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Question: I asked the owner to fix a problem in my unit but the owner refuses to fix it. What can I do?
Answer: Please call LAHD’s Customer Service Section, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 1 (866) 557-7368 (Toll Free) or (213) 808-8888 to file a Code Enforcement complaint. You may also file a Code Enforcement complaint on line at this website.
Question: I am an owner and I received a letter in the mail saying that my property is going into REAP. It should not go into REAP. What do I do?
Answer: If you believe that your property should not be placed into REAP, fill out the REAP Appeal form and list the reasons why you do not think your property should be placed into REAP. Be sure to fill out both pages completely as this information is required and be sure to submit the REAP Appeal form by the deadline listed on the form.
Question: A piece of paper about a General Manager’s hearing was posted on the building where I live. What is this about?
Answer: There are Housing Code violations on the property that the owner has not corrected or that have not been verified by the inspector as corrected. The hearing date, time, and location are listed on the posting notice. The hearing is open to the public so the owner, tenants, and interested parties are welcome to attend.
Question: A notice has been posted on our building about a General Manager’s hearing. I am a tenant. Can I attend this hearing?
Answer: Yes. It is a public hearing. You can attend and provide relevant testimony if you wish.
Question: The Department of Water and Power (DWP) posted a sign at the property saying that our water will be shut off. Why?
Answer: The owner is delinquent in paying the water bill for this property. Tenants have the option of participating in the Utility Maintenance Program (UMP) and can choose to pay their rent to the City. Depending how much money is owed, the Rent Escrow Account Program (REAP) will transfer money to DWP to maintain the water service.
Question: What is a General Manager’s hearing?
Answer: For Code Enforcement cases, it is an administrative hearing held to determine which penalties, if any, should be assessed against the landlord due to non-compliance with the Los Angeles Housing Code requirements listed in the Notice to Comply issued by the Housing Inspector.
For REAP cases, it is an administrative hearing held to determine whether the property meets the requirements to be placed into the REAP with the corresponding rent reduction.
Question: What is the procedure at the hearing?
Answer: The Department representative will present a summary of the case. For Code Enforcement cases, the landlord then will have the opportunity to explain or discuss the status of the work required by the Notice to Comply. For REAP cases, the landlord, who is the appellant, will have the opportunity to explain why the property does not meet the requirements to be placed into the REAP.
The Hearing Officer may discuss, provide explanation, or ask questions about the case to gather information in order to make his or her decision. The Hearing Officer’s written determination (decision) will be mailed within ten working days.
Question: Do I have to attend the hearing?
Answer: It is in your best interests to attend the hearing as the outcome may affect you, but it is up to you to decide whether to attend the hearing or not.
Question: I cannot be there at 8:00 a.m., but I will be there sometime after 8:00 a.m. I will be late. Will I miss the hearing?
Answer: The cases are called in the order of the agenda. If no one is present when the case is called, the case will be moved to the end of the agenda. After the last case on the agenda is heard, the Hearing Officer will call the unheard cases once more. Hearing staff can note on the agenda that you will be running late, and your case will be heard at the end. Call the Hearing Section contact person listed in the correspondence you received about the hearing.
Question: The hearing starts at 8:00 a.m. How long will I be there?
Answer: The agenda contains a number of cases to be heard that day. Sometimes, the hearings go very quickly, depending on how many people show up (or do not show up) and how complicated the cases may be. It is difficult to predict exactly how long it will take. Generally, the proceedings can last from one to two hours or more.
Question: Can the hearing be postponed?
Answer: No, the hearing cannot be postponed or rescheduled. You or your representative can request a hearing continuance of the Hearing Officer at the hearing, but the Los Angeles Housing Code contains strict criteria the Hearing Officer must follow to consider a continuance request.
Question: I cannot attend the hearing. What do I do?
Answer: If you are unable to attend the hearing, your options are as follows:
1. You can send someone to represent you at the hearing, and/or
2. You can fax a statement for the Hearing Officer’s review, and request that this statement be read into the record. Whatever you submit will need to be received by the Hearing Section by the close of business the day before the hearing. Please make sure the property address and/or case number are on any documents you submit.
The fax number for the Hearing Section is (213) 808-8613. If you want to drop off the documents in person, the public counter hours at the Garland Building are Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Question: Can I submit evidence to the Hearing Officer at the hearing?
Answer: Yes, please note the following requirements for submitting evidence to the Hearing Officer:
1. The Hearing Officer will only accept into the record any photographic or documentary evidence if the original or a copy is submitted to the Hearing Officer to keep.
2. All photographic evidence submitted must indicate the following:
A. Date photo taken
B. The unit depicted
C. The violation to which it corresponds
3. No evidence will be accepted after the hearing unless agreed to by the Hearing Officer.
Question: I have complied with everything in the Notice to Comply. I have the required permits. Why do I need to go to the hearing?
Answer: Have you called your Case Manager to schedule a final inspection? You need to call the Case Manager to set up an appointment for a Final Inspection to verify that the work has been completed and that the case can be signed off. It is in your best interest to attend the hearing as the outcome may affect you, but it is up to you to decide whether to attend the hearing or not.
Question: I have left messages for the Case Manager to set up an appointment for a Final Inspection, and no one has returned my call. What do I do?
Answer: Please call early in the morning. Case Managers are generally in the office from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.; otherwise, they may be in meetings or out in the field conducting inspections. If you do not reach the Case Manager, please leave a message for him or her. Your call will be returned as soon as possible.
Question: The Inspector was here for a Final Inspection and said that he was going to sign off on the case. Do I still need to go to the hearing?
Answer: It is in your best interests that you attend the hearing to ensure that it is read into the record that the property is in compliance. There may be tenants who attend the hearing who might contest compliance of the case, and you may want to respond at the hearing to what the tenants are claiming.
Question: I just bought this property or I plan on buying this property. Can I get a copy of the Notice to Comply (NTC)?
Answer: Yes, please contact the REAP Section at (213) 808-8500 or contact the Hearing Section contact person listed in the correspondence you received about the hearing.
Question: I just bought this property two to three weeks ago, do I still need to attend the hearing?
Answer: The person who was cited by the Notice to Comply is the responsible party up until the time you became the owner. It is possible that he or she can get fined and/or prosecuted for that period of time of noncompliance. If the previous owner did not tell you about the outstanding Housing Code violations, you can contact the Case Manager for information about the Notice to Comply or you can come to the hearing and learn more about the Notice to Comply and what your responsibility as the new owner is.
Question: I have received the General Manager’s decision for my hearing, but do not understand it.
Answer: Please turn to the section(s) titled General Manager’s Determination or contact the Hearing Section contact person listed in the correspondence you received about the hearing.
Question: Can I appeal the General Manager’s decision?
Answer: You have the right to appeal the decision to the Appeals Board (AB) if you believe that the Hearing Officer erred or abused his or her discretion or have information not previously submitted that would have impacted the General Manager’s decision if it had been available at the time of the General Manager’s hearing. However, the appeal may be rejected for various reasons. Please read the information in the “Right to Appeal this Decision” section of the General Manager’s decision and the bottom portion of the appeal form for more information.
Please note that the $150 non-refundable Appeals Board filling fee with the filled out appeal form must be received by the deadline date indicated in the General Manager’s decision and on the appeal form. The appeal will be reviewed, and you will be notified about the acceptance or rejection of the appeal.
Question: I (a tenant) received a letter from the City about REAP, and I don’t understand what it says. Can you explain it to me?
Answer: Your unit has been placed into the REAP because there are Housing Code habitability violations on the property that the owner has not fixed. You have the option of participating in the program and paying a reduced rent to the City.
Question: Where can I go to pay my rent to the City in person?
Answer: The LAHD public counters are open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday. The public counters that can accept payments are located as follows:
North Regional Office 6640 Van Nuys Boulevard
Van Nuys, CA 91405
(818) 756-1498 (Rent) (818) 756-1473 (Code)
South Regional Office 690 Knox Street, # 125
Torrance, CA 90502
(310) 524-1210 (Rent) (310) 524-1230 (Code)
East Regional Office 2215 North Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90031
(323) 226-9800
West Regional Office 3415 South Sepulveda Boulevard, #150
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 572-2000
Central Regional Office 3550 Wilshire Boulevard, 15th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 252-1400 Fax (213) 252-1401
Question: How much is my reduced rent?
Answer: Depending on the code violations and the severity, a tenant can have his or her rent reduced by 10 to 50 percent. Look on the form printed sideways, with the City seal on it for the percentage reduction for your unit.
Question: I paid my reduced rent to the City. Can the owner ask for the other portion of the rent?
Answer: No, once you have paid your reduced rent to either the owner or the City, you are covered for that month.
Question: Can the owner evict me for paying my rent into the REAP or UMP/REAP?
Answer: No, the owner cannot evict you for paying into the REAP or UMP/REAP.
Question: I am a tenant. Have you received my rent payment?
Answer: Call the REAP Section at (213) 808-8500, to see if payment has been received. Staff will check if the payment was received and if the information has been entered in the account.
Question: I am the owner. Has REAP received rent from this tenant?
Answer: Call the REAP Section at (213) 808-8500, to see if payment has been received. Staff will check if the payment was received.
Question: My rent was due yesterday. Can I still pay my rent into the REAP?
Answer: Yes, we will accept any rent payment no matter how late it is, but we do recommend that you pay on time because you could run the risk of getting evicted by the owner.
Question: I mailed my REAP rent payment with the wrong date on the Tenant Payment coupon. How can I fix this?
Answer: Call the REAP Section at (213) 808-8500.
Question: I did not receive a Tenant Payment coupon, but I went to the office and made my rent payment to the City. Is the case still open, and how can I get that payment back?
Answer: You did not receive the payment coupon because compliance was met. Accounting will mail you back the money order you submitted by certified mail.
Question: If the owner doesn’t fix the violations that need to be corrected, can I fix them myself and deduct the money that was used to fix the problem taken out of my rent?
Answer: There is a risk that you could get evicted for paying less rent. You and your landlord should try to come to an agreement in writing that the landlord agrees that you may use some of the rent money to make the repairs. If you are paying into the REAP account you may fill out the form for the release of escrow funds to apply for funds to make the repairs.
Question: I applied for the release of escrow funds, and I have not received anything through the mail. What is the status of my application?
Answer: Call the REAP Section at (213) 808-8500.
Question: I am a tenant, and I want to know if my release of escrow check that I am going to use to relocate from my unit is ready?
Answer: Someone from the REAP Section will call you as soon as your check is received.
Question: I am a tenant, and we have no hot water. The owner has not paid the bill, and the UMP escrow account just opened. Can the UMP/REAP help us to pay the bill?
Answer: No, due to the escrow account just being opened there is no money in the escrow account yet to pay the DWP bill.
Question: My tenant is still paying into REAP, and the Housing Inspector told me the case was signed off. Why?
Answer: We have not received a sign off. Call the REAP Section at (213) 808-8500.
Question: I am the owner, and I just paid the Department of Water and Power (DWP) bill that was owed. Can you close my UMP case?
Answer: Call the REAP Section at (213) 808-8500 to verify if an email from DWP removing or suspending the case has been received. If the REAP Section verifies that such an email has been received, the owner will be notified by mail, along with the affected tenants, that the UMP case is closed.
Question: I am the owner, and my case was closed and removed from REAP by the City Council. When will I receive the money in the escrow account?
Answer: The REAP Section will review the W-9 form to see who the current owner was when the release was approved by City Council. If any fees are due, it will be deducted from the escrow account.
Question: I received a letter about a Property Management Training Program (PMPT) class that I need to attend. Can you give me more information?
Answer: Jose Araiza is the person in charge of this program. His telephone number is (213) 808-8536.
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