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610 South Evergreen Avenue / REAP

Council File 26-0005-S173

Under review — the city has confirmed that a heavily code-violated East LA rental property has been fully repaired, and the Housing Committee has approved removing it from the rent-escrow enforcement program. The full Council is set to vote on closing the case September 30.

Introduced
2026-09-08
Last changed
2026-09-16
CFMS file status
File open See note on file status
Expires
2028-09-16
Committee
Housing Committee
Initiated by
Los Angeles Housing Department
References
Previous Council File: 07-0005-S841Assessor Parcel (APN): 5185-020-012Case: 881826

This is the City Clerk's status for the council file itself, not the outcome of the measure. A file often stays open after the Council has already adopted an item. The summary above reflects the latest recorded action.

Brief

The Los Angeles Housing Department submitted a matter on September 8, 2026, regarding 610 South Evergreen Avenue (Assessor Parcel 5185-020-012), likely involving acquisition, disposition, or development of city property. The Housing Committee approved the item on September 16, 2026, following a scheduled hearing. The file remains open and active.

Full summary

The three-unit rental property at 610 South Evergreen Avenue in East Los Angeles was placed into the city's Rent Escrow Account Program (REAP) in October 2025 after the Los Angeles Housing Department's Code Enforcement Division cited 23 violations, including deficiencies in fire warning devices, weatherproofing, electrical systems, plumbing and gas, heating and ventilation, general maintenance, and illegal construction. REAP is a city enforcement mechanism that redirects tenant rent payments into a City-controlled escrow account and imposes rent reductions on landlords who fail to keep their properties up to code. The property owner, Belen Viramontes, holds title through the Belen Viramontes Living Trust. LAHD has independently confirmed that all cited violations have been corrected. The property owner has also settled any outstanding utility charges with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and Strategic Actions for a Just Economy, a contracted advisor, provided an advisory opinion confirming completion of the remediation work. LAHD General Manager Tiena Johnson Hall is recommending that the Council terminate the rent reductions, close the escrow account, and formally remove the property from REAP. Under the resolution presented to Council, rent will be restored to its pre-REAP level 30 days after tenants receive written notice from LAHD. Escrowed funds will be disbursed in priority order: first to cover LAHD administrative fees and penalties, then any outstanding fees under the Los Angeles Municipal Code, and finally any remaining balance returned to the property owner. LAHD will also conduct an expedited follow-up inspection and require the owner to prepay fees for two additional annual inspections beyond the standard Systematic Code Enforcement Program schedule. The Housing Committee approved the item on September 16, 2026, the most recent development in this file. The matter is expected to be heard at the full City Council meeting on September 30, 2026. Councilmember Ysabel Jurado represents the Fourteenth District, which includes this property.

Activity (4)

  • 2026-09-16 Housing Committee approved item(s) .
  • 2026-09-11 Housing Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on September 16, 2026.
  • 2026-09-10 Los Angeles Housing Department document(s) referred to Housing Committee.
  • 2026-09-08 Document submitted by Los Angeles Housing Department, dated September 8, 2026.

Documents (2)

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