Part I of “Demo by Neglect” provides step-by-step directions for filing a complaint about vacant and unsecured buildings with the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS). Part II continues with step-by-step directions for tracking the status of your complaint. LADBS relies upon public input for the identification and prioritization of issues related to code violations.
TRACKING STATUS (TS)
After submitting your complaint and notifying others of the violation, it’s time to track the status of your submittal. While LADBS requires your contact information, do not expect to hear back from an inspector. You may get a call, you may not. Here is how you can track your complaint online without having to make repeated calls to the inspector for updates.
Step TS-1 – Go to the LADBS website
Access the LADBS website at dbs.lacity.gov, scroll down the page, and under the box titled “Enforcement” click on “Complaint Status.”
Step TS-2 – Search for Permit & Inspection Report by CSR
There are two ways to search for Permit & Inspection Reports. You may search by building address or by your CSR number. To search by CSR number, select the “Other Searches” tab, enter your number in the box I’ve highlighted in yellow below, and click “Search.” The report will include date submitted, a brief description of the complaint, the assigned inspector, their contact number, and complaint status.
Status will initially be reported as “under investigation.” During the investigation, the inspector will open a case file, may visit the site, and determine the corrective action required. Some complaints may remain “under investigation” for years.
Other complaints may be quickly closed if the complaint is referred to another agency or if the complaint is a duplicate service request. A duplicate request means that your complaint is similar to complaints filed by others. LADBS consolidates all duplicate complaints into one open case file and considers the duplicate request closed.
You may be happy stopping here. You’ve done a great job helping protect an historic building, and you’ve alerted the proper authorities and the community. But, perhaps you want to know more. What were the other complaints? When were they filed? What was the final action taken? To learn more, continue on to the next step.
Step TS-3 – Search for Permit & Inspection Report by address
If your complaint is closed, or shown as a duplicate service request, search for the open complaint via an address search. Select the “Single Address” tab and enter the building address.
On the next screen, select “Code Enforcement Information” by clicking on the “+” to open the list (red arrow). The address 6720 Sunset has 7 code enforcement actions or complaints on file as of the search date.
Step TS-4 – Review the list and select a complaint
Here is the expanded complaint list for 6720 Sunset. Notice that the first complaint for an abandoned or vacant building is listed as “Under Investigation.” Subsequent complaints are listed as “Closed.” LADBS will close duplicate requests once they have been consolidated into one open case. An open case may remain open for years until the case is fully resolved.
To obtain more data, click on the date for the case that is “Under Investigation” (red arrow). If you click on the date of a closed case, you will be shown a report with the status listed as “Duplicate Request.”
The new screen that opens may provide information as to code violations found during the site inspection and the issuance of orders to comply. The investigation at 6720 Sunset is new and ongoing, so the lack of additional data is expected.
As the investigation proceeds, more data will appear in the report. As an example, here is the Permit & Inspection Report for 6714 Hollywood, the old Pig’n Whistle building. Additional information includes a list of orders to comply and a list of specific code violations (bottom red arrow).
Also note that in both examples, the URL (top red arrow) displays the CSR number for the open complaint and the case file number. With the case file number, it is possible to obtain a copy of the file by making a public record request. The case file contains information as to all of the complaints received (sans personal data), the findings of site inspections, interviews, and recommended actions.
IN CLOSING
I’ve covered a lot of ground in this two part post, and I hope I haven’t lost you along the way. Please feel free to reach out and comment should you find a mistake or have a question. Even better, post your comments and questions over on the subreddit message board “Los Angeles Blight” which is seeking to build a local community of concerned citizens tried of living among blighted properties and do not see abatement via demolition as a viable solution.
And, if you are looking for information as to how to research project applications and building permits, check out my prior post:
Tracking Down Case Files and Permits
Are you interested in knowing what’s going on in your neighborhood or across town? Or you saw a demolition permit posted on a near-by house or building, and you want to know more. City Hall can be a mysterious place to most people because each department has their own way of doing business, and they all employ department-centric jargon. On-line servi…
Thank you, Mike, for this! I've filed multiple complaints with LADBS for months now over an abandoned house that's half torn down across the street from me. It's a nightmare eyesore and fire hazard that's attracting major crime. We're now trying to sell our house and you can imagine what this looks like to potential buyers. I'm at my wits end. Anyway, this is important info and I'm sure many people are facing my same situation.