You may have recently received a General Manager’s Hearing Notice from the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) and want to know what to expect at the General Manager’s Hearing and what can occur in the future with your case.

General Manager’s Hearing

A General Manager’s Hearing is an administrative hearing that provides landlords, tenants, and interested parties with an opportunity to present evidence to a Hearing Officer regarding cited violations that were not corrected by the compliance date listed in the Notice and Order to Comply. From the evidence presented at the General Manager’s Hearing, the Hearing Officer determines if the cited violations should be referred to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office for prosecution and whether the property should be accepted into the Rent Escrow Account Program (REAP).

What is the General Manager’s Hearing Procedure?

Generally, these procedures are followed:

1. For any individual who intends to testify, the Hearing Officer administers an oath, in which the individual agrees that their testimony will be the truth. If foreign language interpretation is needed, the Hearing Officer administers the oath to the interpreter, who agrees to faithfully and accurately interpret the proceedings.
2. The LAHD representative initially presents a brief background of the case.
3. Then, the property owner or the property owner’s representative is given the opportunity to present relevant testimony and evidence concerning the remaining cited violations.
4. Following property ownership, the Hearing Officer gives tenants and other parties an opportunity to testify and present evidence concerning the remaining cited violations.
5. If there are individuals whose testimony is essentially the same, it is requested that the testimony not be duplicated and, to the extent possible, that a representative be chosen to provide the group’s testimony. Repetitive statements will be limited by the Hearing Officer.
6. All comments, testimony, and questions will be addressed to the Hearing Officer, and there will be no discussion amongst the parties during the course of the General Manager’s Hearing.
7. Before the General Manager’s Hearing concludes, the LAHD representative provides a recommendation to the Hearing Officer.
8. After the recommendation is made by the LAHD representative, the hearing concludes, and the Hearing Officer provides a written General Manager’s Hearing Decision by a date specified in the Los Angeles Municipal Code. The General Manager’s Hearing Decision is mailed by the LAHD Hearings Section to property ownership, affected tenants, and interested parties.

Can I submit evidence for the General Manager’s Hearing?

When submitting evidence (documents) for the General Manager’s Hearing, please follow the LAHD’s Evidence Submission Guidelines. Click here for LAHD’s Evidence Submission Guideline. You may submit evidence for the General Manager’s Hearing through the following means:

• By uploading documents directly to the Hearing Evidence website (preferred method): https://lahd.service-now.com/hear
  • A free Angeleno account is required. See these instructions for more details on How to Create an Angeleno Account.
  • See these instructions for more details on How to Upload Evidence
• By sending an email to lahd.gmhearings@lacity.org 
• By in-person drop off at 1910 Sunset Blvd, Suite 300, Los Angeles, CA 90026
• By mailing it to the following address:

LAHD-Hearings Section

P.O. Box 17340

Los Angeles, CA 90017

All evidence submissions received through the above means will be uploaded to https://lahd.service-now.com/hear for review by all parties.

What if I need special assistance during the General Manager’s Hearing?

Please notify the Hearings Section at least 72 hours in advance of your request for special accommodations by emailing the Hearings Section at lahd.gmhearings@lacity.org or calling (213) 808-8600. Staff will make every effort to accommodate persons with disabilities. If an interpreter is requested, staff will attempt to secure an interpreter.

What if I cannot attend a scheduled General Manager’s Hearing?

If you are unable to attend the General Manager’s Hearing, your options are as follows:

1. You can send someone to represent you at the General Manager’s Hearing.
2. You can email or mail your written request for a continuance to the Hearings Section. A continuance is a request to reschedule the General Manager’s Hearing to a future date. The request for a continuance will then be forwarded to the Hearing Officer, as only a Hearing Officer has the authority to grant one. This request for a continuance will be considered by the Hearing Officer on the date and time of the scheduled General Manager’s Hearing.  Please make sure the property address and/or case number are listed on the request for a continuance and submit it as soon as you know that you will be unable to attend the scheduled General Manager’s Hearing. The request for a continuance can be emailed to the LAHD Hearings Section at lahd.gmhearings@lacity.org or by mailing it to the following:

LAHD-Hearings Section

P.O. Box 17340

Los Angeles, CA 90017   

If you wish to submit documents in person, click here for public counter locations and hours.

Can I appeal my General Manager’s Hearing Decision?

You have the right to appeal a General Manager’s Hearing Decision to the Rent Adjustment Commission (RAC) Appeals Board (AB) if the General Manager’s Hearing involved one of the following types of cases:  Just and Reasonable rent increase, Release of Escrow, Tenant Relocation Assistance Program (TRIP), or violations that subject the property or unit to the REAP. If the General Manager’s Hearing involves one of these four types of cases, then an appeal form will be included in the General Manager’s Hearing Decision that is mailed to property ownership, affected tenants, and interested parties. In the appeal, you must allege an error of law, an error of fact, or abuse of discretion in the General Manager’s Hearing Decision as the reason for your appeal. 

Please note that a non-refundable filing fee must be received with the completed appeal form. Filing fees are noted on each application. Fee waivers are available if you believe this is applicable to you. You must complete the waiver declaration, attach your proof of income or supporting documentation, and submit it with the completed appeal form. Appeal deadlines may vary. Please verify whether your appeal is timely before submission. All appeals must be received by the Hearings Section on or before the appeal deadline as stated on the General Manager’s Hearing Decision that was mailed to you. If you have any questions concerning an appeal, please contact the Hearings Section at the email address or telephone number listed above.

Can I appeal a RAC Appeals Board Decision?

A decision of the RAC Appeals Board is the final administrative decision by the Los Angeles Housing Department. If you disagree with the decision of the RAC Appeals Board, you may seek judicial review in the Los Angeles Superior Court. The time in which to seek judicial review is governed by California Code of Civil Procedure 1094.6.