Judge Nails Final Notice on Overdue Home Work

A Calabasas court commissioner attempted to crack down Monday on two men who have followed a remarkably similar pattern in rebuilding their houses at a neighbor-irking turtle’s pace.

Municipal Court Commissioner Richard Brand sentenced one of the men, Paul A. Long, to six months in jail. Long, who has been rebuilding his house since 1981, was released seven hours later when an attorney filed a notice of appeal.

In an unrelated case, Brand issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Thomas Spring, who has been rebuilding his house for 10 years.

But Brand later stayed Spring’s arrest pending a Jan. 17 hearing.

Convicted of Misdemeanors

Both men have been convicted on single misdemeanor charges of failing to comply with an order to either complete their houses or demolish them.

The two cases were described by Deputy Dist. Atty. Tim Hansen, who specializes in prosecuting building code violations throughout Los Angeles County, as “almost one of a kind--except that they are almost identical, both involving nice houses in expensive neighborhoods.”

Hansen said cases in which property owners fail to complete construction “usually involve shacks or very inexpensive dwellings, not fancy houses.”

Long gutted his $400,000 house in Calabasas Park four years ago, Hansen said, tearing out the wiring, plumbing, flooring and wall coverings.

To the dismay of his neighbors in the master-planned, deed-restricted community west of Woodland Hills, the 49-year-old Long made little effort to rebuild the house, Hansen said.

Court Orders Ignored

And, to the anger of Los Angeles County officials, the Canoga Park resident has ignored a series of court orders to either rebuild or demolish the house.

On Monday, the house appeared to be an empty shell with no covering on either side of the 2-by-4 studded walls.

Long, who has been in court nine times in the case, was not available for comment. His wife, Madeline, who county officials said co-owns the house, has not been charged.

A handful of Long’s neighbors were in attendance Monday when Brand imposed the sentence.

‘Far Too Long’

“This has gone on far too long,” Brand said.

Long’s attorney, Daniel White, argued that the self-employed developer was unable to comply with previous court orders because a Superior Court civil suit between Long and his neighbors over disputed property lines “has impacted on this case to the point where he was unable to do what he promised the court he would do.”

Hansen contended that there was “no connection at all between the civil case and this criminal case.”

White also said Brand “probably was influenced” by a petition signed by 33 of Long’s neighbors calling the unfinished house an “eyesore and a dangerous situation” and asking the court to force completion.

‘Exactly What Was Needed’

Hansen, interviewed before Long’s release at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, said the jailing of Long was “exactly what was needed in this case because the man has demonstrated for years that he will not obey lawful orders from county officials or the court.”

One of Long’s neighbors, who was at the hearing but asked to remain anonymous, said that up to 25 neighbors at one time have attended various administrative and court hearings in the Long case.

“We take this very seriously,” the neighbor said. “This has a direct effect on property values and on the appearance of our neighborhood.”

The other man, Spring, got on the bad side of his neighbors a decade ago when he bought a house in the path of a new water pipeline. Spring cut the house in four pieces and had it transported to a one-acre lot in the 24000 block of Mulholland Highway.

But reassembling the 4,000-square-foot house turned into a bigger job than the 50-year-old Spring had expected.

To the anger of his neighbors, who live in houses ranging in value from $250,000 to more than $1 million, the Spring house has never been completed.

Last August, at his 31st court appearance in the case, Spring told Brand that an inheritance would enable him to complete the house by December.

At Hansen’s urging, Brand sentenced Spring to six months in jail and fined him $500, but suspended both punishments on condition the house be completed by Monday.

When Spring failed to show up Monday, Brand issued the bench warrant. However, when a court clerk reported that an attorney claiming to represent Spring called to ask for a postponement, Brand stayed the arrest until the January hearing.

Spring could not be reached for comment Monday, but said in an earlier interview: “It’s been difficult raising eight children and paying these legal fees when a construction schedule is dictated to you beyond your immediate needs and requirements.”

Unable to Find Work

Spring, an unemployed engineer, also said that he has been unable to find work.

County officials said Spring, his wife, Ann, and their children have been living in the uncompleted house several years. Ann Spring has not been charged.

Hansen said the front of the ranch-style house appears to be completed, but building inspectors say the sides and back are covered only with stucco paper and that plumbing and electrical systems are unfinished.

Vera Daehlin, who lives across Mulholland Highway from the Spring house, said after Monday’s court action: “They’re never going to get him. Sometimes I think we will live with this eyesore forever.”