Studio Time — gentrification

Sometimes we wondered if our brand inspires people. Sometimes we wondered if our stories, that is shown through our designs, can be seen or heard. This is a video that was sent to us by Erick Aguinaldo of his untitled poem. It really described how we feel, who we are, and what our mission is. We liked it so much that I just had to share it.

Last year I was going through a problem that alot of people were also going through: rent increase. My rent had gone up an extra $400. I had just left a company I used to work for so a secure paycheck wasn’t there anymore. Stress was setting in, which drove me to adapt and find alternatives to fight the rent increase. So, I started researching about rent control and gentrification.

That’s when I started becoming aware of rent hikes in cities like Santa Ana, Boyle Heights, all over LA and Inner cities of Orange County. People are losing their homes due to rent increases. People are becoming misplaced and have nowhere to go. Senior citizens are not able afford the rent hikes. Putting them at risk of becoming homeless. .

Neighborhoods are no longer being recognized because they became trendy hipster spots with $2,000 studio apt. that some of us can’t afford. .
That is what inspired this design. This is happening now and if there is no rent control, the homeless problem will keep increasing. Identities of neighborhoods will be lost. .

Don’t get us wrong, we are all for safer neighborhoods, but not at the cost of people losing their homes, place of business, and roots within their neighborhoods. Making the current residents the outsiders