Los Angeles Open Data Scraper

Los Angeles Open Data Scraper

Los Angeles open data scraper for public portal datasets. It exports dataset rows and catalog search hits with SoQL filters, paging, and a hard cap.

Crime, permits, 311, business listings, and any other dataset on the portal can be pulled into an Apify dataset and downloaded as JSON, CSV, or Excel. Schedule the run when you want a fresh copy of the same query.

What it does

• Rows mode reads dataset rows with $limit,$offset, $where, and$order.
• Catalog mode searches for portal datasets.
• Requests stay sequential at about one request every 0.75 seconds. HTTP 429 and 5xx responses retry up to three times and honor Retry-After.
• Duplicate source ids are skipped. A failed request becomes an error row instead of stopping the actor.
• The default dataset is Listing of Active Businesses (6rrh-rzua).

Use cases

• City research: export business, permit, or 311 rows without writing a SODA client.
• Civic monitoring: schedule the same SoQL filter and compare new rows over time.
• Catalog lookup: search the portal for datasets such as permits, then keep the id, permalink, and owner.
• Spreadsheet delivery: download the Apify dataset as CSV, JSON, or Excel.
• Pipeline input: send the dataset downstream when the run finishes.

Input

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
mode	string	rows	rows exports one dataset. catalog searches.
datasetId	string	6rrh-rzua	4x4 id for rows mode.
where	string	empty	SoQL $where filter for rows mode.
order	string	empty	SoQL $order clause for rows mode.
query	string	permits	Catalog search text.
maxItems	integer	100	Maximum saved rows. Hard cap 1000.
timeoutSecs	integer	300	Overall run time limit in seconds.
requestTimeoutSecs	integer	30	Per-request timeout in seconds.
proxyConfiguration	object	{"useApifyProxy": false}	Optional proxy.

Example input

{
  "mode": "rows",
  "datasetId": "6rrh-rzua",
  "where": "council_district = '10'",
  "order": "location_start_date DESC",
  "maxItems": 100,
  "timeoutSecs": 300,
  "requestTimeoutSecs": 30,
  "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": false }
}

Catalog example:

{
  "mode": "catalog",
  "query": "permits",
  "maxItems": 20,
  "timeoutSecs": 300,
  "requestTimeoutSecs": 30,
  "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": false }
}

What data does this actor extract?

{
  "location_account": "0000000108-0001-3",
  "business_name": "PALACE OF VENICE GUEST HOME /C",
  "street_address": "1727 CRENSHAW BLVD",
  "city": "LOS ANGELES",
  "zip_code": "90019-6037",
  "location_description": "1727 CRENSHAW 90019-6037",
  "naics": "721310",
  "primary_naics_description": "Rooming & boarding houses",
  "council_district": "10",
  "location_start_date": "1991-05-15T00:00:00.000",
  "location_1": {
    "latitude": "34.0425",
    "longitude": "-118.3295",
    "human_address": "{\"address\": \"\", \"city\": \"\", \"state\": \"\", \"zip\": \"\"}"
  },
  "latitude": "34.0425",
  "longitude": "-118.3295",
  ":@computed_region_qz3q_ghft": "23080",
  ":@computed_region_kqwf_mjcx": "12",
  ":@computed_region_k96s_3jcv": "648",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-10-12T00:00:00+00:00"
}

Field	Type	Description
location_account	string	Source location account id. Used to skip duplicate rows.
business_name	string	Business name from the source row.
street_address	string	Street address from the source row.
city	string	City from the source row.
zip_code	string	ZIP code from the source row.
location_description	string	Location description from the source row.
naics	string	NAICS code from the source row.
primary_naics_description	string	NAICS description from the source row.
council_district	string	Council district from the source row.
location_start_date	string	Location start date from the source row.
location_1	object	Original location object.
latitude	string	Latitude copied from location_1.
longitude	string	Longitude copied from location_1.
datasetName	string	Catalog dataset name.
datasetId	string	Catalog 4x4 id.
datasetSummary	string	Catalog summary text.
resourceKind	string	Catalog resource kind.
permalink	string	Dataset page link.
scrapedAt	string	UTC time the row was saved.
error	string	Set only when a request fails.

FAQ

How many rows can one run export?

The free cap is maxItems, default 100, maximum 1000. Raise the cap or schedule another run for the next slice.

What happens if the filter is invalid?

The actor saves an error row with the HTTP status and a short response snippet, then finishes without crashing.

Can I turn on a proxy?

The proxy input is optional and off by default. Leave it off.

Related tools

If you plan to extract, map, or analyze Los Angeles datasets—such as active businesses, permits, or 311 service requests—a geocoding pass, location aggregation, or a quick CSV cleanup are the usual next steps. BigiByte also builds dedicated scrapers for other municipal open-data portals, business registries, and government catalogs when you need them as a separate job.

Need another city's open data, a scheduled monitor, or a custom pipeline? BigiByte builds custom scrapers and APIs: https://bigibyte.com

Trademark Notice

Los Angeles Open Data and related names, logos, and trademarks belong to their respective owners. Their use in this documentation is solely to identify the source of the data and does not imply affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement, or partnership.

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: This Actor is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or otherwise officially associated with Los Angeles Open Data or its owners. All data is collected from publicly available sources. Users are responsible for complying with the source's terms of use, rate limits, and attribution or licensing requirements.

Is web scraping legal?

This Actor only collects publicly available data without bypassing any access controls. Scraping public data is generally legal, but how you use it matters:

• Personal data: If the results include personal data (for example names, emails, or profile details), laws such as the GDPR in the EU and the CCPA in California may apply. Only collect and store personal data when you have a legitimate reason.
• Copyright: Some content (articles, images, descriptions) may be protected by copyright. Do not republish full copyrighted content without permission.
• Terms of use: Respect the source's terms, stated rate limits, and any attribution or non-commercial-use requirements listed in the Data source and licence section.
• Legal advice: This is general information, not legal advice. If you're unsure, consult a lawyer.

To learn more, read Apify's guide: Is web scraping legal?