INGLEWOOD – The City of Inglewood has gone into damage control mode after issues within a condominium complex spread across social media.
The issues derive from a resident living at Inglewood Crossroads (across from Vons grocery store and Planet Fitness) after she appeared during the June 17 city council meeting calling for a federal investigation into the complex’s Homeowners Association (HOA).
Felecia Ford alleges fraud and mismanagement of the complex’s association dues (read the forensic audit here) and alleged “city employees” (presumably building & safety) were “in on” defrauding the complex’s insurance provider, which puts homeowners at risk.
Crossroads resident Florine Hill, 84, filed a lawsuit against the HOA last month, alleging uninhabitable conditions due to water damage that has forced her to sleep on her couch.
A lawsuit was filed by another resident, Richard France, who was elected to the HOA’s board of directors in June 2023, after those election results were overturned due to a lack of quorum.
France filed a second lawsuit against the HOA citing failure to upkeep the common areas after his unit was rendered uninhabitable due to water damage, which resulted in an estimated $55,000 in loss of rental income.
A judge in the matter did not authorize a temporary injunction, which France was seeking, and as a result, the current HOA board remains intact. In his lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, France alluded to eminent domain being on the table, but the City declined.
“That the deteriorated condition of the building poses a risk that the insurance will be canceled, and poses risks to the residents. (France Decl. ¶35e-f.) Plaintiff argues this puts the HOA at risk of being put in a receivership, of being privately acquired, or of eminent domain/condemnation proceedings, even though the City of Inglewood declined to exercise eminent domain in March 2023.” (see page 7 of the minute order)
How could the City decline unless it was offered? And who was a part of those discussions?
A social media account republished part of our story stating the complex would be taken for eminent domain for the Inglewood Transit Connector (ITC) project, with the City’s social media account commenting, “this is factually inaccurate. No residential homes or residential properties will be impacted by the ITC project.”
Additionally, the City went so far as to post on its own social media account that the condo complex would not be impacted by the ITC project.
The City has revived its efforts to build the ITC and during the June 17 city council meeting, approved a “refresh” of the Relocation Plan, which includes eminent domain.
“To implement the ITC Program, the City must acquire property, obtain temporary construction and permanent easements, and relocate impacted businesses. As the Project is partly funded by federal sources, the property acquisition process must follow the requirements of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Act of 1970, as amended (Uniform Act).”
Residential properties CAN be taken for public transportation projects as was done in 1985 to build the 105 Freeway. Rep. Maxine Waters led the charge to ensure Inglewood homeowners were fairly compensated due to their being displaced.
According to the California Department of Transportation, “State and Federal constitutions and the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act authorize the purchase of private property for public use and assure full protection of the rights of each citizen. The responsibility for studying potential sites for a transportation project rests with a team of specially trained individuals selected to do this important job.”
According to the residents living in Crossroads, the City may not directly take their property for the ITC project, however, their complex is under threat of being privately acquired or of eminent domain/condemnation proceedings, because of the HOA’s failure to adequately maintain the common areas. Multiple residents have filed lawsuits against the HOA, alleging their units are uninhabitable due to water damage.
The legal entity that has the authority to render a property uninhabitable and/or condemn it is the City’s Building & Safety and Code Enforcement departments.
Mr. France was granted a jury trial on his allegations for May 2027.

“We don’t have until 2027. We can’t get insurance and don’t have a reserve account to make repairs and could incur fines from the city for missing deadlines related to inspections of our balconies under Senate Bill 326,” said a Crossroads resident who requested anonymity.
“I have concerns that the mismanagement of our finances, as outlined in the 2021 forensic audit you published, will make us a target of the city or huge investors as our property lies within the New Downtown Inglewood and Fairview Heights Transit Oriented Development Plan. You have consistently reported on all of the new mixed-use residential towers (that exceed normal height requirements) being approved around us and what’s to stop someone from buying our property and reimagining it into a different type of residential use?”
“You wrote about Carlton Square not being zoned residential but Crossroads is. It doesn’t stop the City from inadvertently acquiring our property or a rogue developer, with deep pockets, from buying us out and building something more aesthetically pleasing to the City. All of these emergency assessments and whatnot could expedite foreclosure proceedings if a resident is unable to pay the fees and any penalties or interest if unpaid. Or in our case, the City could condemn us and then what?”
“If Mayor Butts made Nike pay HOA’s $5000 for their event, why did we learn that from you and not the members of our board?”