Condo Owners Hit by New Wave of Troubles : Panorama City: The homeowners, battling storms and the builder, have been ordered by L.A. to make repairs.

The homeowners at the Tobias Chateaux condominiums in Panorama City, in the midst of suing the developer for what they say is shoddy construction, thought things couldn’t get much worse.

But things did get worse this week, thanks to the weather and the city bureaucracy.

As a historic deluge was flooding their garages and forcing water through cracks around their windows, the homeowners also were being notified by the Los Angeles Building Department that their 2-year-old homes are defective.

They already knew that. In fact, that is why they are suing the builder, City Engineer Monty Jong and city Building Inspector Robert Kline.

But the other part of the Building Department’s message is that the homeowners are responsible for patching up the troublesome condos. If they don’t, they will face the consequences, which could include being forced out of their homes.

The Tobias Chateaux residents--all first-time homeowners who purchased their homes in 1990 for about $160,000 each--were dumbfounded by the city notices.

“It’s almost like a joke to me,” said Sam Weinstein, president of the homeowner association. “It’s total irony that they are at least somewhat responsible and here they are giving me these citations.”

The homeowners’ attorney, David M. Orbach, said the building is in such bad shape, “it might be cheaper to rent a bulldozer.”

But, said Russ Lane, the city’s chief building inspector, if the problems aren’t fixed, “then the department has no other choice but to order the people out.

“It’s not in danger of collapse right now,” Lane said. “But if left unrepaired, there is that possibility because it’s rotting in the middle.”

The homeowners are suing the project’s developer, Clyde Mellies of North Hollywood; the architect, Jack Levinson, and several subcontractors. Also named in the complaint, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court last March, are Jong and Kline.

Although the homeowners hold Mellies--who is also facing criminal drug trafficking charges--responsible for the building’s condition, they also blame the city Building Department for approving the project.

The lawsuit alleges that the building is strewn with major defects. Chief among them is that the floor-ceiling level between the first floor of the units and the subterranean parking contains no concrete, only plywood and drywall. According to a contractor hired by the homeowners to investigate the problems, the drywall is wet and disintegrating, causing the floors above to sag and buckle.

Other alleged defects include improperly installed electrical wiring, no waterproofing on the outside walls, substandard wood that is now rotting, collapsing sidewalks and fire sprinklers that don’t work.

Lane said the notices actually could help the homeowners in the litigation by providing independent confirmation that the problems exist.

This “will probably win their lawsuit for them,” he said.

He also indicated that he would delay for as long as possible enforcing the notices. “We’re allowing them to have as much time as possible,” he said, “up to the point where the building is a real danger to live in.”

Meanwhile, the recent rains have caused more headaches for the homeowners.

Many units have ceiling leaks and water coming in through the tops of windows and under doors. The lower level of Weinstein’s unit, which leads into the garage, has flooded with water and mud and he has torn out the drenched carpet. The paint has peeled off the ceiling and walls at the bottom of the stairs.

“It’s like the bottom of a subterranean cave,” attorney Orbach said. “And it’s getting worse.”