California Working on Issues with Bed Bug
Bed bugs can cause some pretty serious issues. Most people think, “Hey, my house is clean I can’t get bed bugs” or “I’m in a fancy hotel, no way bed bugs are in here” but those people are sadly mistaken. Bed bugs can be hiding anywhere, homes, hotels, dumps, fancy hotels, they’re not real prejudice on where they live.
Some mentally and physically disabled residents of two facilities that give care to adults in Los Angeles’ West Adams neighborhood had to suffer in filthy living conditions. The elders were actually punished for not being able to attend church. According to a complaint that was filed with the city prosecutors, their punishment was being locked out of their homes and were made to sleep outside at night. How sad and pathetic is that?
Bed Bug Lawsuit Starts Against Two Adult Care Facilities
The lawsuit claims that Agape Mission House as well as Agape Home Church on South Hobart Boulevard was mistreating their residents. It also claims that they were “subjecting them to deplorable, overcrowded, unsafe and unsanitary living conditions” in violation of state law. This came from the news release from the office of City Attorney Mike Feuer.
Mike Feuer’s Statement in a News Release
These residents are among the most vulnerable in our society and they were forced to live a daily nightmare. We are bringing that nightmare to a close.
The people living in the homes described, in the court documents, the sites as a violent crime. According to the residents, there were up to eight people having to share a single bedroom. The residents were being relocated to other, more acceptable licensed facilities after a judge had appointed a receiver in the case in February 2014.
Kang Won Lee and Jung Hwan Lee were the operators of the homes. According to the release, they had violated many health and safety codes, as well as licensing regulations and landlord-tenant laws. The 61 page civil action also alleges a litany of horrific conditions.
The complaint was filed on February 13, 2014. The complaint described the repeated inspections and enforcement actions that was taken against the facilities since 2010.
The homes were equipped with “trained staff” that was “qualified” to assist the residents who had severe mental and physical disabilities. However, that they were allegedly not actually provided. The homes are close to the First African Methodist Episcopal Church and as well as multiple schools.
There were as many as eighty residents living in the two facilities, this according to Last year, when the defendants had told the inspectors that. One of the facilities was actually only licensed for six residents. The other one was never even licensed.
According to the complaint, the Los Angeles police had actually recieved more than 180 calls for service between the two properties between January 2011 and October 2013. Some of the calls included twelve suicide attempts as well as multiple alleged violent incidents.
The complaint also said that the residents in the homes were actually required to attend religious service at least twice a day. No matter what their belief actually was. If they failed to go to church then they were allegedly punished. How were these adults punished? They were made to stand outside by a tree up to four hours and they had to translate Bible verses all day or even sleep outside.
Some of the residents also claimed that the homes “operators” collect the residents county or federal benefit cards as rent, which is due at the beginning of every month. They actually denied the residents access to their own money.
The inspections didn’t go so well for the operators. Authorities found an actual beehive in one of the rooms. Flies were swarming all around the kitchen and common area. There was even a bed bug infestation. The lawsuit states that the homes are actually a public nuisance. The owners have violated California’s unfair competition laws, false advertising laws, health and safety codes, as well as the Community Care Facilities Act.
The defendants will/could be subject to the penalties. They could pay $2,500 to $7,500 for each act that threatens the health and safety of the residents.
Daniel A. Gibalevich
DAG Law Firm
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