| 20250910 |
LA County |
Los Angeles |
City Council |
Item |
(40)
25-0030
RESOLUTION (HARRIS-DAWSON - BLUMENFIELD) relative to the
Declaration of Local Emergency by the Mayor dated January 7, 2025,
and Updated Declaration of Local Emergency by the Mayor dated
January 13, 2025, due to the windstorm and extreme fire weather
system and devastating wildfires in the City of Los Angeles (City),
pursuant to Los Angeles Administrative Code (LAAC) Section 8.27.
Recommendation for Council action:
ADOPT the accompanying RESOLUTION, dated January 14, 2025,
to:
1. Resolve that a local emergency exists resulting from ongoing
windstorm and extreme fire weather system and the devastating
wildfires in the City within the meaning of LAAC Section 8.21, et
seq., as set forth in the Mayor’s January 13, 2025 Updated
Declaration of Local Emergency, which incorporated the
declaration of emergency dated January 7, 2025, which the City
Council hereby ratifies.
2. Resolve that because the local emergency, which began on
January 7, 2025, continues to exist, there is a need to continue
the state of local emergency, which the City Council hereby
ratifies.
3. Instruct and request all appropriate City departments (including
proprietary departments), agencies, and personnel, in
accordance with LAAC Code Section 8.21 et seq., to continue
to perform all duties and responsibilities to represent the City in
this matter to respond to and abate the emergency and prevent
further harm to the life, health, property, and safety, and receive,
process; and, coordinate all inquiries and requirements
necessary to obtain whatever State and Federal assistance that
may become available to the City and/or to the citizens of the
City who may be affected by the emergency.
4. Instruct the General Manager, Emergency Management
Department, to advise the Mayor and City Council on the need
to extend the state of local emergency, as appropriate.
5. Resolve that, to the extent the public interest and necessity
demand the immediate expenditure of public funds to safeguard
life, health, or property in response to the local emergency and
to support the emergency operations of the City and its
departments (including its proprietary departments), agencies,
and personnel (including mutual aid resources) in responding to
the declared local emergency, the competitive bidding
requirements enumerated in City Charter Section 371, and
further codified in the LAAC, including LAAC Section 10.15 be
suspended until termination of the state of emergency and
solely with respect to purchases and contracts needed to
respond to the declared state of emergency.
6. Direct and request City departments and agencies making
purchases pursuant to the authority granted in paragraph five
(5), above, to report every two weeks to the City Council
regarding the purchases and contracts made during the prior
two week period on the reasons justifying why such purchase or
contract was necessary to respond to the emergency, including
why the emergency did not permit a delay resulting from a
competitive solicitation for bids or proposals, and why
competitive proposals or bidding was not reasonably practicable
or compatible with the City’s interests.
7. Request all City departments and agencies who have the
authority to investigate and/or enforce any/all forms of price
gouging, fraud, and theft by deceit, as described in the
California Penal Code, to do so to the fullest extent permissible
under federal, state, and local law.
8. Instruct the City Clerk, unless and until Council directs
otherwise or discontinues the state of emergency, to timely
agendize this matter so that Council may consider whether to
continue the state of emergency.
9. Instruct the City Clerk to forward copies of this Resolution
to the Governor of the State of California, the Director of
the Office of Emergency Services of the State of California,
the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management,
and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
Items Called Special
Motions for Posting and Referral
Council Members' Requests for Excuse from Attendance at Council Meetings
Adjourning Motions
Council Adjournment
EXHAUSTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES - If you challenge a City action in court, you may be limited to raising only those
issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City
Clerk at or prior to, the public hearing. Any written correspondence delivered to the City Clerk before the City Council's final action on
a matter will become a part of the administrative record.
CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE SECTION 1094.5 - If a Council action is subject to judicial challenge pursuant to Code of Civil
Procedure Section 1094.5, be advised that the time to file a lawsuit challenging a final action by the City Council is limited by Code
of Civil Procedure Section 1094.6 which provides that the lawsuit must be filed no later than the 90th day following the date on which
the Council's action becomes final.
Materials relative to items on this agenda can be obtained from the Office of the City Clerk's Council File Management System,
at lacouncilfile.com by entering the Council File number listed immediately following the item number (e.g., 00-0000). |
September 10, 2025
LA County
Los Angeles
City Council
Item
#40
|
| 20250910 |
LA County |
Los Angeles |
City Council |
Item |
(16)
25-0812
HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS COMMITTEE REPORT relative to
enhancements to the Systematic Code Enforcement Program (SCEP),
Rent Escrow Account Program (REAP), and complaint-based
inspection processes.
Recommendations for Council action:
1. INSTRUCT the General Manager, Los Angeles Housing
Department (LAHD), or designee, to report to Council within
180 days on the following:
a. The implementation progress for the recommended
improvements for the SCEP and the REAP, including the
distribution of enhanced educational materials, updated
tenant rent escrow payment options, and revisions to the
current Release of Escrow policy, procedures, and Rent
Adjustment Commission (RAC) Regulations.
b. Recommendations for the resolution of mold and leadbased paint conditions identified during inspections,
including strengthening collaboration with the Los Angeles
County Health Department.
c. The SCEP cost recovery analysis, including REAP
administrative fees and penalty assessments, to ensure
that they reflect the program’s operational costs.
d. A list of problem properties within the REAP for
prospective buyers to purchase from willing owners when
feasible.
e. Documenting the process for a tenant to petition for
downward adjustments of rent.
f. Resources required to prepare and provide inspection
violation reports in a tenant's primary language, when
known and available to the LAHD.
g. Feasibility and resources needed to implement a
temporary relocation or mitigation program when intrusive
and extensive repairs are required.
2. INSTRUCT the LAHD to assist the RAC to amend the REAP
Regulations to implement the enhanced procedures as outlined
in the LAHD report dated July 23, 2025, attached to Council file
No. 25-0812.
3. INSTRUCT the LAHD to amend Page No. 7, Section VI.3,
entitled “Improved Inspector Training – In Process,” of the
LAHD report dated July 23, 2025, attached to the Council file, to
add language clarifying the LAHD’s photography process.
4. AMEND Page No. 7, Section C.2, entitled “Next Phase”, of the
LAHD report dated July 23, 2025, attached to the Council file,
respectively, to read as follows (change in bold):
Work with the RAC to revise REAP RAC Regulation 1200.00 to
require allow that a final inspection, including inspection of all
rental units, must be conducted prior to a property being
released from REAP.
5. AMEND Page No. 4, Section I, entitled “Outreach and
Education for SCEP and REAP’, of the LAHD report dated July
23, 2025, attached to the Council file, to add/create a “Next
Phase” section, respectively, and add the following under the
new section:
a. Standardize the process whereby tenants are informed at
the beginning of the process how to evaluate their new
rent using the rent reduction calculator.
b. Provide a public notification in a common area for tenants
upon acceptance into the REAP.
c. Provide tenant contact information to the outreach service
provider upon placement into the REAP that stem from
complaint-based inspections when contact information is
available.
6. AMEND Page No. 6, Section IV, entitled “Strengthen Resources
for Problem Properties’, of the LAHD report dated July 23,
2025, attached to the Council file, to add/create a “Next Phase”
section, respectively, and add the following under the new
section:
a. As part of an improved case management process,
ensure that new code violations discovered upon
inspections that are not listed in the initial REAP complaint
are cited and the REAP case is not closed until all
violations are corrected.
b. Establish a fast track process and prioritization for SCEP
inspections of an entire building if one unit enters the
REAP.
c. Ensure that the REAP Unit formally communicates code
violation complaints outside the scope of the REAP to all
relevant LAHD sections and other agencies with
enforcement authority.
7. AMEND Page No. 7, Section VI, entitled “Improved Inspector
Training – In Process,” of the LAHD report dated July 23, 2025,
attached to the Council file, to add/create a “Next Phase”
section, respectively, and add the following under the new
section:
a. Provide training to Housing Inspectors on the importance
of actively collaborating with outreach service providers
and owners as an integral part of the REAP process.
b. Provide training to Housing Inspectors to facilitate
collection of tenant contact information for the purpose of
sharing with outreach service providers.
c. Provide training to Housing Inspectors to verify Tenant
Protection postings at a property as required under the
Los Angeles Municipal Code during inspections.
8. AMEND the language on Page No. 6, Section V.B.1, entitled “In
Process”, of the LAHD report dated July 23, 2025, attached to
the Council file, respectively, to read as follows (change in bold):
When a pattern of denied consent for inspection is observed,
LAHD inspectors will inform tenants, outreach services
providers, and landlords that the inspections are required by
law, educate the tenants and landlords regarding the benefits of
the inspection, as well as the limited allowable reasons for
denying consent. This will also be incorporated in the “Last
Chance” letter described below.
9. AMEND Page No. 7, Section V.C, entitled “Next Phase”, of the
LAHD report dated July 23, 2025, attached to the Council file,
respectively, to add the following:
a. Immediately following the acceptance of a property into
the REAP, generate an automated email notification to the
appropriate Council Office.
Fiscal Impact Statement: The LAHD reports that there is no impact to
the General Fund. The SCEP and REAP program enhancements and
future implementation recommendations are supported through the
Systematic Code Enforcement Fee Fund No. 41M/43 and the Rent
Stabilization Trust Fund No. 440/43. |
September 10, 2025
LA County
Los Angeles
City Council
Item
#16
|