ECHO PARK : Landlord Sentenced to Probation, Fined

A South-Central man is the second landlord in three months at a Coronado Street apartment building to be convicted of slum charges.

Eddie Florence Rivas Bonilla, 29, pleaded no contest Jan. 4 to six violations of health and building codes and was sentenced to pay $4,274 in fines, court costs and contributions to a local charity. Los Angeles Municipal Commissioner Barry Kohn also placed Bonilla on three years’ probation and set a Feb. 22 deadline for repairs to be made at the two-story, 12-unit building at 430 N. Coronado St.

City prosecutors said Bonilla assumed ownership of the troubled building in August and failed to fix deficiencies left by previous owners Thomas and Adela Bueno, who pleaded no contest in October to 10 slum charges.

During inspections between April and June last year, city inspectors found missing and broken smoke detectors, stair railings, plumbing fixtures and an illegal lock that could trap residents in a fire. The city attorney’s office filed charges against the Buenos in July.

The Buenos then transferred ownership of the building to Bonilla without making repairs, according to the city attorney’s office. The Hollywood couple later entered the no-contest plea and were sentenced to pay more than $1,200 in fines and serve 400 hours of community service.

As the new owner of the building, Bonilla was aware of the court case and was responsible for making the repairs, prosecutors said. But city inspections conducted a few days after the Buenos were sentenced revealed that Bonilla had made few repairs, prosecutors said.