Los Angeles rent growth is expected to hit triple digits over the next two years, with an estimate that Los Angeles County residents will pay an average of $136 more in the next two years, according to new research from USC Lusk Center for Real Estate. Other Southern California markets will experience similar growth. Rents are expected to increase $149 per month for Orange County residents, $124 in the Inland Empire, $121 in San Diego County and $98 in Ventura County. Rent growth is currently outpacing income growth, and it is not sustainable. We sat down for an interview with Richard Green, USC Lusk Center Director, who co-authored the report with Beacon Economic's Chris Thornberg, to talk about the rental growth in Southern California and the local economic impacts.

GlobeSt.com: What is driving this aggressive rent growth?

Richard Green: We don't build very much and we have people getting jobs and better incomes, and we aren't building enough housing to absorb the demand that is being created by the jobs that are being created. If you look at California's housing production relative to employment growth, we are way behind the country.