How Building Scores Work
Los AngelesWe use 18 weighted categories analyzing 2.4M+ violations, crime data, water quality, and more to calculate a quality score for every building in LA County.
The Basics
Every Los Angeles building receives a 0-100 score based on 18 weighted categories. Higher scores mean fewer problems and better living conditions. We analyze:
- ✓2.4M+ code violations from LAHD + LADBS (with direct APN matching!)
- ✓4.5M+ 311 complaints from LA City residents (2022-2026)
- ✓500K+ LAPD crime reports for neighborhood safety analysis
- ✓365K+ building permits from LA Dept of Building and Safety
- ✓2.4M+ properties from LA County Assessor parcel data (all 88 cities!)
- ✓40 schools with lead issues for water quality proximity analysis
LA County Coverage - 5 Cities Fully Integrated!
LA County has 88 incorporated cities. We have comprehensive data for 5 major cities including the City of Los Angeles (3.9M residents) with 2.4M+ violation records rivaling NYC!
Score Components
The overall score is a weighted average of these component scores:
Safety Score
3.0×Critical/high severity violations, fire safety, and structural issues
Maintenance Score
2.5×Medium/low severity violations with time decay weighting
Track Record
2.5×Open violations, history, data confidence for old buildings
Order Risk
2.0×ORDER case types (most severe enforcement actions)
Crime Safety
1.8×LA-specific: Violent and property crime rates in the area
311 Complaints
1.5×Rodent, noise, homeless, graffiti, and dumping complaints
Water Quality
1.2×LA-specific: Lead pipe risk by building age + proximity to schools with lead issues
Seismic Safety
1.0×LA-specific: Earthquake readiness, soft-story risk, retrofit status
Responsiveness
1.5×How quickly violations are resolved after being reported
Letter Grades
What Violations We Track
| Category | Examples | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Safety | Smoke detectors, fire escapes, sprinklers | Critical |
| Structural | Foundation issues, cracks, unsafe conditions | Critical |
| Plumbing | Leaks, drainage, water pressure, pipes | Moderate |
| Electrical | Wiring issues, outlets, lighting | Moderate |
| Heat/HVAC | Heating failures, AC issues, ventilation | High |
| Pests | Roaches, bedbugs, mice, rats | Moderate |
| Lead Paint | Lead hazards in pre-1978 buildings | High |
| General Maintenance | Broken fixtures, paint, flooring | Low |
🌊 Water Quality Scoring (LA-Specific)
LA has unique water infrastructure concerns. We analyze two factors:
🏗️ Building Age → Lead Pipe Risk
- • Pre-1950: Very high risk (60 pts)
- • 1950-1977: High risk (70 pts)
- • 1978-1985: Moderate risk (77 pts)
- • 1986-2013: Low risk (82 pts)
- • 2014+: Very low risk (95 pts)
🏫 School Lead Proximity
Buildings within 1km of schools with lead in water get penalties:
- • ≥100 ppb: -20 points (severe)
- • ≥50 ppb: -12 points (high)
- • ≥15 ppb: -5 points (moderate)
40 LA schools have lead exceedances
Rent Control in Los Angeles
We also track rent stabilization status for LA buildings:
🏛️ LA Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO)
- • Buildings built before October 1978
- • 2+ residential units
- • Annual rent increase caps
- • Just cause eviction protections
📜 Costa-Hawkins Act
- • State law limits rent control scope
- • Buildings after 1995 generally exempt
- • Single-family homes exempt
- • AB 1482 provides statewide caps (5%+inflation)
Data Sources
All data comes from official Los Angeles city, county, and state sources:
- 📊LAHD Violations - 1.5M+ records from Property Violations, CCRIS, Investigation & Enforcement
- 🏗️LADBS Code Enforcement - 850K+ open/closed cases from Building & Safety
- 📞MyLA311 - 4.5M+ service requests and complaints (2022-2026)
- 🚔LAPD Crime Data - 500K+ crime reports for neighborhood safety
- 🔨Building Permits - 365K+ from LADBS, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena
- 🏠LA County Assessor - 2.4M parcels across all 88 cities
- 🌊CA Water Resources - School lead testing, water system quality data
- 🚇LA Metro - Transit proximity data
Data updated regularly. City of LA has the most comprehensive coverage with direct APN matching.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my building have a low score?
Low scores typically indicate a history of violations or complaints. Check the building's detail page to see specific issues. Common factors include pest problems, maintenance violations, or unresolved code enforcement cases.
Can a building improve its score?
Yes! When violations are resolved and complaints decrease, scores improve over time. Buildings with active management that address issues quickly tend to maintain better scores.
Why don't I see violation data for my city?
LA County has 88 separate cities, each with their own code enforcement systems. We currently have full violation data for the City of Los Angeles. Other cities like Long Beach, Pasadena, and Glendale show basic building info while we work on integrating their data.
How do I know if my building is rent controlled?
In LA City, most buildings built before October 1978 with 2+ units are covered by the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO). We indicate likely RSO status on building pages, but you can verify at LAHD's RSO Property Search.
Should I worry about earthquake safety?
Pre-1978 buildings may require seismic retrofitting, especially soft-story buildings (typically with parking on the ground floor). LA has a mandatory retrofit program. We include Seismic Safety as one of our 18 scoring categories and flag potential concerns on building pages.
What about water quality?
We analyze lead pipe risk based on building age (lead pipes were common before 1950, legal until 1986) and proximity to schools with lead exceedances. 40 LA County schools have tested above EPA action levels. Buildings near these schools may indicate aging water infrastructure in the area.