthcoming $15 minimum wage, economists offer words of warning. Rosalie Ray, a UCLA researcher who claimed Los Anegles is the nation's most unaffordable rental market, stands by those grim tidings. Her basic thesis: higher buying power without an increase in supply will push up prices.
From the article: "That means around 700,000 minimum wage workers will have more money to compete for the same low inventory of rental units. [...] L.A.'s Department of Building and Safety is projecting a 29 percent increase in new units this fiscal year over last, with 12,000 units permitted. Still, that isn't enough to keep up with the city's population growth [...]."
Chris Thornberg, Beacon Economics co-founder, agreed: "What we need is housing — period. Whether we build it to be affordable or not, ultimately it's about adding to the supply."
FULL STORY: Minimum wage hike could increase LA rents, economists say
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UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
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Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research