Public Awareness/Education

The division provides housing services and information related to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO). Services include landlord/tenant assistance, public awareness/education on housing issues, and rent control enforcement. Services are restricted to residents of the City of Los Angeles; the ordinance generally applies to properties where there are 2 or more units built before October, 1978.

The Rent Stabilization Division oversees and enforces the RSO. The RSO safeguards Tenants from excessive rent increases while providing Landlords with a reasonable return from their rental units. Rent Division staff investigates Tenant RSO complaints on illegal rent increases, the failure to register rental units, legal reasons for eviction and the causes for eviction requiring relocation assistance payments to the Tenant. The Division staff also collects fees, hears appeals for reasonable rent increases; and educates the community about the Ordinance via a public hotline and multiple Public Information Counters. The division also provides information for the public through the Housing and Community Investment Department (HCID) web site at HomeforLArenters.org, and the Housing Department Information Line and the Landlord/Tenant brochures and bulletins.

RSO TENANT COMPLAINTS

Tenant complaints may relate to issues such as illegal rent increases, non-registration of rental property, reductions in the level of service without a reduction in rent, nonpayment of relocation assistance, and notice to quit based on false and deceptive grounds.

REAP

The Rent Escrow Account Program (REAP) is administered by this department. It is enforced when a unit is substandard and the owner has failed to comply with Code Enforcement Notices.

RSO-SCEP LANDLORD BILLING

If you own residential rental properties subject to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) and/or the Systematic Code Enforcement Program (SCEP), you are responsible for the payment of annual fees.