Los Angeles housing department head steps down after 10 years

The General Manager of the Los Angeles Housing and Community Investment Department (HCIDLA), Rushmore Cervantes, has announced plans to step down from his position at the end of the month. 

Cervantes has led the department for over a decade and has presided over a turbulent era in the city that has seen the number of people experiencing homelessness grow uncontrollably despite historic successes in increasing the city's affordable housing supply. HCIDLA, according to a City of Los Angeles website, is tasked with the "creation of viable urban communities by promoting livable and prosperous communities through the development and preservation of decent, safe, affordable housing, neighborhood investment, and social services" In addition, the department works to inspect the city's 760,000 multifamily housing units to maintain building code compliance, administers the city's Rent Stabilization Ordinance, and oversees its first-time homeowner ship and home repair programs, among other eff...