July 19, 1999
The facts, circumstances and events related to the acquisition by Plaintiff of property which is the subject of this action.
1985 – I managed 1600 S. Hope St.
1993 – I became owner of the property.
1994 – I met CRA Manager, DAVID RICCETELLO. I approached him to get some help with the construction or rehabilitation of my building. I submitted plans and had meetings with Riccetello, architect and contractor to preserve the building and enlarge the rooms, kitchens, new bathrooms. I wanted to move in with my family.
I managed to clean up the area with the help of the police. I did not tolerate drugs or alcohol to minors in the surrounding areas. The CRA was delighted with my eagerness to clean the Business Area and I was a very active member of CRA Task Force meetings.
Riccetello offered to in troduce me to a “Retired Nun”, CARMELA LACAYO. (Lacayo is the president of EL PUEBLO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION) to help me with my building since she liked my Victorian style building and wanted to preserve it.
I met Carmela. Her promise was, “let me see what I can do. I will talk to Rita Walters (Councilperson at the time) and maybe we can get a loan for you to do the work yourself.”
Rita and Carmela went to my building, and I NEVER HEARD FROM HER AGAIN.
Right after that Carmela built the Villa Del Pueblo Bldg. across from my building and I went to the opening and saw Carmela and I approached her, but she refused to talk to me. She showed the same behavior at other functions as well.
Instead of receiving any help from the city, I became a target for the agencies listed below. Subsequently I began to lose money and became very ill because of the stress and eventually had to be taken to the emergency hospital, which I have had to do off and on ever since.
1995 – I was cited b y the Health Department. I complied with all of their orders.
1996 – I was again cited by the Health Department. Ninety percent of the inspector's concern were (items that were in fact) tenant's responsibilities and the tenant's were actually cited, not me. Mr. Salazar said that he reason they came back was because someone had complained that the Health Department had not properly handled the inspection. However, I still continued to comply with all orders.
1997 And 1998: A real nightmare:
All of the (following entities) came at me at once, as if they were in agreement to come together at once: St. Francis Church, “Inquilinos Unidos” (pro-bono tenant legal service), The Los Angeles Housing Department (which instituted the programs “RRP, REAP AND HEP”) , the L.A. Department of Building and Safety.
All these individuals came at one time, as if they were in agreement to come together at once. They cited me with everything, even items that did not apply to my building. St. Francis Church and Inquilinos Unidos (who had no legal authority to do so) were even citing me! This was insane! The church's complaints were:
- Elevators were not functioning. (The building does not HAVE elevators)
- Air conditioners were malfunctioning (The building does not HAVE air conditioning)
- Security doors were not functioning (This is not a security building. This is an SRO – Single room occupancy which are sleeping rooms only)
Editor's Note: SRO's are a very popular item for the land grabbers. There are examples of many, many SRO owners being attacked in the City and ultimately losing their properties.. This MAY be because there is generally more profit per square foot for SRO's than for larger-unit buildings.
Each one of these groups acted arbitrarily. The Church was offering money to my tenants to call the agencies and complain about everything. Each one of these groups acted arbitrarily. The Church was offering money to my tenants to complain about everything.
The inspection complaints (i.e. “orders to comply”) were so inaccurate with nothing specifically stated that it was apparent that they have not personally been in my building. Especially the plumbing inspector and heating inspector were both so arrogant, belittling my workers and myself throughout the inspections. I was advised by the permits section supervisor in City Hall to have inspector narrow down the so-called violations, to be more specific. He could not understand the Notice of Complaint.
During the General Manager's Hearing at the LA Housing Department, several people showed up who claimed to be tenants in my building, yet I had never seen any of them before. They WERE NOT my tenants! When I demanded that the Housing Department supervisor , SHARI DEYHIMY, threatened to call Security and kick me out of the meeting. When
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