Friendly Folks Try to Remedy a Sod Situation

An Anaheim man facing jail time because of his unkempt lawn got some unexpected help over the weekend as people who had learned of his plight stopped by to clean, paint and fix up.

Rick Cleveland of Anaheim, who helped coordinate the weekend’s activities, said about 10 people came from as far away as Downey and Long Beach to help Raman Patel, 59, get his yard in order.

Patel’s garage, which Cleveland said was stained with motor oil, got a coat of paint, as did the fence. The cleanup crew also built an enclosure for garbage cans so they are no longer visible from the street. The next step, Cleveland said, is to negotiate with neighborhood merchants for donations of sprinkler parts, grass seed and more paint.

One of the volunteers, Doug McElree of Newport Beach, said he went to Patel’s aid because “you should help your neighbors in need.”

McElree will also ask a lawyer friend to give Patel legal advice and go with him to court Nov. 2, when a judge will decide whether Patel, who served 30 days in jail in 1997 for city code violations, should have his probation revoked.

“We want a long-term solution,” McElree said. “We’re not going to let this man go to jail again.”

Patel, who had a stroke two years ago that left him unable to speak, has been at odds with Anaheim officials for years over maintenance of his lawn. The city has cited him because of the visible garbage cans, the discolored garage, bare front and side yards and rusted gates.

The city took Patel to court in 1997, and a jury found him guilty of code violations. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail and three years’ probation.

Patel, who has said he cannot afford to make further improvements, claims that he is being unfairly targeted by the city and that other yards in his neighborhood have similar violations.

The city’s position is that, by not keeping his yard in compliance with city codes, Patel has violated his probation. Officials say it is unusual but not unheard of for residents to do jail time over zoning and code violations.