Critically Endangered: Five RSO Homes in Melrose Hill
Things don’t look good for 5431-5437 Lemon Grove Avenue.
5431, the Craftsman cottage on the right, is a duplex. 5437, the orangey Spanish home on the left, is a triplex. All five units are rent-stabilized. And both properties are pending sale to one buyer.
The listing reads, in part, “The site is zoned R2-1XL | TOC Tier 2 but a developer may be able to significantly increase the density through the Executive Directive 1 program (Buyer to independently verify).” It’s also very telling that the listing photos focus on the size and location of the two adjoining lots and not on the existing housing.
As Keith Johnson notes, in part, “unfortunately they’ve been vacant for a while and have an assortment of squatters and others taking up residence there. Building inspector says he doesn’t like going there to check on the properties, it’s that unsafe.”
The code enforcement complaints for both properties began to roll in on 12/12/23. “Abandoned or vacant building left open to the public” has been reported a combined SIXTEEN times, along with “buildings in general need of repair”, “too many items stored on property (junk)”, “trash or debris on private property”, and everyone’s favorite, “building or wall that might fall down.”
It’s bad.
So bad, in fact, that the Building and Safety Commission may vote to tear it down…at city expense!
Los Angeles is in serious financial trouble, the absentee seller is not being held accountable, the buyer is apparently not expected to take responsibility for the buildings, and YOU, the taxpayer, may be stuck paying to deal with two blighted properties because of it.
The properties are on the March 4 agenda. I am not holding my breath for a miracle.