Civica Law Restores a Derelict Duarte Residence with Multiple Years of Code Violations
An extremely dilapidated single-family residence in Duarte has been significantly transformed. The...
A blighted Pasadena hotel, once known as a haven for illegal activity, was demolished with the help of Civica Law
Civica Law helped the City of Pasadena secure a massive victory for the community with the closing and demolition of a local hotel known as a source and haven for illicit drug and nuisance activity in the heart of the city.
Over the past several years, the Pasadena Police Department had responded to activity at the hotel nearly 3,000 times, making numerous arrests for controlled substances, arson, vandalism, pollution, and more. The property owners were also repeatedly cited by the City for ongoing code violations, including storage of inoperable vehicles in the parking lot, exterior accumulations of trash/debris, hazardous electrical wiring, unmaintained vegetation, and more.
The City of Pasadena filed a Drug and Nuisance Abatement Complaint in Superior Court, allowing the City inspectors to conduct a complete inspection of the property. The inspectors found numerous serious violations, including unsafe electrical connections, water damage and mold in several ceilings and walls, a dilapidated plumbing system, and the unpermitted conversion of two dwelling units.
Our attorneys, including Partner Valerie D. Escalante Troesh, helped the City issue a N&O which identified 108 violations of State and local laws. Several weeks later, the Court issued a Preliminary Injunction and Abatement Order ordering the property owners to submit required permits to the City, abate all documented code violations, and install several security measures by a set date.
A Receiver was appointed by the Court, which offered a Stay of power to allow the owners to comply with the injunction. Less than a month later, though, the Stay was lifted due to substandard remediation work by a hired contractor.
With help from Civica Law, the City worked with the owners to come to a resolution that would rehabilitate the property and bring new services to the area. The hotel was eventually closed, with the property owners agreeing to demolish the structure and obtain funding to develop the site and keep it safe. The agreement allowed the City to receive full recovery for costs and fees.
The hotel was fully demolished and cleared by the beginning of January 2026. Now, thanks to the hard work of both the City of Pasadena and the Civica Law team, the community will no longer be subject to the dangers posed by the blighted property and can instead look forward to the continued rehabilitation of one of the most famous streets in Southern California.
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Legal Disclaimer: This blog provides updates and insight on current municipal legislation and is not intended as legal advice. For specific legal advice related to hoarding house compliance assistance or any other municipal law issues, please contact Civica Law directly.
