Serving Larchmont Village, Hancock Park, and the Greater Wilshire neighborhoods of Los Angeles since 2011.

Residents at 410 N Rossmore Lose Parking In Building

Building owner of 410 N. Rossmore in Hancock Park told residents they soon won’t be able to park in the building.

The residents at 410 N. Rossmore in Hancock  Park were recently notified by building owner ESI Ventures that they would no longer be able to park in the building effective October 15, 2022. No reason was given for the revocation of parking, only an offer to reduce the rent accordingly.

As anyone who lives in the neighborhood knows, street parking in the area is very limited. The tenants told the Buzz they see this action as an aggressive attempt to force them out of the building. One long-time tenant told the Buzz that she has lived in the building for 41 years with parking and now has no idea what to do if this action is allowed to stand.

“This is the latest in series of actions we have experienced since the pandemic,” Cinzia Zinetti, a long-time resident told the Buzz. “There are 64 spaces in the parking garage in the building and there are only 12 remaining tenants who need parking. It seems criminal to me to force senior citizens [nearly all of the remaining tenants are over 60 years of age, some are even in the late 70s] to look for parking on the street, how are they supposed to go to the grocery store?”

“The residents here have already endured nearly three years of the unscrupulous actions of this developer while ignoring city regulations throughout that period,” long-time resident Gordon Timmins told the Buzz. “Not having been successful, they’ve decided to turn up the heat.  We the elderly and disabled are their recent, special target.  They’re now concentrating on making 410 N. Rossmore an exceedingly unsafe place for us to live.”

Timmons and others have filed a complaint with the City of Los Angeles Housing Department claiming the action is a form of tenant harassment intended to drive people out of the building. One tenant said they heard more actions were planned such as eliminating use of the laundry room.

Mr. Timmins shared with the Buzz the following images he sent to the Housing Department illustrating how little parking is available in the neighborhood.

 

 

As we have reported, the owners of 410 N. Rossmore have been working to empty the building of tenants in anticipation of a major renovations of the 78 unit building built in 1930. ESI Ventures, who purchased the building in January 2021 for $29 million, partnering with Domos CoLiving, announced plans in June 2021 to transform the existing 5-story apartment building, containing a mixture of single and one-bedroom units, into a new 9-story, 87-unit structure with 54 single and one-bedroom apartments, along with 33 new “co-living” units, in which 4-5 individually-rented bedrooms are arranged around a common kitchen and living room area.

In November 2021,  we reported that after more than two years of delays, the building owners were exploring all potential options for the building, including perhaps selling it.

In April of this year, we reported that Richard Loring, Associate AIA, VP Development, ESI Ventures told tenants the building owners are continuing to work on securing building permits, but have “decided, in conjunction with CD5, to work with two non-profit organizations [Peace4Kids, which assists young people aging out of the foster system, and Tiny Town CA, which helps single mothers with young children] to offer housing to folks that are currently unsheltered or living in housing that is not secure.”

Loring told us earlier this week that as of three months ago, he no longer has any connections to the project. We reached out to ESI Ventures for this story but have not heard back yet.

When we checked for this story, no permits have been issued for the construction of the project according to public records on the City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety website.

The tenants do have the support of CD5 Council member Paul Koretz. CD5 Staff member Jim Bickhart sent an letter expressing the council office’s support for the tenants that was shared with the Buzz:

The tenants hoping to hear some good news from the City in what has been a long saga that seems to show no signs of getting better anytime soon.

 

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Patricia Lombard
Patricia Lombard
Patricia Lombard is the publisher of the Larchmont Buzz. Patty lives with her family in Fremont Place. She has been active in neighborhood issues since moving here in 1989. Her pictorial history, "Larchmont" for Arcadia Press is available at Chevalier's Books.

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3 COMMENTS

  1. When buildings get built with no parking requirements and the new owner can use the old parking lot for new units, you have the makings of this type of problem. I understand the circumstances of this project are a little different but when housing advocates (who also support no parking minimums) feel it’s OK to displace RSO tenants or elderly long term tenants in favor of building more units they seem heartless and cruel. It’s too bad that only when this lands on your doorstep, does it begin to matter. The push for upzoning and zero parking requirements started a long time ago.

    If you don’t like this stuff happening then find out which candidates are doing this or support this, which PAC is supporting them (like the DSA, SFA or Wilshire Democratic Club) and vote for someone else!

    Just my opinion!

  2. The owner/developer of 410 N. Rossmore is the worst possible thing that could have happened to this property and the surrounding neighborhood.
    This removal of the remaining tenants’ parking is just the latest in an almost 3 year campaign of harassment and abuse, in a transparent attempt to force them out of their homes. It is clearly constructive eviction. Most of the tenants have already been coerced or bribed to leave in the last 2 1/2 years.

  3. Bus and Prof Code 17200 (Unfair Competition Statute) can be used to sue the landlord for unfair, unlawful, and deceptive business practices. Despite the title, no business competition is required. It is a consumer protection statute and was broadly worded to stop the new scams that crooks invent. Hence, Unfair Practices can be broad but not unlimited. Also, when seniors are targeted there are additional remedies. You need an atty who has done this type of lawsuit previously. It has unique features and most attys will not know about them and hence will harm the seniors by not properly asserting their rights.

    If an atty charges you for an initial consultation, don’t bother to go but find another atty. Also, do not foolishly rely on your councilmember. He/she ha already been bought

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