Below is a letter sent to the Los Angeles City Council members.
Honorable Councilmember and Staff:
I just read about a proposal by HCIDLA to increase SCEP fees substantially and make the fees chargeable to the property owners.
As you all surely know, SCEP came about during the terrible California Real Estate recession in the 1990’s. The complaint-based burden placed on Building & Safety proved overwhelming, as property owners simply could not afford to maintain their buildings as innumerable properties were placed in foreclosure and receivership.
This issue no longer exists. There are scant few buildings in the City of Los Angeles that require inspection at all, let alone every four years. And the few that might require inspection should be handled on a complaint basis, entering only units that residents feel a need to be looked at.
I own a number of apartment buildings in the City of Los Angeles (amongst other cities), and none, and I mean NONE need inspections by the City ever. My residents find this program a severe intrusion, and inspectors, although mostly reasonable, many are knit picky beyond reason. So, we waste much money on pre-inspection, painting over blemishes one can hardly see, you name it.
Rather than increasing fees, SCEP should be vastly diminished. It has grown into an unnecessary bureaucratic nightmare.
STOP THE PRESSES. Stop wasting people’s time and money. Spend money wisely. Frankly, if the City needs the money so badly, assess your fees but eliminate this onerous program.
The City complains about high rents? Do you think this program helps keep rents down? Of course not!
This might be a good time to apply some reason to the Housing Department; have it do its job (emphasizing Community Investment), and stop trying to play Landlord.
Final word, the many buildings I own in other cities have no such inspection programs, and all of the cities have clean, well-run properties. Why does the City of Los Angeles have such an unnecessary and intrusive program? Sometimes I wonder …
[AOA: Please make a copy of this and send it to the Mayor and the City Council Member in your area.]
Mayor Eric Garcetti
200 N. Spring St., Room 303
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-978-0600
District 1
Gil Cedillo
200 N. Spring St., Room 460
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-473-7001
District 2
Paul Krekorian
200 N. Spring St., Room 435
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-473-7002
District 3
Bob Blumenfield
200 N. Spring St., Room 415
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-473-7003
District 4
Nithya Raman
200 N. Spring St., Room 415
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-473-7004
District 5
Paul Koretz
200 N. Spring St., Room 440
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-473-7005
District 6
Nury Martinez
200 N. Spring St., Room 470
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-473-7006
District 7
Monica Rodriguez
200 N. Spring St., Room 455
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-473-7007
District 8
Marqueece Harris-Dawson
200 N. Spring St., Room 450
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-473-7008
District 9
Curren D. Price, Jr.
200 N. Spring St., Room 430
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-473-7009
District 10
Mark Ridley-Thomas
200 N. Spring St., Room 420
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-473-7010
District 11
Mike Bonin
200 N. Spring St., Room 475
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-473-7011
District 12
John Lee
200 N. Spring St., Room 405
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-473-7012
District 13
Mitch O’Farrell
200 N. Spring St., Room 480
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-473-7013
District 14
Kevin de Leon
200 N. Spring St., Room 425
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213/473-7014
District 15
Joe Buscaino
200 N. Spring St., Room 410
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-473-7015