``Slum Housing'' Lawsuits Filed against Owners of Two Apartment Buildings Near Downtown Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES -- On behalf of 144 residents who reside in two apartment buildings near downtown Los Angeles, CA, two "slum housing" lawsuits today were filed in Los Angeles Superior Court against the ownership of both buildings. The lawsuits allege that the buildings are substandard and a threat to the health and safety of the residents due to a variety of unsanitary and unhealthful conditions, including: rat and rodent infestation, mold, inoperable or faulty electrical and heating systems, structure damage and inadequate security.

The two buildings, situated within blocks of each other, are located at 514 South Union Drive and 1833 W. 5th Street. Both contain primarily Hispanic residents. Among the eight causes of action listed in both lawsuits, the primary allegations include Breach of Warranty of Habitability, Violation of Civil Codes, Negligence and Infliction of Emotional Distress. Representing the plaintiffs in both lawsuits are Beverly Hills, CA Attorney Eric E. Castelblanco and Reilly Atkinson of the Santa Monica, CA law firm of Yuhl Rhames & Atkinson, LLP.

The lawsuit related to the 514 South Union Drive apartment complex was filed against the current owner, Zaffar Hassanally, an individual, as well as JRAM Enterprises, a corporation which owned the building from 1999 to November 2004 at which time it was sold to Hassanally. The four story building contains 47 apartments and was built in 1926. Plaintiffs encompass 100 residents with Ignacia Osorio being the lead plaintiff.

Named as the defendant in the lawsuit against the 1833 W. 5th Street apartment building was the Pico Union Housing Corporation, which owns and operates the building. The lead plaintiff in the lawsuit is Mercedes Zamora who is joined by 43 other residents. Built in 1927, the structure is also four stories and contains 61 apartments.

According to Castelblanco, both structures have been inspected in the last three years by the City of Los Angeles Housing Department and the Los Angeles City Health Department and both have been cited for violations of Los Angeles Municipal Codes and Housing and Safety Codes. Residents have made numerous requests, both verbally and in writing, to have the problems fixed but their pleas were ignored, he stressed. Commenting on the lawsuits, he remarked:

"These lawsuits represent a growing trend among residents of substandard housing who--to use a famous line from a motion picture--are frankly `mad as hell and won't take it anymore.' The `slum housing' situation in the Los Angeles area is bordering on an `epidemic.' Unless owners and landlords of such low income residential structures step up and take responsibility for and fix such deplorable living conditions, these lawsuits will be just the `tip of the iceberg.'"

Some common problems relating to both apartment structures, Castelblanco said, are: roach, pest and rodent infestation; lack of heating; mold in the floors, walls and ceilings; lack of or faulty electrical wiring; inoperable or broken windows and doors; inadequate water supply; clogged toilets; holes and cracks in the walls and ceilings; unstable stairs and balconies; leaky plumbing; peeling paint; and inadequate security in both the structure and parking areas.

As a result of these problems, Castelblanco charged the residents have sustained injuries and experienced harmful health effects such as respiratory problems, asthma and skin irritations. Residents have also suffered from extreme stress and anxiety, he noted. Through the lawsuits, he added, the plaintiffs will seek general, special, exemplary, punitive and statutory damages as well as legal and court costs.