YOUR EFFORTS CAN HELP REDUCE BLIGHT IN OUR COMMUNITY
The City of Los Angeles is eager to collaborate our efforts with you to reduce blight in our communities. The Foreclosure Registry was enacted in 2010 to establish a residential property registration program as a mechanism to protect residential neighborhoods, including abandoned properties, from blight through the lack of adequate maintenance and security as a result of the foreclosure crisis (Ordinance No. 181185).
The Ordinance was amended on December 20, 2014 to include a proactive inspection fee, to be conducted by the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, and a monthly requirement for the Beneficiary/Trustee to inspect and report back on the condition of the property. (Ordinance No. 183281).
The Ordinance was amended a second time on October 24, 2022 to include: (1) a governmental lender exemption policy for entities such as HUD, CalHFA, Fannie Mae, and other governmental entities with their own property preservation programs, (2) an exemption for lenders/beneficiaries or foreclosed property owners who are also natural persons, and (3) definitions, minor clarifications, and other technical adjustments to the current City Ordinance. (Ordinance No 187627).
City of LA Foreclosure Registry: https://housingbill.lacity.org/Foreclosure/Public/Login.aspx
- Any Lender (or beneficiary or trustee who holds or has an interest in a deed of trust), who issued a Notice of Default (NOD) on a residential property located within the City of Los Angeles that is still active after 30 days. (If multiple NODs for different lenders are recorded on the same property, the first active NOD on public record that is subject to the Foreclosure Registry Ordinance must register.)
- Any (Former Beneficiary) Owner of a Real-Estate Owned (REO) Property, wherein title was transferred to the foreclosing beneficiary (or trustee) via a Trustee’s Deed Upon Sale (Foreclosed properties) or Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure.
- Registration is required within 30 days of the recording of an active Notice of Default subject to the Ordinance, and is valid until the end of the calendar year.
- Properties must be registered again (annual re-registration) at the beginning of each calendar year (by January 31st) until the property is no longer subject to the ordinance.
- Registration must be completed online at the LAHD Foreclosure Registry website at https://housingbill.lacity.org/Foreclosure/Pages/Welcome.aspx.
- A fee of $155 is due at the time of registration, along with any penalties due if the property was non-compliant, issued an invoice, and accrued penalty fees.
- An additional proactive inspection fee of $356 also may be required for certain REO properties (see “When is a Proactive Inspection Fee Required?“)
- All de-registration requests must be made online through the LAHD Foreclosure Registry website.
- De-registrations are only valid with appropriate documentation that has been recorded with the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office, and must be provided at the time the de-registration request is made.
- Applicable documents include:
- Notice of Rescission that rescinds the currently active Notice of Default
- Grant Deed or Trustee’s Deed Upon Sale (non-REO) demonstrating a sale to a third party
- Full Reconveyance of the loan in default
- Loan Modification of the loan in default
- Inspections must be submitted monthly through the LAHD Foreclosure Registry website
- Inspections may be submitted either by the registrant, or by an inspector appointed by the registrant (using an inspector account linked to the registrant’s account).
- A current external photo of the property must be submitted at the time the inspection is submitted.
- Questions regarding the current state of the property also must be answered accurately.
A proactive inspection fee of $356 is required when a property’s status changes from Notice of Default to Foreclosed (REO) generally as a result of the recordation of a Trustee’s Deed Upon Sale wherein the grantee is the beneficiary.
Properties for which this requirement applies are as follows:
- All single-family residential properties.
- Vacant multi-family residential properties.
- If LAHD determines that a responsible party has failed to register a property that is currently subject to the Foreclosure Registry Ordinance, or failed to comply with the monthly inspection and reporting requirements for a registered property, LAHD can issue a Notice of Non-Compliance (NNC) via USPS to the party listed for contact on the Notice of Default, most recent Assignment of loan in default, or Trustee’s Deed Upon Sale/Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure if property is REO.
- Failure to comply within thirty (30) days of the issuance of the NNC shall result in penalty assessment in the amount of $250 per day until the property is brought into compliance.
The ordinance requires a Trespass Arrest Authorization to be filed on all vacant properties upon request. Please fill out Trespass Authorization Form and file with your local law enforcement office.
Pursuant to Ordinance No. 181184 Sec. 98.0716 a Statement of Intent is required when a structure meets the definition of a Vacant Structure as provided in Division 7 (Sec. 98.0701). Please fill out Statement of Intent Form and file with the Department of Building & Safety.
Foreclosure does not change the status of properties that are subject to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) and Housing Code programs.
Owners of rental properties have responsibilities under the RSO and the Housing Code, including the payment of fees. For additional information, please check Billing Information.
New property owners have 45 days to register rental property and file temporary exemptions using the Registration/Exemption Application Form.
A property in foreclosure that is referenced in a bankruptcy petition is protected by the automatic stay. The injunction exempts the property from the registration and inspection provisions of the Foreclosure Registry Program beginning on the date the petition is filed and ending on the date the petition is cancelled or discharged, or the effectivity date of a bankruptcy court order granting a motion for relief from the automatic stay.
It is the duty of the beneficiary, trustee or servicer of a property in foreclosure to report to the LAHD Foreclosure Registry the filing, discharge/dismissal of the petition, the granting of a motion for relief from the automatic stay, or similar developments that will determine if the property is subject to the registration and inspection provisions of the Foreclosure Registry Program. A copy of the pertinent BK docket and/or bankruptcy court orders must be submitted by email to lahd.foreclosurereg@lacity.org when available to facilitate processing requests for waivers or adjustments of penalties resulting from the petitions.
- To reach us, please call our hotline at (213) 808-8858 or email us at LAHD.ForeclosureReg@lacity.org.
- Additionally, the Foreclosure Registry Program has launched the GeoRegistry, an interactive public portal and map that tracks properties in foreclosure along with related information. Please visit: https://housingapp.lacity.org/geoforeclosure. (Please note that you may need to create an account to access some features of the website)
