Subject: [residents@laderaheights.org] Curb Painting Scam
From: JB
This might be a little bit late for some, but I still think it's worth
letting your neighbors know. Especially those who might be more prone to
fall for a scam like this.
A few days ago, a flyer was taped to my front door titled "*ADVISORY
NOTICE TO ALL RESIDENTS*." It went on to explain that a group called
"Curb Addressing Service" would be coming by to (re)paint address
numbers on curbs, and asks for a donation. They state that "after the
work is completed, a representative will stop by to pick up a
contribution should you be kind enough to make a difference." These
folks are *NOT* affiliated with LA city or county, are most likely not
even licensed. If you would like to check out LA County's rules
regarding curb-painters, you may find them in the attached document.
The most important part of the attached document is item #4, which states:
The Permittee must first obtain the permission of the property owner before
painting any house number on the curb. If the Permittee paints the curb
without the property owner's permission, the property owner is not obligated
to provide payment for the curb painting services.
The County also does *not* allow C.A.S. or any other such "service" to
paint graphics or logos of any kind on your curb, as these are often
used without proper licensing agreements or royalty payments to their
creators. *You could potentially be held liable for copyright
infringement by requesting that they paint the Dodgers logo or other
copyrighted design on your curb.* Not likely to happen, of course, but
with the record business winning thousands of dollars in civil suits
for as little as seven or eight illegal downloads of a $0.99 song,
it's better to be safe than sorry.
I don't mean to scare anyone, and more than likely you won't be home when
these fellas come around, but keep in mind that *you don't owe them anything
for work you didn't ask them to perform*. If they press you, ask them for
their County or City issued permit number, let them know you're not
interested and will call 911 if they don't go away, or just plain ignore
them and shut the door. If they persist, *call 911 if you feel in any way
unsafe*. You can also call the 24-hour non-emergency number for the Marina
Del Rey Sheriff Station at 310-482-6000.
Also, check your curbs if you think they've already been through. I
didn't find out until just a couple hours ago, but *they painted the
wrong number*on the curb in front of my house. The delivery guy from
our favorite Thai restaurant was the one to point it out after driving
up and down the street for fifteen minutes trying to deliver dinner.
(Cold pad thai is the reason why this email might sound a bit cranky.)
I will be going to the Sheriff or our County Supervisor with a
complaint regarding this, so if anyone has any additional information
they would like to share regarding "Curb Addressing Service",
mis-painted curb numbers, or inappropriate behavior on the part of any
curb-painters, please contact me by email or at the number listed
below.
Your Neighbor,
JB
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PAINTING HOUSE NUMBERS ON CURBS PERMIT GUIDELINES
The following requirements shall be made a part of the permit and the Permittee shall
comply with all of them, either prior to receiving the permit and/or while the permit is in
force.
1. Only house numbers painted on the face of curbs are permitted. No logos, designs,
graphics or symbols of national, military, religious, sports, flags, college/university,
etc., are permitted. Such logos, designs, graphics, and symbols may be registered
trademarks and may have copyrights.
An Encroachment Permit issued by Los Angeles County Department of Public
Works (LACDPW) is required per Los Angeles County Code Title 16, Highways.
The Permittee shall comply with all requirements set forth in the County codes.
3. The Permittee shall notify the property owner whether the curb painting service
being solicited is for payment or "charitable donation." Charitable donations are not
mandatory contributions. The County of Los Angeles (County) and the LACDPW
do not establish nor regulate the amount for payments or charitable donations.
4. The Permittee must first obtain the permission of the property owner before painting
any house number on the curb. If the Permittee paints the curb without the property
owner's permission, the property owner is not obligated to provide payment for the
curb painting services.
5. The Permittee must submit the following documents for review and approval a
minimum of ten working days prior to the start of work:
a. A permit application.
b. All advertising literature including flyers that he/she proposes to use in
soliciting services.
c. Proof of liability insurance coverage in the amount required in the latest
"Greenbook" and "Graybook," and a separate endorsement form naming the
County as additional insured.
d. Stencil type and "traffic" paint type that will be used and applied to the curb
face.
e. County Engineer's House Numbering Maps for the area. Contact the Survey
Division of LACDPW located on the 4th floor of 900 S. Fremont Ave.,
Alhambra, CA 91803.
f. Upon approval of the documents listed above, the Permittee is then required
to submit a complete permit application package a minimum of ten working
days prior to the proposed starting date of painting house numbers on curb
faces.
6. Solicitation of painting house numbers on curbs shall not take place between the
hours of 6 p.m. — 8 a.m., during hours of darkness, during nonbusiness hours,
weekends, or on holidays. Painting house numbers on curbs shall only take place
between 8 a.m. — 4:30pm Monday through Friday. Painting house numbers on
curbs shall not take place during hazardous weather conditions such as, but not
limited to, windy or foggy days.
7 The Sheriff Department's Contract Law Enforcement Bureau may be notified of any
complaints received from the property owners including, but not limited to,
solicitation activities, attempts to collect payment for unauthorized work, work
performed without an encroachment permit from LACDPW, etc.
8. The Permittee shall pay a nonrefundable permit issuance fee (Los Angeles County
Title 16 Highways Code, Section 16.10.010).
9. Submit your complete permit application package to either the inspection office that
provides inspection for the area you are proposing to operate in or to the general
permit office in Alhambra:
Hollvdale Permit Office
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Department of Public Works
Permit Office
11282 S. Garfield Ave.
Downey, CA 90242
(562) 861-3580
Palmdale Permit Office
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Department of Public Works
Permit Office
38126 Sierra Hwy.
Palmdale, CA 93550
(661) 947-4151
Alhambra Permit Office
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Department of Public Works
Construction Division, 8th Floor
Permits and Subdivisions Section
900 S. Fremont Ave.
Alhambra, CA 91803
(626) 458-3129
Baldwin Park Office
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Department of Public Works
Permit Office
14747 E. Ramona Blvd.
Baldwin Park, CA 91706
(626) 338-9515
Valencia Office
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Department of Public Works
Permit Office
23757 W. Valencia Blvd.
Valencia, CA 91355
(661) 222-2948
Westchester Office
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Department of Public Works
Permit Office
5530 W. 83rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90045
(310) 649-6300
Revised 09-10-09
FLYER NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR
PAINTING HOUSE NUMBERS ON CURBS
Flyer notifications to the property owners must include the following statements:
1. A statement of whether the painting of house numbers on curbs is a service for payment or
for "charitable donation."
2. Charitable donations are not mandatory.
3. The solicitor is not a County employee.
4. Legally, you are not obligated to have your house number on the curb.
5. The County does not require you to have a street number placed on the curb.
6. The County does not employ anyone, at this time, to paint house numbers on the
curbs.
7 Whether or not you have your house number painted on the curb is voluntary on
your part.
8. The solicitor is required to obtain the property owner's permission first before painting any
house number on a curb.
9. A permit is required at all times while the Permittee performs the curb painting work.
10. The County and LACDPW shall not be held liable for payment or for the replacement of
house numbers on curbs that become painted over, obliterated, removed, damaged, etc.,
as a result of County highway facility maintenance, repair, replacement, traffic control, etc.
11. If the solicitor is rude, insistent, or misrepresents the facts above, call the Sheriff
Department's Contract Law Enforcement Bureau, Unincorporated Area Liaison at
(323) 526-5743 and the permit inspection office located nearest you listed below.
Permit Office Locations: Baldwin Park: (626) 338-9515 Westchester (near LAX): (310) 649-6300 Palmdale: (661) 947-4151
Valencia: (661) 222-2948 Downey (Hollydale): (562) 861-3580 Alhambra (Main): (626) 458-3129
12. The property owner agrees to hold harmless the County of Los Angeles for the work
solicited and performed by the Permittee.
Attach.
COUNTY OF LOS AN LES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
PAINTING OF HOUSE NUMBERS ON CURBS
DATE:
PERMIT RIDER: To be attached to and made a part of Permit No. PCEN
1. The Permittee shall coordinate with the local permit inspection office on a daily
basis Monday-Friday of the location he/she intends to work in.
2. The solicitor(s) may ask for payment from the property owner to have their curb
painted with the house number only. Solicitation for payment or "charitable
donations" for the work shall be made in a professional and courteous manner
without inference that charitable donations are mandatory, or that the County of
Los Angeles or the Public Works Department establishes or regulates the
amount of such payments or charitable donations.
3. A person shall not make or perpetrate any misstatement, deception, or fraud
in connection with any solicitation of any contribution for any charitable purpose
or association (Los Angeles County Title 7 Business License Code 7.24.310).
4. A complaint from a property owner may result in the revocation of this permit.
5. The Permittee shall have a copy of their encroachment permit in their possession
at all times.
6. The Permittee shall have in their possession valid identification at all times.
7. The Permittee shall wear a high visibility safety vest when painting house
numbers on curbs.
Except as amended above, all other terms and provisions of the permit shall remain in
effect.
This permit rider must be attached to the permit.
Section Head
Permits and Subdivisions