Local News in Brief : 4 Slumlord Cases Filed

The Los Angeles city’s attorney’s office, in a move to force repairs at a hotel and three apartment houses, on Monday charged two companies and five people in four separate slumlord cases.

Conditions at the buildings allegedly included rat and cockroach infestation, exposed electrical wiring, defective fire doors and damaged walls, floors and ceilings.

“These landlords have ignored repeated notices by fire, health and building and safety inspectors to make repairs, so we’ll be seeking criminal penalties as well as court orders to get the properties up to code,” City Atty. James K. Hahn said.

Named as a defendants were: Joseph Tabello, 56, of Hancock Park, who owns apartment houses at 840 and 825 S. Hobart Blvd. in Los Angeles; Mark Kaplan, 48, of Brentwood, who owns a building at 1117 S. Westlake Ave. in the Westlake district, and the owners of the Morrison Hotel at 1246 S. Hope St. in downtown Los Angeles: Ra Mor Zam Inc., Rudy Ramos, 50, of Montebello, Jesus Ornelas, 55, of Montebello, and Joe Zamorano, 55, of central Los Angeles.