How Does the REAP Program Benefit Low-Income Tenants in Los Angeles?
What is REAP?
The Rent Escrow Account Program, also known as REAP, was implemented by the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) to enforce housing safety codes along with combating substandard and unsanitary residential properties outlined in Section 161.102. REAP covers multi-residential rental properties with at least two units in the City of Los Angeles. As Los Angeles struggles with preserving housing stock and enforcing safe and sanitary residential buildings, REAP seeks to rectify those issues by holding landlords accountable while protecting the rights of tenants.
According to the LAMC Section 162.00, the Los Angeles Housing Department would inspect properties for violations of the health and safety code and provide a time frame for the landowner to repair the damage and ensure the habitability of their rental unit. If the violation does not get addressed within the allotted time frame, the LAHD will move the rental unit into the REAP program. In compliance with LAMC 162.06, the landlord has 15 calendar days to appeal and contest the REAP placement at the General Manager’s Hearing.
How do tenants know they are living within an affected unit?
Tenants who are residing within a rental unit placed in the REAP program will receive a notice by mail informing them that they are eligible for a rent reduction plus further instructions on how REAP operates. Following the mail, tenants may be contacted by a REAP outreach contractor who will further explain the tenant’s rights, responsibilities, and rent reduction. Importantly, tenants who reside within units in REAP are given a rent decrease that can range anywhere from 10 to 50 percent, and they will have the option to pay the reduced rent to the landlord or to an escrow account managed by the Los Angeles Housing Department.
How does REAP benefit low-income tenants?
REAP holds landlords accountable for ensuring their rental units are habitable and penalizes negligent landlords. In addition, this program helps preserve Los Angeles’s affordable housing stock. This program is also a way of combating slum housing, which disproportionately affects lower-income communities who may be trapped in substandard housing yet forced to pay unjustified rent. Bug infestations, mold, lack of heated water, and other violations of the health and safety code pose a threat towards the tenant’s health and should not be taken lightly. Thus, tenants living within REAP units can make their rent payments towards the LAHD’s escrow account at a reduced rate. Furthermore, REAP places a restriction on evictions and rent increases until 13 months after a property has been released from REAP.
Seeking legal assistance regarding REAP
Tenants have the right to live in a rental unit that is free of violations of the safety code. If you are seeking assistance regarding your rights in REAP and how to navigate the program, Tenants Law Firm is here to help. To find more information regarding REAP and other tenant law related issues, refer to the Tenants of LA. If you are in need of legal assistance, contact us by calling (310) 432 - 3200 or by using this contact form.