As told to the Los Angeles City government August 2019.
Communications with city employees
Denial of housing services
* The intercom system unit 9 and outside the building is unusable. The intercom needs repair * Unit 9 tenants are still being denied a tandem parking stall
* The back interior stairs remain unstable and need repair as they are dangerous wobble when walking on them
Update March 19 2016
Hi Point Apts is Unsanitary, Substandard, and Unsafe
LA county Public Health Feb 10 2016 have said they have no authority over the wiring in the 1522 Hi Point St 90035 building.
Health and Safety code 17920.3 sections(a)(13) and (d) and (i) give the city and county employees jurisdiction, but as of March 16 talk with city code enforcement, and after over two years of defective security system intercom wiring, government employees maintain they have no jurisdiction under H & S code 17920.3. City employee Richard Brinson, Le Taun J. Cotton, Veronica Bauchman, David Burkhead, Richard Jackson, and Udo O. Nwachuku all claim the city and county employees have no jurisdiction to enforce defective and improperly maintained wiring.
click here to read “Tenant News”
Since there is general dilapidation abandoned vehicle and improper maintenance of the wiring and construction materials, the Health and Safety code 17920.3 declares the building to be “unsanitary” and “substandard” and “unsafe”. Tenant security is at risk.
Click for Youtube Video on Hi Point Apts
Update August 2 2015
as emailed and posted to the internet:
“My question to [Los Angeles] Mayor Eric Garcetti, Raymond Cervantes, Agassi Topchian* and Ian Yeom*, et al, is in these times of racial strife across this country of the United States, should any Black American be denied a housing service?”
“…in these times of racial strife across this country of the United States, should any Black American be denied a housing service?”
Update July 25 2015
Los Angeles City Council
Mayor Eric Garcetti, Gilbert Cedillo, Paul Krekorian, Bob Blumenfield, David E. Ryu, Paul Koretz, Nury Martinez, Felipe Fuentes, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Curren D. Price, Jr., Herb J. Wesson, Jr., Mike Bonin, Mitchell Englander, Mitch O’Farrell, Jose Huizar, Joe Buscaino.
The Done Deal
The first document is one of many that was submitted as an appeal of the original rent increase that was granted Hi Point Apts LLC. I think it outlines pretty well the requirements under the Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance for a Capital Improvement Rent Increase.
Many administrative agencies in my opinion base their decisions on opinion, rather than fact, and tend to favor the well connected over the little guy. They rarely base their decisions on a fair assessment of the rules to be followed. This decision was no different. HCID Case CA 050 505.
To see the complete city hearing decision to grant an unjust rent increase click on this link:
Bias in Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Housing Department
Hearing Officer Favors Slum Landlord
You will see that many of the city requirements were not followed by the property owner, and many were not followed by the hearing officer. For instance, there is no record that the owner filed any receipts to show the cost of materials. The investigator claims he saw the documents but they did not appear in two records releases, and tenants were not provided copies of any alleged receipts. Also the hearing officer failed to make a calculation of average costs in the zip code for each item. The original application showed repairs as completed April 2014 but at the hearing the owner’s representative said repairs were completed May 2014, a discrepancy the hearing officer did not question, most likely to unjustly favor the landlord. The timber clad installed on the outside of the building does not primarily benefit the tenants, etc.
Administrative Bias at Its Finest:
Business as Usual in Los Angeles
To see the complete hearing decision to grant an unjust rent increase click on this link:
Rent Stabilization Capital Improvement Los Angeles Rent Increase
Update June 4 2015- Craiglist Ad for rent
Apartment for rent as seen on Craiglist. Apt 6 for rent at 1522 Hi Point appeared June 1 and June 2. Here is a response that was sent to that advertisement.
“Your ad is false and deceptive in three areas. First, it is not a new property since it was built in 1973. Second, it is false and deceptive to say each apartment comes with one parking stall when in truth there are seven tandem parking stalls and some apartments have been assigned tandem parking stalls.
“Black tenants in particular have documented housing discrimination complaints to city officials over the past twelve months. At least one DFEH complaint is pending against the owner of this property as well as numerous code enforcement complaints. About 80% of the Black tenants in the building do not have working intercoms for over a year that the owner Hi Point Apts LLC refuses to address. About six tenants now out of 18 units do not have working intercoms for over 12 months and the owner also has refused to fix them or grant the required rent reduction. He even threatened tenants with a $50 parking fee that was an illegal rent increase. Currently he is also accused of illegally passing on a $17 rent increase after conspiring with city officials that the building was painted for $14,800 for 11,000 square feet when the building is only 7,500 square feet. The building contractor and property owner are under investigation for fraudulent business practices. Call the Mayor and Council for a list of the damage claims against this property. As the building is master metered, the civil code 1940.9 requires that the owner reach an agreement as to who will pay for utilities outside of the tenant’s unit. The owner has not offered anything in writing to advise tenants of their rights under 1940.9 or his obligations. It is false and deceptive for your ad to say “intercom system” when the system is dangerously not working for six tenants. There is also no front door peephole for the building. When this slum landlord was recently asked to provide receipts for materials and labor to fix the building, for which some tenants were required to pay a rent increase, the owner refused to provide receipts. He has been accused of making numerous illegal rent increases. His lack of communication disturbs tenant’s quiet enjoyment of the building. Being that the owner is from another country, he does not seem to have an appreciation for American law. I question the term you use “controlled entry” as if that is a safety feature. All tenants have a key to enter the front and rear of the building; the owner has added “keypad” entry that seems to be primarily for the benefit of non-residents like maintenance, visitors, delivery persons. Hardly sounds like controlled entry. The lack of front building door peephole shows what a slum landlord this owner is. He has also refused to grant tenants’ a rent reduction for when the building was without a resident manager last summer.”
Update July 18 2015
How much crime in this area?
Trulia.com reports the following crimes within one mile radius of this property: [July 11 thru July 16] grand theft vehicle, petty theft, grand theft vehicle, robbery, burglary from vehicle, robbery, burglary from vehicle, burglary, burglary, assault with deadly weapon, burglary, robbery, shoplifting, shoplifting, stolen vehicle, petty theft from vehicle, burglary, shoplifting, robbery, robbery.
Updated September 19 2016
Los Angeles, California officials say Black tenant treated as “Nigger” not entitled to full and equal housing privileges. Select tenants are named. United States Central District Court case CV16-03236 JLS.
Attorneys for the defendants are ATTORNEY FOR COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, AND ALAN CHEN Renee E Jensen lduarte@fwhb.com, rjensen@fwhb.com; ATTORNEY FOR WILLIAMS REAL ESTATE ADVISORS, Inc. Thomas L Watters twatters@hartwattersandcarter.com; ATTORNEY FOR STATE OF CALIFORNIA Martin Ageson martin.ageson@doj.ca.gov, marsha.petty@doj.ca.gov; ATTORNEY FOR CITY OF LOS ANGELES, CHARLES GARCIA, BARBARA BRASCIA, RICHARD BRINSON, ARMIDA-OLGUIN FLORES Robert P Moore robert.p.moore@lacity.org, julie.martinez@lacity.org; ATTORNEY FOR HI POINT APTS, LLC, WALTER BARRATT, CLIFF RENFREW Jared A Barry jared@barrylawgroup.com [UPDATED SEPT. 19, 2016]
Click below link for more information on the lawsuit:
