California’s housing and environmental justice challenges were the focus of the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute’s fifth annual policy briefing held at The California Endowment in Sacramento. Over 80 people representing legislative offices, community organizations, staff and students were welcomed to the May 1 event by Amada Armenta, LPPI’s associate faculty director and a UCLA Luskin associate professor of urban planning. “At LPPI, we like to say that all issues are Latino issues. And we know that to address these issues, you need data,” Armenta said. “Our research is led by a Latino team that draws on their personal experiences, as well as their deep expertise, to produce research that shines a light on communities that are too often ignored so you can serve your constituents through targeted and data-driven policy interventions.” California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara opened the session, followed by a panel on the complexities of environmental challenges, moderated by LPPI co-director of research Silvia González MURP ’13, PhD ’20. The briefing also shared research on the high prevalence of “doubled-up homelessness,” in which individuals share overcrowded and substandard housing, and highlighted the Latino Data Hub, the digital data platform developed by LPPI researchers. More than 20 UCLA students attended the briefing as part of the institute’s leadership fellowship curriculum. “Today, I see experts, scholars and students who are the future leaders. I see the staff for elected offices who have the knowledge, passion and power to change the trajectories and lives of our communities,” said Lila Burgos MURP ’13, deputy director of LPPI. — Cristian Rivera
