Wilshire District : Apartment Repairs Ordered
The owners of a Wilshire District apartment house have been ordered to take immediate action to repair “life-threatening” slum conditions at the 48-unit building after refusing to make the repairs voluntarily, City Atty. James K. Hahn said.
Hahn obtained a court order directing Sandra Mindlin, 51, and her husband, Charles Mindlin, 58, of Westwood to clean up the building at 226 S. Berendo St.
The couple has owned the building since 1976, according to Hahn, who said Sandra Mindlin told his inspectors that “she has no intention of making repairs.”
The life-threatening conditions Hahn said in a statement, include “myriad violations” of fire, health, and building and safety codes. “This is one of the worst slums we have seen,” he said.
On Aug. 22, the city attorney filed a civil lawsuit that charges the Mindlins with an unspecified number of unfair business practices and maintaining a public nuisance--charges that could lead to $2,500 per violation on each count on conviction, Hahn said.
Code violations include no heat or hot water, doors kicked in, leaking roofs, exposed live wires, defective plumbing, rodent and cockroach infestation, and defective or missing fire doors, Hahn said.
The Mindlins could not be reached for comment at their Westwood home.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
