An attorney sent City Attorney Mike Feuer a letter Thursday urging the city to shut down a short-term rental property in Silver Lake that has been the site of alleged house parties during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Randy Renick alleges that the property, located in the hills between Sunset Boulevard and the Silver Lake Reservoir, is an illegal and unregistered short-term rental. He represents Lillian and Grant Taylor, who live next-door to the alleged party house.
“We demand that the city take immediate steps to respond to the Taylors’ complaints and shut down the illegal short-term rental of the property as it is a violation of the Los Angeles Home Sharing Ordinance as well as the national, state and local pandemic-related shut-down orders,” Renick wrote.
The Los Angeles City Attorney’s office said it received a complaint about the house in early January.
“We are working with our partners at LAPD and others on the allegations to determine appropriate next steps. Our prosecutors will review for filing any criminal referral submitted to our office,” the City Attorney’s office said in a statement.
Renick attached a letter sent to the city about the house on Dec. 21 by Better Neighbors L.A., a coalition of Southern California hosts, tenants, housing activists, hotel workers and community members, but said the city has taken no measures to shut down the operation.
The attorney also alleged that the property’s associate has harassed and threatened the Taylors for complaining about the “ongoing nuisance.” He said the Taylor family has received threats, including screams and abusive language, from the partner of the property’s owner.
The partner also allegedly approached neighboring homes to demand to know who had spoken with authorities. The partner’s actions caused the Taylors to fear “for their safety, the safety of their two-year-old child, and the health of Ms. Taylor during her late-term pregnancy,” according to their attorney.
“This party house must be shut down as it is a dangerous and illegal business operating in violation of local laws and health orders,” Renick said.