Acting on behalf of Group IX BP Properties LP owner, Swaranjit Nijjar, Larson sues the City of Los Angeles for neglecting to maintain a City-controlled alley adjacent to a North Hollywood apartment complex owned by Mr. Nijjar.
The complaint, filed on Oct. 2, asserts that the City’s failures to address criminal activity, enforce its laws, and uphold its responsibilities have significantly devalued the property, and most importantly, caused significant harm to the building’s residents who live in constant fear and distress. According to the complaint, the tenants of the North Hollywood complex have been left vulnerable to harm by street gangs and criminals who have taken control of the alley. The lawsuit was filed as a last resort after Mr. Nijjar exhausted all other reasonable measures to get the City to address the hazard.
“The City’s absurd response about ‘connectivity’ shows they simply don’t care about fixing this dangerous situation. Why would any tenant worry about ‘connectivity’ to street gangs, addicts and taggers who are terrorizing their neighborhood by overrunning the alley beside their residences? At best, the City’s response is tone deaf and, at worst, it demonstrates a blatant and willful disregard for the safety of the hard-working families who call this neighborhood their home.”
— Stephen G. Larson
Larson calls on community members, local representatives, and non-governmental organizations to support efforts that urge the City to address the degradation of communal areas that have been allowed to deteriorate in recent years.
The Larson team representing Mr. Nijjar in this matter includes partners Jerry A. Behnke, Steven E. Bledsoe, R.C. Harlan, and Stephen G. Larson; counsel Daniel Lahana; associates Andrew S. Bledsoe, Latrice M. Burks, Andrew Calderón, Anissa Ghafarian, James M. McNamara, Ranja Rasul, and Jina Yoon; paralegal Jenni Bain; and staff members Yvonne Gutierrez and Deanna Davalos.
Read the full article by Antione Abou-Diwan in the Daily Journal here (subscription required) and additional coverage in The Real Deal here.
