Fear the SCEP-Monster

Every 2-3 years, the Housing Department attempts to inspect every apartment in the city under the Systematic Code Enforcement Program (SCEP).

The inspections are at least notionally intended to ensure that landlords are running clean, safe buildings.

In practice, the standards of enforcement vary so widely as to be kind of a joke… I have been cited for tiny issues in otherwise spotless buildings and I have toured units which were absolutely horrific but which apparently passed their SCEP inspections with flying colors.

In any case, LAHD does SCEP on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis. Because all of our buildings are close together, this means that we don’t hear from SCEP for 2-3 years but then get flooded with inspections, citations, etc.

The process just started again and already we’re swamped.

Silver Lake / Echo Park landlords: Welcome to the SCEP-ocalypse.