About Red Tape LA

What We Do

We're building a systematic record of what's broken in LA's building process.

Every story gets reviewed, tagged, and added to our database. We track patterns across neighborhoods, project types, departments, and types of barriers.

Every two months, we publish reports and share findings with City Council members, journalists, and advocacy organizations. More data means more pressure for reform.

How It Works

Collection: You share your experience. We review every story personally.

Analysis: We look for patterns. Which departments cause the most delays? Which requirements conflict? Where does the system break down?

Advocacy: We publish reports, share data with journalists and policymakers, and make findings available to anyone pushing for reform.

Privacy: Your contact info stays private. We only share anonymized, aggregated data.

What We're Not

We're an independent, volunteer project. We're not affiliated with the city, we can't expedite your permits, and we can't provide legal advice.

We can't fix your individual problem. But we can make sure it counts toward fixing the system.

Why This Matters

LA has a housing crisis. Everyone knows it. But complaints without data are easy to dismiss.

When we show up with documented patterns from dozens of people, all facing the same delays and contradictions, that's different.

LA can build the housing we need. First, we need to document what's blocking us.

Get Involved

If you've tried to build housing: Share your story. It takes 5 minutes.

If you're with an advocacy organization: Let's partner. Email us.

If you care about LA housing: Share this site with anyone who's struggled with building housing in our city.