City Foreclosure Registry in effect


July 21, 2010

On July 8, 2010, the City of Los Angeles Foreclosure Registry Program (Ordinance No. 181185) became effective. The Ordinance was implemented to establish a residential property registration program as a mechanism to protect residential neighborhoods, including abandoned properties, from blight through the lack of adequate maintenance and security as a result of the foreclosure crisis.

See the Los Angeles Housing Department website for details on the program, including:  the text of the ordinance, Foreclosure Registry Information Bulletin, Foreclosure Registration Form, and Building and Safety Maintenance Requirements.

If you have any questions regarding this program, please call the Foreclosure Registry Program Administrator Elizabeth Trevizo at 213-808-8860, or Program Assistant Valerie Nettles, at 213-808-8641.


Summary of the Foreclosure Registry program:
  • Ordinance (No. 181185) effective July 8, 2010
  • Establishes Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) Foreclosure Registry where lenders of properties subject to a Notice of Default must register their properties in the City of Los Angeles.
    • Registration requires provision of name, street address and phone number of lender staff responsible for collection of rent, payment of utilities and maintenance of the property and the local property management company, if applicable.
    • Administrative Fee of $155 per property, payment valid for calendar year of registration.
    • Alternatively, lender can register their property with the Mortgage Electronic Registration System (MERS), which does not require payment of admin fee to LAHD.
    • MERS has provided the City free access to their database for individual property queries; database generally considered best source of lender and property management information for foreclosed properties.
    • LAHD shall notice lenders who fail to register at least 30 days prior to imposition of a $250 per day penalty which shall be backdated to the date of LAHD’s notice to the lender.
    • LAHD has established a procedure whereby it will provide lender and property management contact information to the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) for registered foreclosed properties subject to an LADBS enforcement action.
      • If a subject property is not registered, LAHD will then notice the lender of its failure to comply and pending imposition of the $250 per day penalty.
  • Subjects lenders of properties in the foreclosure process to increased penalties (now administrative instead of civil) of up to $1000 per day for failure to maintain properties in compliance with City’s Vacant Building Ordinance.
    • Enforcement by LADBS
    • Compliance fulfilled by following:
      • Filing of Statement of Intent form (Building Code Section 98.0713) with LADBS on how property shall be maintained
      • Posting of building with name of owner and owner’s agent in charge of vacant building (Building Code Section 98.0716)
      • Lender obtains permit for repair or demo and is proceeding diligently in good faith to complete the repair, rehabilitation or demolition.
    • Enforcement is complaint-based through the City’s 3-1-1 Hotline.