(Title and Section Amended by Ord. No. 180,449, Eff. 2/5/09.)
A. For the purposes of this section, the definitions in Section 12.03 of this Code and the following definitions shall apply:
CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. A drug, substance, or immediate precursor, as listed in the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, Health and Safety Code Section 11000, et. seq.
DRUG-RELATED NUISANCE. Any activity related to the possession, sale, use or manufacturing of a controlled substance that creates an unreasonable interference with the comfortable enjoyment of life, property or safety of other residents of the premises or within a 1000 foot radius from the boundary line of the premises. These activities include, but are not limited to, any activity commonly associated with illegal drug dealing, such as noise, steady traffic day and night to a particular unit, barricaded units, possession of weapons, or drug loitering as defined in Health and Safety Code Section 11532, or other drug-related activities.
GANG-RELATED CRIME. Any crime motivated by gang membership in which the perpetrator, victim or intended victim is a known member of a gang.
VIOLENT CRIME. Any crime involving use of a gun, a deadly weapon or serious bodily injury and for which a police report has been completed. A violent crime under this section shall not include a crime that is committed against a person residing in the same rental unit as the person committing the crime.
THREAT OF VIOLENT CRIME. Any statement made by a tenant, or at the tenant’s request, by the tenant’s agent to any person who is on the premises or to the owner of the premises, or the owner’s agent, threatening commission of a crime which will result in death or great bodily injury to another person, with the specific intent that the statement is to be taken as a threat, even if there is no intent of actually carrying it out, when on its face and under the circumstances in which it is made, it is so unequivocal, immediate and specific as to convey to the person threatened, a gravity of purpose and an immediate prospect of execution of the threat, and thereby causes that person reasonably to be in sustained fear for their own safety or for their immediate family’s safety. Such a threat includes any statement made verbally, in writing, or by means of an electronic communication device and regarding which a police report has been completed. A threat of violent crime under this subdivision shall not include a crime that is committed against a person who is residing in the same rental unit as the person making the threat. “Immediate family” means any spouse, whether by marriage or not, parent, child, any person related by consanguinity of affinity within the second degree, or any other person who regularly resides in the household, or who, within the prior six months, regularly resided in the household. “Electronic communication device” includes but is not limited to, telephones, cellular telephones, video recorders, fax machines, or pagers. “Electronic communication” has the same meaning as the term is defined in subsection 12 of Section 2510 of Title 18 of the United States Code, except that “electronic communication” for purposes of this definition shall not be limited to electronic communication that affects interstate or foreign commerce.
UNLAWFUL WEAPON OR AMMUNITION CRIME. The illegal use, manufacture, causing to be manufactured, importation, possession, possession for sale, sale, furnishing, or giving away of ammunition or any weapon listed in subdivision (c)(1)-(5) of Section 3485 of the Civil Code.
ILLEGAL DRUG ACTIVITY. A violation of any of the provisions of Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 11350) or Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 11400) of the Health and Safety Code.
LANDLORD. An owner, lessor, or sublessor, or the agent, representative or successor of any of the foregoing (including any person, firm, corporation, partnership, or other entity) who leases the rental unit for a specified term, or permits a periodic tenancy, a tenancy at will or a tenancy at sufferance.
PREMISES. The rental unit and the land on which it and other buildings of the complex are located and common areas, including but not limited to, garage facilities, streets, alleyways, stairwells and elevators.
RENTAL UNIT. All dwelling units, efficiency dwelling units, guest rooms, and suites, as defined in Section 12.03 of this Code, including one-family dwellings, two-family dwellings and condominiums which are leased for a specific term or occupied pursuant to a periodic tenancy, a tenancy at will or a tenancy at sufferance in the City of Los Angeles. This term shall also include hotel and motel rooms subject to tenancy or transient occupancy, mobile homes, whether rent is paid for the mobile home and the land upon which the mobile home is located, or the rent is paid for the land alone. Further, it shall include recreational vehicles, as defined in California Civil Code Section 799.24, if located in a mobile home park or recreational vehicle park, whether rent is paid for the recreational vehicle and the land upon which it is located, or rent is paid for the land alone.
TENANT. A tenant, subtenant, lessee, sublessee, any person entitled to use or occupancy of a rental unit, or any other person residing in the rental unit.
B. [DUTIES] OF THE LANDLORD. A landlord shall not cause or permit:
(i) the premises to be used or maintained for any illegal drug activity, drug-related nuisance, violent crime, threat of violent crime, unlawful weapon or ammunition crime, or gang-related crime; or
(ii) tenant to use or occupy the premises if the tenant commits, permits, maintains or is involved in any illegal drug activity, violent crime or threat of violent crime, gang-related crime, unlawful weapon or ammunition crime, or drug-related nuisance on the premises or within a 1000 foot radius from the boundary line of the premises.
C. ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES. The City Attorney, or the City Attorney’s designee, shall promulgate administrative procedures necessary to implement the provisions of this section.
D. REMEDIES.
1. Grounds for Eviction. Notwithstanding any provision of the Los Angeles Municipal Code to the contrary, a landlord may bring an action to recover possession of a rental unit upon one of the following grounds:
(i) the tenant is committing or permitting to exist any illegal drug activity, violent crime or threat of violent crime, gang-related crime, unlawful weapon or ammunition crime, or drug- related nuisance on the premises or within a 1000 foot radius from the boundary line of the premises, or
(ii) the tenant has been convicted of a crime and the underlying offense involves illegal drug activity, violent crime or threat of violent crime, drug-related nuisance activity, unlawful weapon or ammunition crime, or a gang-related crime on the premises.
2. Enforcement. If the City Attorney determines that the landlord has failed to comply with the provisions of Subsection B. of this section after receiving notice, then the City Attorney may file an action for injunctive relief or take any other appropriate action to require the landlord to comply with the provisions of this section.
A court rendering a judgment pursuant to this subsection may, in addition to any other order provided by law, impose a fine not to exceed $5,000 payable to the City of Los Angeles, require the payment of reasonable attorneys fees, and costs of investigation, discovery and court costs.
E. PAYMENTS. If multiple defendants exist, they shall be jointly and severally liable for any monetary judgment. In addition to any other remedy provided by law, the City may collect any judgment, fee, cost, or charge, including any permit fees, fines, late charges, or interest, incurred in relation to the provisions of this section as provided in Los Angeles Administrative Code Sections 7.35.1 through 7.35.8.