Remember the unwelcome chore of being "hall monitor"? That tightrope walk between being a snitch and a responsible person? Not fun.

Reporting code violation is always something we hate doing, but in the interest of our safety and to make our HPOZ successful, sometimes we have to do it as a civic responsibility and for the good of everyone. We've all heard news reports of converted garage residences burning to the ground and taking the lives of whole families - this is an extreme, but an example of why code enforcement is not all about appearances and taste. Safety codes are important and the result of decades of research and data collection - we are all responsible for reporting violations.

Reporting violations can even be helpful to the owner of the property being reported. A homeowner violating code may not realize that they are actually devaluing their property. They may unwittingly be making themselves liable to be issued "Orders to Comply" which can paralyze a refinance, compromise their eligibility and coverage for homeowners' insurance, delay the sale of the property, complicate the requirements demanded of the seller, and make their property less attractive to people looking to buy, often at premium prices, in historic areas. They can be compromising the contributor status of their home with illegal windows or other modifications. Another point is that LADBS can fine the owner and demand that their alterations be reversed - expensive and frustrating. Reporting code violations can stop all these costly mistakes early and reduce the damage and expense for the homeowner, while keeping our HPOZ intact, up to code, and structurally sound for us all.

While a simple conversation is often helpful, it can also create friction and result in less rather than more compliance with Safety and HPOZ standards. Also, building code is complicated, and our HPOZ is new and does not have an HPOZ Board to interpret our Preservation Plan yet - you may not be giving the correct information. And certain classes of repairs are exempt - for example some roof repairs and other emergency repairs to problems that compromise the structure, and so on - only an inspector will be able to make that decision. Good judgment and mutual respect are always your first concerns. Confrontation is usually counter-productive, and can even result in legal action against you personally.

The best way to report a code violation is through the channels established by LADBS. This is a protected right that we all have - the right to approach our government agencies which protect and represent us. You have the right to request the services of a government agency, even if the homeowner is ultimately deemed not in violation of any ordinance.  Requesting an inspection by LADBS or Planning cannot be characterized as "harassment."

Here are two steps to reporting online. All of these links and many more, including the Preservation Plan, are available on this website under Resource Center.

1. While this is optional before reporting a violation, it is a good tool, and we should all know how to use it. Find out what permits and code compliance orders already exist by getting a Property Activity Report. Go to LADBS Property Activity Report, type in the address (number and street - no direction or street designation, e.g. "665" and "Bronson", not "665 S" or "S. Bronson Ave"). The report will tell you all the permits outstanding and any code enforcement in place for that property, and the deadlines for compliance.
2. You may find that there is a valid permit for the project you wanted to report - you're done. But if there is no permit and no existing report for the same probable violation, then you should create a request for LADBS to come and investigate through their LADBS Code Violation form. Go to LADBS Code Enforcement, and fill in the form. In the category section, "Any changes in an historic area" is usually appropriate, and routes the complaint to the right area. In the "description" area you can elaborate and state your concerns in more detail. If you are not sure if the violation has been reported by another person, err on the side or reporting it again - if it is already on record, your complaint is simply tagged as a "duplicate report." In a way, it may be useful to double-report - it might be an indicator to the inspector that this condition is a problem for more than one cranky neighbor - the "squeaky wheel" theory. You have to identify yourself with first and last name and phone number only, and your identification is confidential.

To report by telephone, use 311.

Some violations are also appropriate to report to the police, such as parking cars illegally in front yards, or to the fire department, such as accumulating trash and dry weeds. Other considerations are sanitation, such as sewage issues, access problems, such as fences and obstructions preventing emergency vehicles from getting in, and density problems, such as when the number of occupants in a single family home exceeds safety limits. Common sense is your best guide - if it looks dangerous, ask to have a professional safety officer take a look. Call 877-ASK-LAPD (877-275-5273) for LAPD or to report a fire hazard, call LAFD at 213-978-3570.

By doing it this way, if there is no violation, the homeowner is not harmed, the "no violation" status will be publicly available on the LADBS Property Activity Report site, ending the controversy. There is no friction or rift in relations between neighbors. If there is a violation, there is a record and a legal method to correct the problem, as well as the strong incentives to comply that only LADBS can offer. By not resorting to "vigilante" enforcement, we all get to keep the peace and keep our HPOZ intact.

LADBS does not "patrol" like the police do. They cannot possibly know about code enforcement issues unless they are reported by residents. We are the "eyes and ears" of enforcement, and it is our responsibility to make these reports whenever it seems appropriate.

When you report a violation it would be nice to think it would be fixed immediately. Sitting and watching a destructive project in progress with no intervention can be horrifying. But, again, LADBS and Planning are both desperately understaffed, and they are doing the best they can with decimated personnel and a budget slashed to less than half, while the number of HPOZs grows and the flippers are returning. Please be respectful and patient - they are responding as fast as they can, and have improved enforcement ten-fold in the last several years.