Anti-Slum Housing Measures Get Swift Council Approval

The Los Angeles City Council swiftly approved several key elements of the city’s anti-slum housing code enforcement program Tuesday.

“I think this is very exciting and quite historic,” said City Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg.

“It’s to bring up from the bottom the quality of life for the rent-paying public.”

In November, the council approved a sweeping anti-slum plan but subsequent actions have been necessary to implement the program.

Under the plan, more housing inspectors will be hired to routinely inspect all apartments in the city.

In addition, the city will assign the new inspectors to a new code enforcement unit in the city’s Housing Department.

The council agreed Tuesday to have the city attorney draft an ordinance establishing the inspections and a training program for the inspectors.

The council also approved a contract with UCLA to develop a management information system to track the inspections.

Money for that contract, not to exceed $200,000, had been allocated earlier.