ADVISORY/Hancock Park Residents File Lawsuit Against City of L.A., Congregation Etz Chaim to Halt Use of Homes as Synagogues.

News Editors/Business Editors

ADVISORY...for Thursday (July 10)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

Lawsuit Expected to Lead to Supreme Court Challenge of Federal

Legislation Granting Special Consideration to Religious Groups on

Land Use Issues

WHAT: The League of Residential Neighborhood Advocates (LRNA), a
      new non-profit organization formed by residents of Hancock Park
      to protect homeowners rights, will be joined by homeowners from
      Granada Hills and Boyle Heights as the organization announces
      its filing of a lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles and the
      Orthodox Jewish Congregation Etz Chaim. The lawsuit is intended
      in part to invalidate a settlement agreement which has permitted
      a neighborhood home to be transformed into what is expected to
      be a three story, 8,100 square foot future synagogue in Hancock
      Park.

BACKGROUND: The lawsuit is expected to lead to a Supreme Court
            challenge of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized
            Persons Act (RLUIPA), which gives religious organizations
            special consideration on land use issues - and thereby
            takes away zoning control from local communities and
            governments. The LRNA case is believed to be the first
            lawsuit in the nation in which local homeowners are
            challenging a city's zoning decision based on preferential
            treatment afforded land use applicants based on religion.
            The suit alleges the City violated its own zoning
            ordinances by entering into a void settlement agreement,
            granting the congregation a de facto conditional use
            permit (CUP) and issuing a building permit, all without
            community input or disclosure.

WHO: -- Marci Hamilton, J.D., lead counsel for LRNA, Professor of
        Law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva
        University and a leading expert on RLUIPA

     -- Larry Faigin, principal litigant

     -- Ken Bernstein, L.A. Conservancy

     -- Susan Tipton, Granada Hills Homeowners Association

     -- Pat Lucero, Boyle Heights Homeowner

PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES: Mounted photos of contested three-story site
                     and LRNA members joined by homeowners from
                     Granada Hills and Boyle Heights

WHERE: 245 South McCadden Street
       (McCadden and Second Streets)

WHEN: Thursday, July 10, 2003 -- 10:00 am