Harbor Gateway and West Carson sit side by side between Torrance, Gardena, Carson and Harbor City, and many addresses in both use Torrance or Harbor City ZIP codes. But they’re run by different governments: Harbor Gateway is part of the City of Los Angeles, while West Carson is unincorporated LA County. That changes who you call for permits, sewer problems and renter complaints.
Harbor Gateway (City of Los Angeles)
Harbor Gateway is the narrow strip of the city that runs from about 120th Street down to Sepulveda Boulevard, connecting San Pedro and Wilmington to the rest of Los Angeles. The Dominguez Channel runs through it.
- Water and power: LADWP, 1-800-342-5397 (1-800-DIAL-DWP), 24 hours. (LADWP)
- Sewer backups and street flooding: call 311 (City of Los Angeles), or 911 if anyone is in danger.
- Permits: LA Department of Building and Safety. The closest office is in San Pedro, 638 S. Beacon St., 2nd floor, (310) 732-4578; general information at 311. (LADBS phone directory, October 2026)
- Renters: the LA Housing Department takes habitability complaints about apartments at (866) 557-7368, with no fee, and you can file anonymously. Units built on or before October 1, 1978 are generally covered by the city’s rent stabilization ordinance (RSO); check your address at zimas.lacity.org. (LAHD) See our renter’s guide to mold.
- Free sandbags: every LAFD neighborhood fire station has empty bags, up to 25 per household. Free sand is available at Normandale Recreation Center (22400 Halldale Ave.) and Harbor City Recreation Center (24801 Frampton Ave.). (LAFD, October 2026)
West Carson (unincorporated LA County)
West Carson lies between Del Amo Boulevard, Lomita Boulevard, Normandie Avenue and the 110. Most of it uses the 90502 ZIP code; the southern part shares 90710 with Harbor City. Harbor-UCLA Medical Center is here, and the Torrance Lateral storm channel runs through the area to the Dominguez Channel.
- Water leak at the main or meter: West Basin Municipal Water District lists Cal Water as West Carson’s supplier, (310) 257-1400; some nearby blocks are served by Golden State Water, 1-800-999-4033. Your water bill shows which.
- Sewer overflow: LA County Public Works maintains the sewers here: 1-800-675-4357. (LA County Public Works)
- Permits: LA County Building & Safety, Lomita office, 24320 S. Narbonne Ave., (310) 534-3760, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The county’s West Carson report lists this as the office that serves the area; permit applications can also go through the county’s EPIC-LA website. (LA County West Carson report)
- Renters: LA County Environmental Health enforces housing standards in unincorporated areas, including mold and leaking plumbing: (888) 700-9995. (LA County Public Health) West Carson is also covered by the County’s Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protections Ordinance; questions go to the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, (800) 593-8222. (LA County DCBA)
- Free sandbags: LA County Fire stations, for residents, with proof of residency; call first, because supplies run out during storms. (LA County Public Works)
What to do first
- Stop the water at the fixture valve or the main shutoff, and stay away from wet outlets and cords.
- Photograph the damage before anything is moved. Insurers and landlords both ask for it.
- Start drying within 24 to 48 hours. That is the EPA’s window for keeping mold from starting.
Talk to a local water damage or mold company
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Sources checked October 31, 2026: LADWP; LA Department of Building and Safety; LA Housing Department; LAFD; LA County Public Works (sewer maintenance, Building & Safety, West Carson annual report, sandbags); LA County Public Health; LA County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs; Cal Water; Golden State Water; U.S. EPA.