LA County's RHHP enforces habitability standards per California Civil Code §1941.1 and the County Building Code. Rental units must have working plumbing, heating, electrical, weather protection, sanitation, and be free of pests and mold.
The RHHP inspection guide establishes detailed habitability standards for rental units in unincorporated LA County based on California Civil Code §1941.1 and the County Building Code (Title 26). Required standards include: working plumbing with hot and cold running water, operative heating facilities, electrical lighting and wiring in good condition, clean and sanitary buildings and grounds, adequate locks on doors and windows, weather protection (roof, walls, windows), working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, proper ventilation, absence of lead paint hazards in pre-1978 buildings, and freedom from pest infestations (rodents, cockroaches, bedbugs). Each unit must have at least one operable window per room. Exit doors must be operable from inside without a key. Handrails are required on stairs with 4 or more steps.
Violations must be corrected within 21 days. Failure to comply triggers administrative hearings with potential daily fines. Severe conditions (no heat, no water, structural danger) may result in immediate enforcement and potential relocation of tenants at landlord expense.
See how Lakewood's habitability standards rules stack up against other locations.
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