In an interesting move,the LA Weekly is reporting that Los Angeles council members Paul Krekorian and Jose Huizar are using nearly $400k, in taxpayer money, to relocate tenants living in an illegal building in the Fashion District. This is in stark comparison to a similar situation, that happened to Black residents living in a shuttered hospital, near Leimert Park back in 2000. This fell under then council members Mark Ridley-Thomas’ watch. It was never reported whether MRT offered any taxpayer assistance to any of those tenants who faced eviction.
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In 2000 a rogue security guard began renting out rooms in a shuttered hospital on Stocker Blvd. The building had no heat and no running water. The owner refused to move the tenants and the city of Los Angeles’ position was it was the OWNERS responsibility to move the tenants, not the city’s.
Related: Tenants Refuse to Leave Illegal Apartments in Hospital
City building officials have ordered the premises vacated but add that they lack the legal authority to evict the tenants. If people remain, inspectors could file a complaint against Glasser with the city attorney’s office, Bob Steinbach, chief inspector for the Department of Building and Safety, said Thursday.
“It’s the owner’s responsibility to move them,” said Steinbach.
So seventeen years later, the city has reversed course, it’s now taxpayers responsibility to move tenants out of private buildings?
Residents living in a dilapidated commercial building lcoated at 931 E. Pico Blvd complained to council members Krekorian and Huizar that the building’s owner, Morad “Ben” Neman, is refusing to relocate them.
According to Rentjungle.com the owner is subleasing units in the building starting at $3k per month.
The two council members stepped up and found nearly $400k of taxpayer money to “front” the tenants relocation money. They council members hope to recoup the costs via litigation.
