Wednesday, November 22, 2017

"In L.A.'s misguided war on blight, an unpainted fence could cost you $660"

LAT:
In Atwater Village, people have been receiving “courtesy notices” from something called the Pro-Active Code Enforcement division of the Department of Building & Safety

...

She wondered if the notice was some kind of scam. Others wondered if it were a plot to further gentrify the neighborhood, or if a handyman was trying to line up some work.

The answer is no.

This is for real.

Your tax dollars at work.

I called the inspector whose name was on one of the courtesy notices and pointed out that people use redwood because you don’t have to paint it. Redwood lasts a long time, has beautiful coloring and grain lines, and maintains its character as it ages.

...

“There’s a city ordinance that says you can’t have unpainted wood,” the inspector told me.

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If unpainted wood is a crime, why not go to Hancock Park or Pacific Palisades and drop some “courtesy notices” in mailboxes?

Because, said Zamperini, the program targets only low-income areas.