Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer’s office filed a lawsuit against the owner of the Grand Motel on La Cienega Boulevard to halt rampant criminal activity.
Police have arrested hundreds of people at the Grand Motel since 1997, including 56 people arrested for narcotics-related crimes. (photo by Edwin Folven)
The lawsuit names Jin Chern Shiang and the Xin Chun Corporation as defendants. Shiang allegedly owns the property and the corporation that operates the hotel at 1479 S. La Cienega Blvd.
The lawsuit alleges the hotel was the site of “rampant drug-related activity” and prostitution. Police have arrested hundreds of people at the location since 1997, including 56 people arrested for selling or possessing narcotics. Feuer said the hotel is a nuisance and a drain on police resources.
“As we continue to see, a single property can erode the quality of life for an entire neighborhood. All property owners have responsibilities to their communities,” Feuer said. “My office will hold accountable those whom we allege flout the law and facilitate illegal activity.”
The lawsuit is part of an effort by Feuer and law enforcement to reduce crime at properties that are magnets for gangs, guns and narcotics. Prosecutors from Feuer’s office previously filed nuisance abatement lawsuits against the owners of properties in Hollywood, South Los Angeles, Watts and Venice.
The Grand Motel, a 19-unit motel located on La Cienega Boulevard just south of Pico Boulevard, has been cited for code violations before. The property is within a half-mile of four schools and daycare centers including Cheder Menachem, Crescent Heights Boulevard Elementary School, Crescent Heights Early Education Center and St. Mary Magdalen Elementary School. It is also near St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church and the Claude Pepper Senior Citizen Center.
The lawsuit forces the owner to reside at the hotel until the crimes are stopped. Feuer is also seeking an injunction prohibiting narcotics and other criminal activity on the property. The lawsuit requires physical and managerial improvements including an Internet-connected video monitoring system, better lighting, gating and fencing, tenant screening and armed security guards.
Anyone wishing to report criminal activity at nuisance properties to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office is urged to call (213)978-8340, or visit www.lacityattorney.org.
1 Comment
The crime has not even stopped or even made a dent in any improvements to the property. My sister lives a block from there . She is continually accosted in HER neighborhood while walking her dog in dimly lit areas by there. People constantly accost her for drugs or money. They hang around her neighborhood late at night really creepy. Really creepy. I am doing a documentary on the motels of la Cienega from Venice Blvd to pico Blvd. the Grand by far is the worst of the worst. I get the point of making him live there. But let’s make him live in the front units where creepy people are doing drugs out in the open and hanging around… Or try going to 7-11 later in the evening. It’s a few buildings from that skanky motel. I bring my German shepherd with me if I ever have to go to 7-11 on La Cienega right there. Why are police not making a bigger presence there? You can also walk down the alleys by there and boy howdy what you run into. It’s not homeless people. These are criminals. I first thought this motel was a voucher motel for those released from prison. One girl from the group as going to smash my car indie one night as me n my daughter with Down syndrome got back in the car to leave from 7-11. I had given one nice lady in front my change and this woman wanted som and I had no more. She got mad and was in the process of punching the passengers side window of my car when she noticed my daughter looking at her and blowing her kisses. So she stopped that was great but what would have happened if my daughter had not been there. That was the last time I went there with her and then from that day forward I have brought our dog with me and no kids. Believe me one man was trying to get my car door open while I was watching him through the 7-11 window inside and my dog lmao just popped up and got into terror crazy Mose he ran. Should NOT be the norm. Anyone with any information they would like to share with me would love to hear or read it. Thanks
Stephanie Conger-Lipton