|
For Immediate Release Wednesday December 16, 2009 MCIA Members – Protecting City’s Vital Public Safety Services Housing Inspectors Ensure Safe and Habitable Housing for LA City Residents  Rigorous and regular enforcement of City Housing Codes by Housing Inspectors improve the safety and quality of life of LA City residents who depend on rental housing.Housing Inspectors with the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) are charged with the task of identifying substandard and unsanitary residential buildings and dwelling units, which renders them unfit and unsafe for occupation or habitation. Such conditions place the health, safety, and welfare of the residents and the general public at risk. As an integral part of LAHD’s Systematic Code Enforcement Program, Housing Inspectors regularly inspect all residential rental properties with two or more rental units on a three-year cycle and respond to reports of property violations. Inspectors routinely check for health, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and emergency egress compliance. Utilizing a portable laptop equipped with a digital camera, inspectors are able to document and inventory any code violations which can include exposed wiring, blocked exits and a lack of smoke detectors. Once the violations are thoroughly documented by an inspector, a written notice describing the violations is mailed to the property owner and posted at the property with a date for compliance. In most cases, property owners must abate all substandard property conditions within 30 days and according to the Compliance Date specified on the notice. If inspectors encounter extremely dangerous or hazardous conditions, the compliance period is reduced accordingly. A second inspection is conducted to verify that the property has been brought into compliance with City and State codes. However, if repairs are not completed within the time period specified by the inspector, the owner will be summoned to an administrative General Manager’s Hearing to explain the reason(s) for non-compliance and specify the date the repairs will be completed. If further enforcement steps become necessary, the file may be moved to the Office of the City Attorney as a criminal complaint. The property may also be subject to inclusion in the Rent Escrow Account Program. According to the LAHD, approximately 1.5 million orders have been issued to property owners by Housing Inspectors as part of the Systematic Code Enforcement Program. As a result of the repairs required stemming from the orders, $1.4 billion has been reinvested in the Los Angeles economy. LAHD Housing Inspectors represented by the Municipal Construction Inspectors Association, AFL-CIO are in the field everyday to ensure that LA City residents and the public are afforded safe and habitable housing. For Immediate Release Monday November 16, 2009
MCIA Members – Protecting City’s Vital Public Safety Services Earthquakes Happen Everyone remembers where they were when the last big quake hit Los Angeles. But the devastating earthquakes in Indonesia and the Samoan Islands are a jarring reminder of what can happen in fault zones like Southern California. There is no way to determine when the next major quake will hit our City, but we can be prepared. Two important aspects of the preparation help save lives and prevent economic dislocation. First, MCIA members working for the City of Los Angeles respond to areas damaged by earthquakes and determine the structural stability of residences and businesses to get people back in their homes and to reopen businesses to start the recovery process following a major quake. And second, The City of Los Angeles has established and enforces one of the most stringent building codes of any public agency in the world. When you walk into a department store or office building, you are protected by local building standards that help insure your safety in the event of a major temblor. MCIA inspectors, employed by the City of Los Angeles, are on the job protecting you and your family before and after the next earthquake.
|
JCal Pro Latest Events
- General Membership Meeting
Meetings
May 22, 2013 (5:00 pm - 7:00 pm)
Grace Simons Lodge
1025 Elysian Park Dr.
