Criminal charges filed against Chinatown high-rise building for having unmaintained and inoperable elevators

The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office has filed 16 criminal charges against the owner and operator of a high-rise building in Chinatown for allegedly having unmaintained and inoperable elevators.

According to City Attorney Mike Feuer, Cathay Manor, a 16-story apartment building for low-income seniors, failed to test and maintain the elevators.

Feuer said the building’s two elevators have been out of services despite numerous orders to fix them… leaving many seniors stuck. 

"It’s outrageous that vulnerable seniors living in a 16-story high-rise have endured multiple days without safe and working elevators. These are parents and grandparents having to forego daily activities like medical appointments, shopping for food or meeting with friends and family.  Nobody—especially older adults—should be trapped as we allege has happened here," Feuer stated.

The building was cited by the Los Angeles Fire Department for fire protection violations; it is currently under a fire watch by LAFD.

A complaint was made on September 1 that both of the elevators in the building were out of service. An inspector with the city’s Department of Building and Safety issued an order to repair them. Soon after, one of the elevators was repaired. 

However, on October 15, the department received another complaint about both elevators being out of service again. A second order was issued to the company that owns and manages the building, but five days after the complaint was made no repairs were made.

A final inspection last week showed that the elevators were still broken and tenants were completely without elevator service. 

The Department of Building and Safety then submitted the case to the city attorney’s office for filing of criminal charges, a statement from the city read.

Feuer’s office filed 16 misdemeanor charges against C.C.O.A. Housing Corporation  and Gong Toy, who is listed on State registration documents as CCOA’s Chief Executive Officer and President.

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According to Feuer, CCOA and Toy face several charges related to their alleged failure to address the inoperable elevators, their failure to properly maintain and repair the building and equipment contained in that building, their failure to test and maintain equipment, and their failure to comply with the City.

All charges were filed as misdemeanors, which are punishable by a fine of $1,000.00 and/or six months in jail.

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