City Council confirms LADBS liens, approves consent items in unanimous votes

The Los Angeles City Council on May 1, 2025, confirmed liens recommended by the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety and approved a set of consent items, recording unanimous votes on the measures.

The council, presided over by Council President Marqueece Harris‑Dawson, voted 14-0 to approve items 3 through 11 and later approved amendments and final motions for items 1 and 2. City staff said items 1 and 2 were noticed for public hearing and that the Department of Building and Safety recommended confirmation of the liens.

Why it matters: lien confirmations are administrative actions that allow the city to collect unpaid fines and fees tied to properties; they can generate revenue but also affect homeowners and property owners who may face enforcement or loss of property interest if liens are not remedied.

What the council did - Items 3–11: Approved as a block (roll call recorded by the city clerk’s office). The council clerk announced a 14‑aye tally when the roll was closed. These items were described by staff as items for which public hearings had already been held. - Item 1: An amendment (referred to in the meeting as amendment 1A) was circulated on behalf of Councilmember Padilla; the amending motion (introduced as 1A, Padilla/Price) was considered and the item passed with a recorded vote of 14 ayes. - Item 2: Council considered an amending motion described in the meeting as a motion that had been introduced; the council then recorded a 14‑aye vote on item 2 as presented.

Public comment and context Before votes on the lien items, multiple members of the public addressed the council during the public‑comment period. Commenters raised concerns about the city’s use of liens as revenue measures and the downstream effects on residents. Richard Serrano and other speakers told the council that lien confirmations can place financial burdens on people who already face housing or income instability. The city clerk’s office read instructions that items 1 and 2 were the LADBS lien items open for public comment.

Procedural notes - The city clerk (Mr. Clark) called the roll and confirmed a quorum before the council proceeded to votes. - Council President Harris‑Dawson announced that item 1 had an amendment being circulated and that item 2 had been requested to be held on the desk earlier in the meeting; the council later considered both items and recorded unanimous votes.

Votes at a glance - Items 3–11: Approved (roll call; 14 ayes) - Item 1 (LADBS lien; amendment 1A circulated on behalf of Councilmember Padilla): Approved (14 ayes). Mover: Councilmember Padilla; second: Councilmember Price (as identified during the meeting). - Item 2 (LADBS lien; amending motion introduced): Approved (14 ayes). The meeting record notes an amending motion had been introduced prior to the vote.

What the record does not specify The council documents read into the record during this meeting described the agenda item numbers and that LADBS recommended confirmation of the liens; the meeting transcript did not include the full text of the liens or the parcel addresses subject to those liens. The public speakers noted revenue and equity concerns but did not provide item‑level legal citations during comment.

Ending The council closed public comment, considered the amending motions, and moved the items to a final vote. Council members recorded unanimous support for the listed consent and lien items. The city clerk will reflect the approved amendments and votes in the official minutes and posted council file records.