What is The Los Angeles Housing Department?

The Los Angeles Housing Department, or LAHD, works to insure that existing rental housing units meet all of the requirements as outlined in the safety and standards code for the City of Los Angeles.  All rental properties must be inspected at least every four years to insure that the standards and code requirements are followed to the letter of the law. Currently, a $35.52 annual fee per unit is paid by property owners to be registered with the LAHD. This inspection process is called the Systematic Code Enforcement Program. Whether or not their property is inspected within the four-year period the fee must always be paid by the landlord each year.

Although the Los Angeles Housing Department is different from the City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety in important ways, both wield the same club;  the Los Angeles Housing Department can issue an Order to Comply in Los Angeles just as can the Department of Building and Safety. The Order to Comply from the Los Angeles Housing Department will cite the current state or condition of your property and its availability to be rented as outlined by the standards from the City of Los Angeles. Most citations are issued because of infestations, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) problems, inadequate parking and simple or complex building code violations.

The Los Angeles Housing Department can require building modifications to be made and may levy fees and fines if the Order to Comply is not resolved quickly and completely. In extreme cases jail time could result if the Order to Comply is not rectified in a timely manner or is completely ignored.

(Source of this blog entry with permission by ordertocomplylosangeles.com)