The Custodian of Records group coordinates the retrieval and production of documents in response to subpoenas and California Public Records Act (CPRA) or Freedom of Information Act requests received by the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD).
Please review the Frequently Requested Records section below to see if the records you are seeking are already available online. If not you may request records from us using the California Public Records Act (CPRA). The Custodian of Records group also accepts the service of subpoenas on behalf of LAHD for witness appearances and/or documents. If you have questions that are not answered below regarding CPRAs or Subpoenas, please contact our Custodian of Records group at (213) 922-9612 or via email at lahd_custodian@lacity.org. Due to technological changes, if TTY is needed to contact us, please use Telecommunication Relay Services (TRS). For more information on TRS services visit; www.fcc.gov/guides/711-telecommunications-relay-service.
Frequently Requested Records
Certain frequently requested records maintained by LAHD are available online and do not require a CPRA request. To access these online records, please click on the links below:
Foreclosed Properties List [a dataset posted on the Mayor’s Open Data webpage]
The Registered Foreclosure Property list is a listing of all foreclosure properties listed with LAHD.
Property Activity Report [a searchable database]
The Property Activity Report is a brief summary of Code Enforcement inspections that have occurred regarding a specific property since 2006 (though some records may be available from earlier years as well). Searches can be conducted by property address, Assessor Parcel Number (APN), or case number. If more information is required than what is offered by the summary, please submit a CPRA Request as noted below, citing the relevant case number(s) as appropriate.
RSO Certificate
You can now download the most current RSO certificate (and past 3 years, if available) at our Billing Portal.
For all other LAHD records, please submit a CPRA request as noted below.
Rent Escrow Account Program (REAP) List
The REAP list is a listing of properties that are in the Rent Escrow Account Program. To obtain a copy of the most recent REAP list, please email lahd_custodian@lacity.org (typically, the list will include case ID, property address, APN, and escrow opened date).
California Public Records Act (CPRA) Request
Para asistencia en español sobre Ley de Registros Públicos de California-CPRA, por favor llame al (213) 922-9612 o por correo electrónico lahd_custodian@lacity.org.)
The public may make CPRA requests by submitting this CPRA Records Request Form [Spanish-language form: Ley de Registros Públicos de California – Formulario de Solicitud] online, or by using one of our alternate methods of submission*. A fee schedule is provided on the form. (If your records request involves a specific Code Enforcement inspection, please use the Property Activity Report webpage to obtain the case number(s) specific to the inspection(s) prior to completing the CPRA Request Form. Please indicate any relevant case numbers in your records request.) Please note that the CPRA only applies to existing records held by LAHD. To see if your property is within our City jurisdiction, you can look it up here. Requests for information (e.g. questions, clarifications, etc.) are not subject to the CPRA and should instead be directed to LAHD’s public information hotline at (866) 557-7368 to be forwarded to the appropriate staff member.
Pursuant to the California Public Records Act, a CPRA request will be responded to within ten days of receipt by the Custodian of Records. This response will comprise either an invoice for the production cost of the records requested or an explanation from the Custodian of Records as to why the records are not currently available.
* Alternate methods of CPRA Request Form submission
Submitting a CPRA Request Form online typically results in faster processing of your request and is the preferred submission method. Alternatively, the same form can be printed and submitted via one of the following methods:
- via email to lahd_custodian@lacity.org
- Making an appointment at one of our public counter
Subpoenas
LAHD Main office is moving (new location TBD) and during this transition we have some changes to how we will process Subpoenas. For now, we will only accept Subpoenas by email, please email to lahd_custodian@lacity.org (Monday through Friday 9 am-4 pm, excluding weekends and city holidays). If your subpoena meets our requirement* you will receive a CoR File # and directions on where to mail your witness fees ($275 per witness) or records production fee ($15), payable to “City of Los Angeles.” Please Note, if the time expended by the witness as required for the witness’s appearance is greater than the amount covered by the initial witness fee, LAHD will invoice the subpoenaing party pursuant to Government Code 68096.1. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that LAHD no longer honors fee waivers issued by the court.
*LAHD will require at least five-business-day advance notice for the service of witness appearance subpoenas. If witness is required to bring records, then more advance notice of time is required. In addition, subpoenas for records require a greater minimum amount of notice (usually 15 or 20 days; please see the subpoena itself for the exact requirements). Pro pers (non-lawyers) can only issue subpoenas with a court clerk stamp prior to service.
Please take note that although we will receive Subpoenas in the above manner, we reserve the right to refuse or not comply with the Subpoena.
Records not Available from LAHD
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) and Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) are separate agencies from LAHD and as such have different Custodians of Records. For HACLA contact information, please refer to the HACLA website. The LADBS Custodian of Records can be reached at (213) 482-6770 or you may refer to the LADBS website for further contact information.
