Reporting an illegal structure?
Today, Code Enforcement for the single family residence is only present when a neighbor or tenant complaint is made. LADBS cannot possibly know about code enforcement issues unless they are reported by residents. The most common violation from a neighbor or tenant complaint is an unpermitted garage conversion, guest houses or recreational rooms. Neighbors complain because there is less parking on the street, noise disturbances, jealousy or personal distain.
The City of Los Angeles will give 30 days from the date of the Order to fix all cited issues. The Issuing Inspector might extend the correction time if measures have been taken to resolve all violations. Not complying with the Order could mean daily fines, a lien on the property or even jail time
Homeowners violating code may not realize that they are actually devaluing their property. They may unwittingly be making themselves liable to be issued “Orders to Comply” which can paralyze a refinance, compromise their eligibility and coverage for homeowners’ insurance, delay the sale of the property, and make their property less attractive to people looking to buy.
Reporting code violation is something most hate doing, but in the interest of safety, sometimes it has to be done as a civic responsibility and for the good of everyone. We’ve all heard news reports of converted garage residences burning to the ground and taking the lives of whole families – this is an example of why safety codes are important and the result of decades of research and data collection.
The best way to report a code violation is through the channels established by LADBS. This is a protected right that we all have – the right to approach our government agencies which protect and represent us. You have the right to request the services of a government agency, even if the homeowner is ultimately deemed not in violation of any ordinance. Requesting an inspection by LADBS or Planning cannot be characterized as “harassment.”
Before you report a code violation, find out what permits and code compliance orders already exist by getting a Property Activity Report. The report will tell you all the permits outstanding and any code enforcement in place for that property, and the deadlines for compliance. To obtain a Property Activity Report, visit https://www.permitla.org/ipars/The_nonscript_index.cfm
You may find that there is a valid permit for the project you wanted to report , but if there is no existing permit, then you should create a request for LADBS to come and investigate through their LADBS Code Violation form. To Report a Property Violation, visit http://www.permitla.org/csr/csrContact.cfm?CFID=2973114&CFTOKEN=47093111&jsessionid=26302674371280968036480 and fill up a form. You must supply your contact information, which is kept confidential
