CYPRESS : Tenants Tell of Hazards at Complex

Cathy Barnette is afraid for the safety of her family. Rungs are missing on the stairway in their apartment complex, leaving a hole large enough for her small child to slip through.

The gate to the pool is not secure and some of her neighbors’ porches are so infested with termites that they must be propped up with makeshift beams.

After spending a day without any hot water, Barnette and her husband decided to form a residents’ group to demand action from the management of their apartment complex.

But instead of help, she got an eviction notice.

“I don’t know what grounds it would be,” Barnette told the Cypress City Council Monday night. “We only want what is fair--running water and gas.”

About 30 people from the Lincoln-Moody Apartments at 9090 Moody St. came to the council meeting this week to ask for assistance. Outraged tenants recounted horror stories about leaking roofs, cockroach infestations and lack of running water.

Holding up a filled-to-capacity cockroach “motel” as evidence, Rick Becker, a leader of the residents’ group, told the council that tenants had been threatened with eviction if they showed up at the meeting.

To date, two residents have been served official notices, Becker said.

David Harper, part owner of the 144-unit complex responded to the charges.

“I do think there are some problems,” said Harper. “But I don’t think it is as severe as it has been painted.”

The apartment complex was built in the early 1970s and is operated by California South West Management of Santa Monica. The one-, two- and three-bedroom units rent from $600 to $850 per month, city officials said.

Harper, who has been a partner since the apartment complex was built, admitted that many of the complaints are valid. He said that there has been a “history of plumbing and heating problems.”

The water is all on one line, he said, so any rupture forces a shutdown of the entire system, leaving tenants without water. “There have been times that we haven’t been able to give (tenants) notice.”

Harper added that many of the apartments are being refurbished and attempts are being made to police the complex in order to reduce vandalism. And Harper said he would review the Barnettes’ eviction notice. But property manager Roger Sturch told the council that the family was being evicted because Brad Barnette was abusive to him and other employees, not in retaliation for forming the residents’ group.

“It was within our right when we served the papers. We no longer wanted to do business with him,” Sturch said.

Council members urged the owners to respond to the tenants’ complaints.

“Obviously there are major problems,” said Mayor Cecilia L. Age. “If we can’t get cooperation we will get involved.” The council agreed to go out and look at the property next Monday.

City code enforcement officers found about 12 violations during a recent inspection, officials said, including uncovered heating ducts large enough for a child to fall through.

After an additional inspection this week, officials said, the property managers will be notified of any code violations and will be given a chance to comply.