From 1996, I lived at 1742 N. Edgemont in Los Angeles. I decided to live in the building because of its close proximity to Silverlake, Glendale, Hollywood, and downtown Los Angeles.
The building, constructed in 1936, had a charming old world red brick façade. It wasn’t located in the best neighborhood, but its location ideal and the rent low.
The manager who was in place at the time I moved in, was far from honest or caring. He rarely responded to tenant concerns, allowed sometimes abusive tenants to reside at the property, and was known to enter some apartments while tenants were at work or to make off with property that was locked in apartments where tenants had been evicted.
In time, complaints coupled by disclosures made from investigations conducted by the owner, resulted in the manager’s termination. When he vacated his office, he made off with almost tenant files containing the original contracts signed by tenants who agreed to move into the property.
The manager was replaced by a management company - Millennium Property Management, whose offices are located in the city of Mission Hills, CA.in the few years which followed their arrival, no less than 8 managers and assistant managers, arrived and left the property. Their departures were generally due to failure in managing the four buildings with more than 100 units.
The President and Broker of Millennium is a woman named Janice Johnson. Shortly after her company’s arrival, long-time tenants began receiving notices that the office roster revealed they had not paid their rent for a period of a few to many months. These tenants were asked to pay all the past due monies or become subject to eviction. Many of these, were able to produce receipts showing that they paid their rent to the former manager, in cash. However, Janice Johnson determined that the receipts were unacceptable as there was no proof that these had actually been issued to tenants by the former manager. The result was a mass exodus of many long-term tenants.
After Millennium’s arrival, I submitted numerous requisitions, asking that they initiate repairs in my apartment. When I moved in, one of the living room windows had a slight crack which over time and following a strong wind, broke, leaving a 1†inch hole in the glass. A pipe located above my bathroom ceiling which connected to the bathroom in the apartment located above mine, had cracked and over time, the leak caused a large stain and mold to form on my ceiling and bathroom walls. The oven in my stove also stopped working as did the wall heater located in the living room. Though requisitions were left at the manager’s office and though I called Janice Johnson and left messages on her office recorder, the needed repairs were never performed.
In my telephone stopped working and I called the manager’s office requesting that a repairman be asked to check my telephone lines. The assistant manager called and informed me that I must contact the telephone company. I called the telephone company and for three weeks representatives of the company could not find the manager or his assistant in their office. The telephone repairmen needed access to the basement whose door was locked and could only be opened by the manager. On their third week, the repairman found the manager in his office and were able to enter the basement where they discovered that water from a cracked pipe was splashing on the telephone wires leading to may apartment. They also determined that any repairs had to be performed by Millennium’s maintenance people, as the wiring had been contracted by the owner through a private contractor. After this, Millennium called their repair person who initiated the correction though it took 3 weeks to complete what seems to be a simple request.
In yet another primary manager was introduced to the property. His name was Sean Wright. Soon after his arrival, rumors spread about Mr. Wright which described him as hostile, difficult and rude. I should point out that I did not meet Mr. Wright until months after his arrival.
In the months after Mr. Wright arrived, I began finding unsigned, hand-written notes on my door, advising me that I had not paid my rent over a period of several months and that I must pay the past due amount or be subject to possible eviction. I called the manager’s office, but as usual no one answered the phone. I also visited the office before going to work and though a sign stated that the office was open from 9 A.M. To 5 P.M., I could never find a manager in the office.
I eventually was able to speak to the assistant manager who confirmed that the unsigned hand-written notice had been left taped to my door by Sean Wright. I told her that I could provide her with the copy of the agreement I signed proving that I was had not underpaid my rent at any time. Though she accepted the copy, notices continued to appear at my door, periodically, though I was never notified that I was to be evicted.
In when returning from work, I noticed the manager’s office telephone number on my Caller ID. I called the office several times, but again, no one answered the phone. I left messages requesting that Mr. Wright or his assistant return my calls, but none of my messages were ever responded to. Within weeks, I began receiving calls from the manager’s office, at night though when I would answer, the caller would hang-up. If I did not answer, the caller would again, not leave a message. One day, I called the manager’s office, while I was at work. This time, Mr. Wright answered the phone. After advising him of who I was, I asked if he or his assistant were calling my home and not leaving messages. He replied that they were not, however, when I told him that I would file a complaint with the telephone company to determine who was calling my home, he quickly rescinded his denial and admitted he had been calling though he nervously asserted that he could not remember why he called. I told him that if he called again and did not leave a message, I would report him to the telephone company. He apologized and no calls ever arrived at my residence again.
On 10/03/03, I returned home from work but before entering my apartment, I walked over to the manager’s office and dropped an envelope containing my rent check, in the overnight depository. Though it was not 5 P.M., the office was again closed. Under the agreement I signed, rent was due no later than the 3rd of each month.
As I approached my apartment I noticed a letter taped on my door. Unfolding the letter I discovered a notice from Mr. Wright, stating that my rent was past due and that I now owed an additional $75 late fee. If I did not pay my rent and the late fee, the letter said I would be subject to eviction.
I immediately called Mr. Wright's office but a recorder answered the phone. I left a message requesting Mr. Wright call me immediately but he did not call. A few minutes after 5 P.M. I walked over to his apartment which is located directly across from his office. I knocked three times on his door and though I could hear the television in his apartment and the sound of footsteps, no one opened the door. I next called the 'after hours' number provided on his office recorder and left a message demanding he call me immediately. But again, Mr. Wright did not return my call. While going to retrieve my mail, I encountered my next door neighbors and while speaking to them, told them about the notice left by Mr. Wright. They stated that they had forgotten to pay their rent but would do so sometime the following day.
Later that evening, a neighbor and I went to see a movie at a theatre complex in Burbank, CA.
On our return home I told him about the notice left on my door. My neighbor informed me that he had not paid his rent and had not received a similar notice. When we returned to the property, I asked my neighbor if he would accompany me to Mr. Wright's apartment, explaining that attempts to contact him earlier that evening had been unsuccessful.
My neighbor stood behind me, slightly to my right while I knocked 3 times. I heard the sound of shuffling footsteps and the door was opened by Mr. Wright. I identified myself and asked why he left a letter threatening to evict me unless the rent was paid, when the rent had already been left at his office earlier that day. He responded by saying, 'You're a liar.' I told him I am not a liar, check your door. He again accused me of being a liar. I asked why he had left the note on my door when the agreement all tenants signed at the time, specifically said that payments must be received no later than the 3rd of each month. He merely stated, 'This is inappropriate.' I also asked why my neighbor who had not yet paid his rent, had not been issued a letter like the one I received. Mr. Wright said, 'I haven't gotten around to doing it yet.'
I then reminded him of his calls to my apartment and told him I would proceed in filing a complaint against him. Raising his right arm, he struck me on the face with the palm of his hand. He next slammed the door to his apartment but I flinched afraid of being struck on the face and attempted to cover my face. Somehow, my hand got caught on his door jam. My neighbor and I pushed the door screaming that he open it so to release my hand, but screaming like a madman, he yelled, 'Get out, get out.' We finally pushed the door far enough to free my hand and turning, we left the building. As we walked down the street, I could feel cold pangs on my fingers and raising my hand towards the light which emanated from a street lamp, I noticed that my middle and index fingers of my right hand were covered in thick oozing blood. I asked my neighbor if there was something wrong with my hand. He immediately panicked, screaming 'Your hand, your hand.' I told him to calm down and walking to his apartment, I tried to examine my hand but could not determine the extent of my injury. I then told him that we should call 911 but he was too nervous to explain what had happened. After speaking to an operator I was told that the paramedics were on their way to my neighbor's apartment.
A short time later, the paramedics arrived and informed me that the tip of my index finger had been severed off. One paramedic walked to Mr. Wright's apartment to retrieve the missing piece while the other interviewed me and examined my injury. I was later escorted to a waiting ambulance where a policeman and policewoman were waiting. The policeman asked my neighbor and I several questions and informed us that Mr. Wright had accused me of assaulting him. I of course denied that this had occurred and was transferred to Kaiser Sunset. A physician examined my hand and the piece of finger which the paramedic was able to retrieve. She said that the severed piece had been crushed and could not be sewn back on the finger. She also said that a bone on my finger was protruding and because it was exposed, it could cause a serious infection. She said the bone would have to be severed. She also feared that the middle finger might have to be severed as it had been crushed but not mutilated.
The finger was bone was severed for a few months after this, I visited the hospital periodically to have the finger examined. Within 30 days, I received a letter from the office of the attorney representing the management company along with an eviction notice which provided me with a few days in which to vacate my premises.in the letter, the attorney alleged that I created a nuisance when I visited and threatened Mr. Wright. He further alleged that my neighbor was a witness to what I had done and would be called to provide his testimony implicating me in the alleged assault against Mr. Wright.
I obtained legal counsel and went to court to contest the eviction, but I lost when their attorney convinced the judge that I threatened Mr. Wright this despite the testimony of my neighbor which said I had been attacked. Before we entered the courtroom, Janice Johnson the Broker and President of Millennium Property Management, Inc., asked my attorney if she could speak to my witness. Unwittingly, my attorney conceded and during a closed-door meeting which followed, Janice informed my neighbor that she had been told that he had a dog and had failed to register this fact with her office which she alleged could result in his eviction.
When they emerged from their meeting, Janice informed my attorney that she was now willing to go to court and fight their cause. It was not until later that day, that I discovered Janice's real reason for requesting to meet with my neighbor and witness. We proceeded to the courtroom where a brief trial was held. The judge issued a judgment on the side of the property management company.
My neighbor later told me that when he went to pay his rent, Janice was in the office and she told him, 'Remember what we talked about in court. We're going to talk shortly.' He interpreted her statement as a threat.
It was not until that I went to court on this matter. I sat quietly as Sean nervously described how I allegedly assaulted him. As I turned towards the back of the courtroom, I noticed Janice Johnson sitting at the back of the courtroom, staring intently at my former neighbor, as if attempting to intimidate him. She clutched her purse tightly to her chest and almost seemed to be hiding as she sat in the cornermost seat at the back of the courtroom.
During her opening statements, Sean's 50-something attorney, dressed in mini-skirt and too tight blouse, announced that my former neighbor would attest unequivocally that I alone assaulted and victimized Sean Wright and that I lost my finger because Mr. Wright who in fear for his life, slammed his apartment door which severed my finger. When my neighbor sat to give his testimony, he described Mr. Wright's wild and undisciplined rampage which led in an assault against me and which caused me to lose my finger. Mr. Wright's attorney fumbled miserably, attempting suddently, to recuperate her position on what actually ensued on the night of 10/03/03, and insinuated that my neighbor was lying for me, but her poorly conceived ploy failed.
The following day, I could not be present in court while the jury deliberated nor when they announced their verdict. I was criticized for visiting Mr. Wright after business hours but they determined that Mr. Wright attacked me and caused me to lose my finger. What I had wanted from the start was vindication and though the jury was not privy to all that Janice Johnson and Sean Wright had done, their final determination served as vindication.
Janice Johnson, is an insidious personality, unscupulous and vicious. Sean Wright is basically a dolt and misfit. Millennium's attorney who filed the eviction notice was dishonest, using a fabrication to ouster me from my home. Mr. Wright's attorney, was sadly rather inept, resorting to distortions of the truth and relying on fragmentary information to knowingly sell a distorted scenario of what actually transpired on the night of 10/03/03. There is nothing, however, which can replace my finger or disepl the humiliation and hurt inflicted by this band of mongrels. However, the truth did prevail.
My advise to tenants, is that if possible, they speak to tenants of a property they may be considering moving into.
My advise to property owners is that they consult with state agencies, search the internet, and also, interview tenants of properties managed by a company they may be considering hiring.
In the case of Millennium Property Management, Inc. Of Mission Hills, no one should do business with its president, Janice Johnson, nor hire Sean Wright as a manager.
By the way, my lawsuit was filed at Superior Court in Los Angeles, David Quinones vs Sean Wright (of Millennium Property Management, Inc.).
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