Tenants Sue Landlords, Claim Unsafe Conditions

Three families living in a 148-unit apartment building in Garden Grove they say has no electricity, no heat, severe mildew, leaky ceilings and mice sued the owners and management company Thursday, claiming unsafe conditions.

“This sends a message to other landlords that you do not treat people like this,” said Tom Simon of Eviction Protectors, a company that is negotiating on behalf of the tenants.

Attorney Tamara Leslie said she will give the defendants 10 days to negotiate and, if no solution is reached, will file lawsuits for another 37 families.

The company that manages the Haster Gardens complex, Equity Management 2000 Corp. of Torrance, did not return phone calls Thursday.

Also listed as a defendant is Peter Starflinger, president of the company, who also could not be reached. Leslie said he owns eight fourplexes in the compound. Apartments rent from $595 to $925 a month.

The city sued the owners last month to force them to correct conditions in the building.

Asked about the condition of Haster Gardens, Deputy City Manager Catherine Standiford said: “Are there other buildings in Garden Grove like this? Probably not.”

One problem the city has had is figuring out who owns the units. The complex is divided into 37 fourplexes with various owners and frequent sales, said Joe Forbath, the deputy city attorney.

“I couldn’t tell you who the owners are today because of the numerous title transfers going on,” Forbath said.

Besides the lawsuits, tenants began a rent strike this week.

Leslie usually represents landlords, but she said the conditions were so deplorable that she had no choice but to take the case. In one apartment, she said, the mildew “grows like a forest on a ceiling.”

In another unit, she said, a baby has been sick with respiratory problems because of the poor conditions.

The lawsuit also charges that laundry facilities and the swimming pool are “unfit for human use” and there are no smoke alarms.

The suit also contends the owners threatened to punish those tenants who continued to complain.

“It just strikes fear in everyone’s heart,” Leslie said.

She said the tenants continue to live in such deplorable conditions because many don’t have the credit to move elsewhere.