Housing Rights Center - Los Angeles, California

Martin V.

Reading the comments above, I notice that they reflect the experience I had. The average rating is three stars, but some give five. It seems the difference lies in the variability of the staff: some are exceptionally friendly and helpful, while others lack empathy. In my case, the person who finally helped me proved to be very receptive to our problem, however, the first woman who greeted me left a lot to be desired in terms of treatment and professionalism. It is crucial that the staff representing the company be consistent in their quality of service so as not to overshadow the efforts of those who really go out of their way to help.

Susie D.

I highly recommend HRC!!!
I was a victim of discrimination by my landlord. My landlord had informed me that my sink was going to be glazed, which has an ingredient called methylene chloride. (This ingredient has killed many ppl, including 3 kids!). After requesting to relocate me to a hotel, (since I am disabled use w/chair and have respiratory issues) Kelly my LL got very angry and said that she would change the material/repair to be a “different nontoxic repair”. By the time I was told it was MC, it was too late. I wasn’t prepared for it and I got extremely ill. (What a dirty trick)!

I called this agency and they got back to me very quickly. Carolyn was so understanding, kind and always responded quickly. She wrote a very strong letter to Kelly, letting her know what she is doing, is against the law. She also let her know that the Fair Housing laws protect disabled ppl to have the right to have reasonable accommodations such as being relocated when toxic chemicals are being used in their unit.

After Carolyn’s support, I feel justice has been served. I pray that all LL’s will always let tenants know toxic repairs so they can be prepared! 🙏 It was a sick retaliation against me, after I merely had filed a complaint with the Health Dept. to have her fix this mold issue.

Tenants have rights and HRC has always helped me! Don’t give up standing up for your rights! Thank you so much Carolyn and HRC!!!

Fiona K.

I don't know if I would have been able to keep my housing without HRC's help! I've read a few of the comments on here and yes, the only way to contact them apart from going into the office physically is with leaving a voicemail, but even when I did that I was reached out to quickly, within the same day - maybe there was a lag during peak Covid, but I went into their physical office, did an intake session where I was listened to and heard and then waited to get an investigator assigned to work on the case. I did need to follow up about that but within a week and a half, I got Carolyn who I cannot leave a more GLOWING review for!!! She listened, read all the documents I'd sent her way, was quick to respond by email and when available for a call in the mornings. Together, we drafted a letter to send my landlord of the numerous accounts to which the policy they were trying to instate was unreasonable and borderline illegal, and this process took the span of 3-4 weeks to collect all the necessary information. She consulted her supervisor to get more advice, recommended I loop back with LAHD for their opinion too while sourcing her own to ensure we had the best compiled letter and approach to making my necessary needs met, as my housing's management company/ landlord was trying to instate a policy that could squeeze me out of my rent controlled unit. The letter was so strong that my management company immediately turned around their rhetoric of 2 months to abide by my leases permissions that they were trying to violate. Without Carolyn or HRC backing me, they would have tried to bully me out of my place but I was thankfully able to keep it!! Thanks to them again!!!

Dominique

If I could give them 0 stars, I would. No one answers, no one calls back. You leave 2, 3, 4 messages and you will never hear from anyone. Then you go to the website and can't search it because an automated screen pops up that blocks everything else. A waste of time and Im sure they're getting funding as a non profit for doing nothing to help anyone.

Aaaa H.

Just like the rest of the comments read: you can't speak to anyone and your only option is to leave a voicemail. Thankfully, a lady named Gloria replied within the week but she was completely unhelpful. She provided me with a housing number I've called multiple times. When I asked if she could help me with my issue, she said I had to call the number she gave me. What's the point of this center if they don't help you? What do these people do all day? How do they have jobs?

Berta F.

The Housing Rights Center has been very supportive and helpful offering webinars and housing resources and support for renters needing assistance with current landlords and issues! They provide monthly housing listings called Project place! I recommend this organization and refer it to all my associates agencies friends and family! Thank you HRC for the support resources and updates!

Mary H. S.

Update:
I’m updating my review because I finally got through and they helped me stay housed! (I think COVID backed things up considerably.) I’ve been dealing with harassment, retaliation and discrimination from my landlord for 2 years now after living in my current home for 5 years. Most recently, landlord tried to force me to vacate my two bedroom apartment by refusing to approve any new co-tenants—no matter how qualified—when my previous co-tenant had to relocate for a new job. This is a common (and illegal) tactic of predatory (and uninformed) landlords who don't have just cause to evict their renters but believe (incorrectly, as in my case) that if they can force their renters to vacate, they’ll be able to mark up the rent by over 20% to 30% and get new, higher paying tenants. (My landlords don’t realize that the inflated rent prices on which they are basing their expectations don’t accurately represent local housing costs because no one is taking the rentals with that mark up, so all the overpriced apartments in the neighborhood are just sitting empty with no takers. People actually renting in my area are only paying what I’m already paying.) Fortunately, I’ve kept very thorough records of everything, so the Housing Rights Center was finally able to evaluate my complaint, confront the landlord, and help to resolve my case. I would have ended up living in my car or worse had my predatory landlords succeeded in unfairly forcing me out of my home, so I’m very grateful to HRC for helping me to remain housed. Thank you Housing Rights Center!!!

__________________________

Original review: It is impossible to speak with a housing counselor here. The building is closed to the public and your only option is to call and leave a voicemail. But nobody calls back. I did get a call back once, 2 weeks after leaving a voicemail, but I missed the call by only a few seconds. The person left me a voicemail saying they were returning my call from the housing rights center but left no name and no way to call them back. So I just had to call the hotline again and leave another voicemail. This time nobody ever called me back. I’m so confused as to why these services exist but are made completely inaccessible to the people that need them. It’s so disheartening.

Ms K.

They made me wait two weeks, and then told me that they wouldn’t be able to take my reasonable accommodation request, to help me get reasonable accommodation through a management company that basically ignored me. They referred me to the Department of fair employment and housing which takes months. I had to get a letter from my doctor, which I believe is standard protocol but still during the COVID-19 crisis it’s not easy -you can’t go into your doctor especially when you have autoimmune disorders. They won’t tell me why they wouldn’t take my case, Even though the intake person acted like that everything was fine and she was going to be taking it. Now I have a three week old letter, that I have to send to the management company on my own and they’re probably just going to laugh at me and wonder why I didn’t send it immediately. I don’t suggest them,they’re too slow they take a long time to call you back, and apparently they only help certain people.
To my understanding the housing right center gets funds from housing and urban development in Washington. This is basically their funding and probably some donations. They did work with me about a decade ago but, even though they helped me, some of the counselors have a very bad attitude. When dealing with people that are afraid, anxious and nervous because housing is a fundamental right to survival, these people should be a little nicer and compassionate and they should probably have some courses for their employees when dealing with individuals that come to them for help. The standard, so sorry for the inconvenience, doesn’t cut it. Especially when you’re dealing with people living with disabilities. Thanks but no thanks