Inspectors Cite 24 'Maternity Hotels' in LA County

By Melanie Johnson

Inspectors have cited 24 “maternity hotels” in Los Angeles County but new complaints about the birthing homes for women from other countries are down, according to Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe.

Knabe shared information on his website about a new quarterly report released last week by the Chief Executive Office of Los Angeles County.

A multi-agency taskforce made up of a number of county departments, as well as Mandarin and Cantonese translators, inspected 82 locations countywide and was able to gain access to 70 properties suspected to be operating as birthing homes, according to the report. Most of the recent homes discovered cater to Asian women, specifically China.

Violations found included unsafe health conditions, unpermitted room conversions, and properties operating as boarding homes without a permits, according to Knabe.  The county received three new complaints about suspected illegal homes in the past three months.

“The inspections conducted by the taskforce have proven to be a successful deterrent to new maternity hotels setting up in our neighborhoods and communities,” said Knabe, whose motion created the taskforce and called for an ordinance to regulate maternity hotels in Los Angeles County. 

County officials recommended that the ordinance not move forward at this time because the Department of Regional Planning is still inspecting properties.  Staff plans to bring back a recommendation for whether an ordinance is needed in October.

The report found that most of these homes are located in single-family residential neighborhoods. 

In April, a bill proposed by Assemblyman Curt Hagman, R-Chino Hills, to block the opening of maternity hotels failed in committee.  The bill, along with Knabe’s call for a county ordinance, was prompted by several of these homes opening up in San Gabriel Valley cities.

The city of Chino Hills, where Hagman lives, shut down a mansion in town in December that had been made into one of these homes. 

That same month, Walnut officials discovered a home near Meadow Pass and Pierre roads and closed it down.

Community Development Director Tom Weiner said at the time that the process to shut down the operation took about 60 days.  Walnut received a tip from a resident who noticed increased foot traffic at the home.

“Our investigation found it was used for one of these homes similar to Chino Hills,” Weiner said.  “We were aggressive in taking care of the problem and successful at having them cease operation.”