Episode 15: Mark Vallianatos

Sometimes an interview comes together through serendipity. While in Los Angeles for a concert, a friend shared an in-depth article about the history of LA’s housing stock called Forbidden City: How Los Angeles Banned Some of its Most Popular Buildings by Mark Vallianatos, one of the co- founders and planning director for of Abundant Housing LA and a member of the urban change think tank LA Plus. Quickly I reached out to Mark to see if he would be able to get together on short notice, which is how I found myself sitting on a bench in one of Los Angeles’ Union Station’s courtyard, talking with Mark while the business of the station played out in the background.  While the story that Mark lays out here is about Los Angeles, its broad strokes have played out in cities across the united states. I hope you enjoy the conversation.