Terms of Service
How Red Tape LA works and what to expect
What Red Tape LA Is
Red Tape LA is a volunteer-run project documenting bureaucratic barriers in LA's housing development process. We collect real experiences, identify patterns, and use aggregated data to advocate for systemic reform.
We're an independent project. We're not affiliated with the City of LA, any city department, or any government agency.
What We Can Do
We can:
• Document your experience with LA's building bureaucracy
• Analyze stories to find patterns
• Share anonymized data with policymakers, journalists, and advocacy organizations
• Publish reports on systemic issues
• Make your story count toward fixing the system
What We Can't Do
We cannot:
• Expedite your permits or inspections
• Intervene in your individual case
• Provide legal advice
• Guarantee any specific outcomes
• Act as a liaison with city departments
• Resolve your individual bureaucratic problems
If you need legal help, consult an attorney. If you need help navigating city processes, consider contacting your City Council representative or a housing advocacy organization.
Your Responsibilities
When you share a story with Red Tape LA, you agree to:
• Provide accurate information to the best of your knowledge
• Not submit false, misleading, or defamatory content
• Not include personal information about others without their consent
• Understand that we may edit your story for clarity or length
• Understand that we use anonymized data for advocacy purposes
How We Use Your Story
When you submit a story, you grant Red Tape LA permission to:
• Review and verify your submission
• Include your story in our database for analysis
• Share anonymized, aggregated data with policymakers, journalists, and advocates
• Publish your story on our Public Stories page (if you opted in)
• Reference your story in reports and advocacy materials (always anonymized)
We will never share your name, email address, or other identifying information publicly or with officials.
No Warranties
Red Tape LA is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. We make no guarantees about:
• The accuracy or completeness of information on this site
• The effectiveness of our advocacy efforts
• Specific policy changes or outcomes
• The site's availability or uptime
Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Red Tape LA and its volunteers are not liable for any damages arising from:
• Your use of this website
• Your reliance on information provided
• Your participation in this project
• Any delays, errors, or omissions in our service
Content Moderation
We reserve the right to:
• Review all submissions before publication
• Decline to publish stories that don't meet our standards
• Remove content that violates these terms
• Edit submissions for clarity, length, or to remove identifying information
Termination
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate access to Red Tape LA for anyone who violates these terms or engages in abusive behavior.
You can request deletion of your story and data at any time by emailing john@redtape.la.
Changes to These Terms
We may update these terms from time to time. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the new terms.
Last updated: December 06, 2025
Contact
Questions about these terms? Email us at john@redtape.la.