1. DO NOT SELF-EVICT. Stay in your unit and reach out to the City immediately to help navigate what your options are.
2. Call the Los Angeles Housing Department Hotline: 866-557-7368
3. Identify what kind of notice you received. Here is a breakdown of common types of notices:
- 3-DAY NOTICES: If you receive a 3-day notice you are typically not required to file an answer but you should reach out to LAHD. In order for the eviction process to be initiated after a 3-day notice, you will still need to receive an Unlawful Detainer (UD) notice. You should not self-evict if you receive a 3-day notice. Please be on the lookout for a UD, which does have a five-day deadline to respond.
- UNLAWFUL DETAINER (UD): If you receive a UD, you MUST file an answer within 5 days. If you respond late you can automatically lose your case. You should not self-evict if you receive an UD, but it is important that you read all notices very carefully and seek legal advice. Please be attentive to any deadlines.
- Stay Housed LA has resources that walk tenants through how to respond to UDs, how to represent themselves in court and will also connect low-income tenants to free legal services. If you don’t qualify for the free legal services, please refer to the list of other legal resources available to tenants at the bottom of this page.
- ANY OTHER TYPE OF NOTICE: Please refer to LAHD resources. If you live in an RSO unit, file an RSO complaint in order to get an RSO investigator to review the case and to create a paper trail for the City. The State of California also has a helpful breakdown of these processes and explanations of different types of eviction notices.
If you don’t respond to formal notices, you can automatically lose your case. Going through the eviction process in court can take 30 days or longer and provides time to access additional resources available to you.
4. Reach out to StayHoused LA
- If you received a UD, use the StayHoused LA step-by-step guide to respond.
- Check whether you qualify for legal assistance.
- If you don’t qualify for legal assistance through StayHoused LA, please review their resources for representing yourself in court and refer to a list of other resources such as the Tenant Power Toolkit, Eviction Defense Network’s comprehensive video series, and workshops and clinics hosted by a variety of community-based organizations.
5. Contact your Council Office
- If you have questions, reach out to our office. CD1 residents can contact us at Councilmember.Hernandez@lacity.org or (213) 473-7001.