Court Extends Restrictions on 2 Sunland Homes

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge Tuesday extended a court order that places restrictions on two Sunland homes that City Atty. James K. Hahn once called “flophouses for drug users.”

The preliminary injunction issued by Judge Eli I. Chernow on Tuesday is aimed at stopping violations of the city health code and the sale and use of drugs at the homes in the 10500 block of Jardine Avenue, said Deputy City Atty. Pamela A. Albers.

The preliminary injunction extends a temporary restraining order granted by Judge Jerry K. Fields on Sept. 16, which was due to expire.

Albers said the city attorney’s office requested the injunction as part of a lawsuit brought against the property under nuisance-abatement laws usually used to enforce the health code. Under a civil suit, the city attorney can ask for court orders to encourage a property owner to prevent criminal problems from reccurring, she said.

Named in the lawsuit are Virginia J. Stevens, a Tujunga resident, and her son, Robert Stevens, who lives in one of two houses on the single lot owned by his mother. Albers said the city has requested that the preliminary injunction remain in effect until the case goes to trial, perhaps in a year.

The court order limits the number of people who may live at the homes and requires the Stevenses to clean up mounds of garbage that authorities said have been the source of neighborhood complaints for about three years. The injunction also specifies that the sale or use of drugs is prohibited in or near the houses.

Virginia Stevens has said that any drug use has been by people who did not live on the property. One of her son’s roommates said that Robert Stevens collected tires, hoses, cardboard and other scrap for recycling.

A county health official, Reid Davidson, said the Stevenses had cleaned up the property a great deal but still had to remove or store auto parts, tires and wood to bring the area up to health-code standards. Davidson, an environmental health officer with the Department of Health Services, said he inspected the property last week.

Albers said 12 people had been arrested on drug-related offenses at the property during the last six months.