LAHD Newsletter 2024 – LAHD

Welcome to our new and rebooted LAHD newsletter! This newsletter is a chance to keep you – the community – informed and engaged. Thanks for joining us as we highlight the work of the Department, share information about our programs, and keep you updated about important developments that affect housing in Los Angeles.

A lack of enough affordable housing in Los Angeles and the housing insecurity that results are among the most pressing issues we face as a City. Los Angeles is not an affordable place to call home for too many of our residents. More than 60% of Angelenos are renters, and the majority of renters are “rent-burdened,” spending more than 30% of their income, and often much more than that, on housing costs. It hasn’t always been this way, and it is something I believe we can turn around. The solutions might not be easy, but they are necessary, and the hard work is worth it.

We have made progress. In 2023, LAHD financed a total of 1,301 new affordable and supportive housing units that will be built over the next few years. Also in 2023, 2,613 new affordable and supportive units became ready for occupancy or were occupied during the year. Every month, LAHD and the Mayor’s office updates a dashboard showing our progress in building supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness. It gives us all hope to see our work producing so many homes for so many who need them.

But we need to make more progress. Building affordable housing requires financial investment, and we know we are facing a tough upcoming budget year. This will affect Department hiring and staffing as well as investment in affordable housing production. We are excited about the potential for Measure United to House LA (Measure ULA), which was adopted by voters in 2022, to withstand challenges ahead and provide significant resources that will dramatically expand our efforts to produce and preserve affordable housing. We look forward to sharing much more about Measure ULA in the future. To learn more about Measure ULA, please read HERE.

In addition to producing more affordable housing, LAHD is working to make sure that Angelenos stay in the housing they have. We are in the process of delivering nearly $30 million in Measure ULA revenue for emergency rent relief to our lowest income renter households. We’re also funding more than $23 million in Measure ULA revenue for eviction defense support for tenants who are facing eviction. Also in 2023, the City Council and the Mayor adopted LAHD’s recommendations to strengthen tenant protections to keep people housed. Find out more HERE.

We finished 2023 having made some important progress, which you can read about HERE. And we have begun 2024 with a continued focus on producing, protecting, and preserving affordable housing throughout Los Angeles. We look forward to sharing information and progress with you throughout the year.

I hope you enjoy learning about our work and how LAHD’s programs can support you. Please take a moment and click here to fill out a brief survey about what you’d like to see in future newsletters.

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TENANTS: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

February 1, 2024, marked the end of COVID-era eviction protections. Rental debt accrued between October 1, 2021, and January 31, 2023, is now due. It is vital that tenants know their rights, and can access valuable resources to help during this time.

No Evictions Without Cause
Tenants can no longer be evicted without cause in the City of Los Angeles. All residential rental units in Los Angeles now have “just cause” protections, meaning a landlord cannot evict a tenant without declaring a legal reason for eviction. For more information about “just cause” protections, click HERE.

Economic Threshold Requirement
Tenants cannot be evicted for non-payment of rent unless the amount owed exceeds one month’s fair market rent for a unit of that size (see table below).

Available Assistance
Tenants facing evictions due to rental arrears should immediately take action. If you receive an eviction notice from your landlord, do not delay – contact the Los Angeles Housing Department. Public Counters are available Citywide, and virtual appointments are also available. To see a full list of locations and make an appointment, click HERE, or call (866) 557-7368.

If you receive an Unlawful Detainer notice from the court, you must file an answer within five days. Stay Housed LA offers support and services including assistance preparing a response to the Unlawful Detainer; they may be reached at (888) 694-0040. For more information, please visit the LAHD website for resources.

TENANTS: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

February 1, 2024, marked the end of COVID-era eviction protections. Rental debt accrued between October 1, 2021, and January 31, 2023, is now due. It is vital that tenants know their rights, and can access valuable resources to help during this time.

No Evictions Without Cause
Tenants can no longer be evicted without cause in the City of Los Angeles. All residential rental units in Los Angeles now have “just cause” protections, meaning a landlord cannot evict a tenant without declaring a legal reason for eviction. For more information about “just cause” protections, click HERE.

Economic Threshold Requirement
Tenants cannot be evicted for non-payment of rent unless the amount owed exceeds one month’s fair market rent for a unit of that size (see table below).

Available Assistance
Tenants facing evictions due to rental arrears should immediately take action. If you receive an eviction notice from your landlord, do not delay – contact the Los Angeles Housing Department. Public Counters are available Citywide, and virtual appointments are also available. To see a full list of locations and make an appointment, click HERE, or call (866) 557-7368.

If you receive an Unlawful Detainer notice from the court, you must file an answer within five days. Stay Housed LA offers support and services including assistance preparing a response to the Unlawful Detainer; they may be reached at (888) 694-0040. For more information, please visit the LAHD website for resources.

Update on Allowable Rent Increase for City of Los Angeles RSO Units

In recognition of the financial distress suffered by many Angelenos during the COVID-19 pandemic, rents have been frozen on rental units subject to the City’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) since March 2020. The ban has now expired, and the Los Angeles City Council has approved a 4% allowable increase on RSO rental units. The ordinance also allows an additional 1% for gas service, and 1% for electric service, if the landlord covers the entire expense of those utilities on behalf of the tenant.

Important note: State law requires landlords to provide an advance 30-day written notice for rent increases.

This can obviously be a difficult and challenging adjustment for individuals and families already challenged by the high cost of living in our City. Therefore, it is critical to know if your rental unit is subject to the RSO. To find out, visit zimas.lacity.org.

To calculate your current rent against the allowable increase percentages, and surcharge fees (if applicable), please use the RSO Calculator tool.

Know your rights and obligations as a tenant or landlord by visiting Stay Housed LA.

LAHD has online services available 24/7 at Ask-Housing, or you may call (866)-557-7368.

Winter Shelter Program

The Winter Shelter Program of the Los Angeles Homelessness Services Authority (LAHSA) is currently operating through March 31, 2024. The program opens its doors annually to protect people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles during the colder months.

Winter Shelters are located all across the County of Los Angeles, and are open 24 hours a day.

For more information, please see our Winter Shelter flyers, available in English and Spanish.

For inquiries, please call the WINTER SHELTER HOTLINE at 2 – 1 – 1, the LAHSA SHELTER HOTLINE at (213) 683 – 3333, or email wintershelter@lahsa.org.

Fast Track Program

On January 24, 2024, the Los Angeles City Council approved funding for additional projects through the City’s Fast Track Program.

The Fast Track Program provides supplemental loans to help move critically needed affordable and supportive housing projects forward that are stuck due to funding gaps, which may have been caused by increased construction costs.

When the program was established, the Los Angeles Housing Department and an Administrative Oversight Committee approved loans for 8 projects, designed to build 670 housing units. This most recent Council action will set in motion 11 additional projects; adding another 732 units to the pipeline. This gain increases the number of units supported through the Fast Track Program to a total of 1,402.

2024 Foreclosure Registry Program Annual Renewal

he City of Los Angeles Foreclosure Registry Program was established as a mechanism to protect residential neighborhoods (including abandoned properties and vacant lots) from blight due to a lack of adequate maintenance and security.

If you are a non-exempt lender, beneficiary and/or trustee who holds or has interest in a deed of trust on a residential property that is in foreclosure in the city of Los Angeles, you are required to register the property with the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD).

The Registry program’s 2024 annual registration is now due for both Notice of Default (NOD) and Real-Estate Owned (REO) properties. Payment of the $155 annual registration fee for properties in foreclosure can be processed online using this Registration Form. Please note, late payments may be subject to fees.

For more information, view the Foreclosure Registry Renewal Notice.

You may also contact our hotline at (213) 808-8858, send an email to LAHD.foreclosurereg@lacity.org, or visit housingbill.lacity.org/foreclosure.

2024 Annual Bill Reminder: RSO / SCEP Fees Due

At the start of every year, rental properties in Los Angeles are subject to annual fees under the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) and Systematic Code Enforcement Program (SCEP). Visit the Annual Bill page for details about these programs.

Invoices are mailed to property owners at the end of the preceding year, and payments are due as of January 1st. Annual fees are calculated per rental unit, and payment must be received by LAHD no later than the last day of February. (Note: 2024 is a Leap Year, therefore February 29, 2024 is the last day to pay without penalties).

Payments received on or after March 1, 2024, will be subject to delinquent fee assessments on the account.

To avoid delinquency fees, LAHD highly recommends property owners use our Online Customer Payment Portal, which allows for managing multiple properties, updating contact information, and the option for mobile remittance, making the payment on the account effective immediately.

For inquiries or assistance navigating the Online Customer Payment Portal, contact LAHD.billing@lacity.org, or call the Helpline at (877) 614-6873.

Systematic Code Enforcement Program (SCEP)

In 1997, the Blue Ribbon Citizens Committee on Slum Housing released a report documenting the increased prevalence of uninhabitable housing conditions in Los Angeles, and called for the City’s dramatic reform of enforcement processes.

The Committee found the City of Los Angeles’s rental housing stock required proactive enforcement of California State Health and Safety Laws.

The aim was to eliminate the growing substandard conditions in rental housing associated with deferred maintenance and the housing recession of the 1990s.

The Committee’s recommendation to address the deteriorating rental housing stock was to create a systematic routine inspection program modeled by San Francisco earlier in the decade. In an effort to reform the complaint-driven system, an ad hoc committee on Substandard Housing was created by the City Council. The Los Angeles Housing Department worked intensely for months with the Blue Ribbon Committee and other City administrators to develop the Systematic Code Enforcement Program (SCEP).

Low-Income Purchase Assistance (LIPA) Program

Discover the life-changing potential of homeownership through the Low-Income Purchase Assistance (LIPA) program.

Unlock the possibility of owning a home in Los Angeles with the LIPA program, a gateway to affordable housing that provides financial support and guidance to low-income individuals and families.

In 2023, the City of Los Angeles processed more than 40 loans through LIPA, helping hundreds of household members realize their homeownership dreams. This year, the program is offering up to $161,000 in down payment assistance to those who qualify.

Seize this opportunity, overcome barriers, and embark on a journey to a brighter, more secure future with the Los Angeles Housing Department’s LIPA program.

To learn more, please view the Information Flyer, the approved Lender List, or contact our staff at (213) 808-8808.

Coming in March 2024: “Get the Lead Out!”

The Lead Hazard Remediation Program (LHRP) and USC Hybrid High School will co-host a community fair at the school’s South Los Angeles campus – located at 3939 South Vermont Avenue, on March 7, 2024, from 4pm to 6pm.

The LHRP promotes the lead paint abatement process (or “de-leading”), which aims to bring households to a lead-safe condition. The de-leading process involves paint stripping, and encapsulating or replacing contaminated surfaces. The process includes three main steps:

Initial Inspection by a Licensed Lead Inspector.
Performance of Lead Abatement Work.
Final Inspection and Issuance of Letter of Compliance.

After the abatement is completed, final inspection is scheduled for the Lead Inspector to take residual dust samples (“Wipe Tests”); this is to confirm the post-job cleanup was sufficient and can be declared “lead-safe” and ready for occupancy.

LHRP is a grant program available to residents of the City of Los Angeles, and available grants can run up to $25,000 per unit. Occupants must meet the LHRP eligibility criteria, as well as U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program guidelines.

It is LHRP’s goal to assist the communities most impacted by lead-based paint hazards around the City of Los Angeles. Targeted areas were identified in a report generated by the California Department of Public Health Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch (CLPPB). This report, California’s Progress in Preventing and Managing Childhood Lead Exposure, identifies zip codes within the City of Los Angeles having the highest lead blood levels for children under age six.

During the upcoming March event, LHRP will enroll qualifying constituents within the City of Los Angeles into the program. Please plan to attend, and spread the word!

spotlight on community

HOPWA Program

LAHD offers Housing Opportunities for Persons with HIV/AIDS through HOPWA, a program that provides housing assistance, and other supportive services for low-income individuals living with HIV/AIDS. LAHD partners with federal and local agencies, as well as LA County housing authorities, to provide funding for these and other key services:

Housing Subsidy Assistance – permanent housing placement, tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA), crisis housing.
Supportive Services – benefits counseling, residential service coordination, advocacy, workshops, sober living guides, animal care, and legal services.

For additional details about Comprehensive Housing Information and Referrals for People Living with HIV/AIDS, visit HOPWA’s partner CHIRP/LA.

PAWS/LA Program

The Pets Are Wonderful Support, Los Angeles (PAWS/LA) program provides valuable resources to pet-owning low-income seniors, veterans, and people living with HIV/AIDS. Its mission is to help preserve and enrich the bond between humans and their beloved pet companions.

PAWS/LA is also dedicated to ensuring that disabled animal guardians are aware of their rights to housing accommodations with their Support Animals.

To learn more or donate to Pets Are Wonderful Support, Los Angeles, please visit PAWS/LA.

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