Exposé: Development Obstruction in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is home to a host of groups advocating for homeowners, and these groups use their money and political influence to push developers to make the kind of developments the homeowners want to see, according to in-depth reporting from Hillel Aron in LA Weekly. Such deals can involve curbing the size of development, increasing parking, and exacting payments to these groups from developers, according to Aron. The details of these negotiation are not made public, so it's not possible to track exactly what concessions or dollars these groups are able to extract, or what developments they're able to stop.   

"'Essentially, [homeowner groups] shake down developers for private settlements,' says one land-use consultant, who asked not to be named to preserve the ability to negotiate with homeowner associations," Aron reports.