Motel Owners Accused of Code Violations
After ignoring repeated orders to make repairs, the owners of a Studio City motel were charged Friday with 24 health and safety violations by City Atty. Jim Hahn.
Stanley S. Wu, 58, and Helen C. Wu, 49, will be arraigned on criminal slum charges Aug. 14 in Los Angeles Municipal Court, Hahn said.
The owners, both residents of Studio City, did not comply with the city’s Slum Housing Task Force orders to bring the 18-unit Topper Motel on Ventura Boulevard to code, said Deputy City Atty. Lawrence P.V. Punter, a prosecutor in Hahn’s Housing Enforcement Unit.
The task force inspected the motel several times between March 20 and June 2. The code violations included damaged and deteriorated walls, ceilings, floors, floor coverings, doors and windows and broken toilets and faucets.
Other hazards included damaged, defective and improperly installed light fixtures and smoke detectors and overloaded panel circuits.
An inspection of the property found open sewers, missing exit signs and an accumulation of trash and cast-off items, Hahn said.
Each count carries a maximum punishment of six months in county jail or a $1,000 fine, officials said.
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.
