DOWNTOWN : Slumlord Faces New Charges

A Hollywood Hills man with a history of slum conditions at his Downtown properties pleaded not guilty last week to a third set of charges that he failed to fix numerous problems at one of his buildings.

Daniel Lee, 61, is charged with 21 counts of allowing slum conditions at a three-story, 38-unit building at 1130 S. Hope St. that he has owned since 1986. City inspectors found numerous housing violations in August, including broken windows and plumbing, faulty electrical systems, unsanitary bathrooms and damaged fire equipment, and gave Lee 30 days to fix the problems, said Deputy City Atty. Richard Bobb.

Lee also is scheduled for a probation violation hearing Tuesday because he failed to bring another building at 916 S. Georgia St. into compliance, even after spending 30 days under house arrest in the building.

In 1987, Lee was ordered to close another building at 610 Towne Ave. and pay nearly $30,000 in tenant relocation costs because of unlivable conditions, Bobb said.