Anna Ortega is the Assistant General Manager of the Regulatory Code and Compliance Bureau for the Los Angeles Housing Department, responsible for the management of Citywide major operations for the: Rent Stabilization, Code Enforcement and Compliance Divisions. The Rent Stabilization Division enforces the Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) that seeks to balance the interests of landlords and tenants by regulating the registration of rental units, allowable rent increases, evictions and relocation assistance under City law. The Code Enforcement Division maintains the habitability of the City’s 860,000 multi-family rental units by enforcing housing code regulations.  The Compliance Division administers the Rent Escrow Account (REAP) and Utility Maintenance Programs (UMP), conducts public hearings and prepares legal cases for the Office of the City Attorney against property owners that fail to maintain their properties in a safe and habitable condition, and operates the billing and collections of legally mandated fees which support these programs. Additionally, Bureau staff provide year-round informational workshops for landlords and tenants.

Anna Ortega previously served as the City’s Director of Rent Stabilization since 2011. Under Ms. Ortega’s leadership, the City rolled out its first rent registration program in 2016, the Tenant Buy-Out Notification ordinance in 2017, strengthening of the RSO Ellis provisions, creation of the “Home for L.A. Renters” outreach campaign, which earned the Mayor’s Innovations Award, and, most recently, the successful implementation of the $103 million Los Angeles Emergency Renters Assistance Program, the largest COVID-19 relief renters’ assistance program in the nation. As the Rent Director, Ms. Ortega oversaw the 2nd largest rent-control jurisdiction in the country with over 640,000 stabilized rental units. She has worked with the Mayor and Council on the development of housing policies which impact City residents, half of whom live in rent-controlled units. During her career at HCIDLA, Anna Ortega managed HCIDLA’s prepayment program, designed to conserve the City’s stock of approximately 10,000 federally subsidized rental units, was instrumental in the establishment of the City’s Homeownership Program, and as well as served as the Personnel Director.    

Over her 40-year career with the City of Los Angeles, Ms. Ortega worked in the Departments of Personnel, Public Works, Water and Power, Community Development, and Housing. She  graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Business Administration and holds a professional certification in Personnel Management from UCLA.