116 Oakland Bldg Dept (OBD) - Inspections and some enforcement but no abatement 2551 San Pablo

Residents: No alarms or sprinklers worked during deadly Oakland fire

Days after the December warehouse fire, the owner of the building that burned Monday sent an eviction notice to Urojas Community Center, which occupies the first two floors of the building, said James Cook, an attorney for the center.

The center assists about 60 people with transitional housing and services, Cook said. He had complained to the city about clogged toilets and disgusting bathrooms, exposed wires and water an inch thick on the ground floor, he said. 

“It’s like Ghost Ship, but worse,” Cook said.

Residents included a 9 year old boy who escaped in his underwear and socks. 

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fire-in-oakland-building/


Over the last decade, the city has received 20 complaints about pest infestation, electrical issues, mold, trash, graffiti, floors caving in, roof leaks and other blight issues.

Eighteen of those complaints occurred within the last five years, including the master tenant Urojas Community Services’ request on March 2 for an inspection of the facility by code enforcement for “alleged deferred maintenance by landlord.” The city verified the violation, according to city records.

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/03/27/oakland-fire-landlord-moved-to-evict-tenants-after-ghost-ship-blaze/

Oakland Building Inspectors make REPEATED trips to the same building, but don't involve the Fire Inspectors to ensure other safety issues aren't being ignored? 

There are items listed from 2014 that are still 'pending investigation'.  How long does it take Oakland Building Inspectors to 'investigate' a substandard building?

"Hole in floor. Unable to lock door = unactionable"  If the City won't take 'action' - who will?

	Filed Date	Record Number	Record Type	Address	Description	Project Name	Status	Short Notes
	03/02/2017	1700865	Housing Habitability Complaint	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, Oakland CA 94612	Master tenant Urojas request inspection of the facility; alleged deferred maintenance by landlord.		Violation Verified
	02/23/2017	1700743	Blight - Facility Complaint	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, Oakland CA 94612	Large amount of trash and debris, building materials, furniture in back of property. Neighbor will provide access in order to verify.		Notice of Violation Sent
	12/29/2016	1604844	Housing Habitability Complaint	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, Oakland CA 94612	No working heat throughout the building, electrical issues and a large pest infestation		Open
	11/10/2016	1604339	Blight - Facility Complaint	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, Oakland CA 94612	Possible insufficient garbage service at property.		No Violation Found
	09/07/2016	1603446	Housing Habitability Complaint	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, Oakland CA 94612	Unit 321: Pipe in the kitchen sink is missing causing water leakage and mold and the floor is caving in. The toilet is not working properly.		Re-Activated
	05/16/2016	1601760	Housing Habitability Complaint	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, UNIT #117, Oakland CA 94612	UNIT #117: Lack of hot water		Violation Verified
	04/11/2016	1601257	Blight - Facility Complaint	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, Oakland CA 94612	Bags of garbage and household items are piling up against side yard fencing and in rear yard also.		Abated
	03/08/2016	1600785	Housing Habitability Complaint	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, UNIT 222, Oakland CA 94612	Hole in floor of kitchen, can't lock door		Non-Actionable
	01/29/2016	1600358	Blight - Facility Complaint	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, Oakland CA 94612	NO ELECTRICITY IN UNIT, NO HOT WATER, MOLD IN UNIT #113		Closed
	09/23/2015	1503413	Blight Complaint	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, Oakland CA 94612	Inadequate garbage service - Trash all over		Abated

'

	04/15/2015	1501269	Housing Habitability Complaint	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, Oakland CA 94612	Unit #216: Holes in walls from rodent infestation; mold and mildew from water leak in shower.		Pending Investigation	Unit #216: Holes in walls from rodent infestation; mold and mildew from water leak in shower.
	03/10/2014	1401080	Housing Habitability Complaint	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, Oakland CA 94612	roof leaking, ceiling has holes, mold & mildew		Pending Investigation	roof leaking, ceiling has holes, mold & mildew
	06/10/2013	1303097	Enforcement/Private Property/Facility Complaint/Housing	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, OAKLAND CA	UNSANITARY CONDITIONS, FECES, URINE, MOLD WOMENS QUARTERS, KITCHENNO HANDICAP ACCESS, LEAKY PIPES THROUGHOUT BUILDING	Enforcement Record	Abated	UNSANITARY CONDITIONS, FECES, URINE, MOLD WOMENS QUARTERS, KITCHENNO HANDICAP ACCESS, LEAKY PIPES THROUGHOUT BUILDING
	05/01/2013	1302329	Enforcement/Private Property/Facility Complaint/Housing	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, 211, OAKLAND CA	CEILING LEAKING FROM PIPES (POSSILBY A SEWER LINE) OVER KITCHEN ANDOTHER SPOTS THRU OUT UNIT	Enforcement Record	Abated	CEILING LEAKING FROM PIPES (POSSILBY A SEWER LINE) OVER KITCHEN ANDOTHER SPOTS THRU OUT UNIT
	02/19/2013	1300990	Enforcement/Private Property/Facility Complaint/Housing	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, 223, OAKLAND CA	NO HOT WATER OR HEAT INSIDE UNIT	Enforcement Record	Abated	NO HOT WATER OR HEAT INSIDE UNIT
	01/28/2013	1300557	Enforcement/Private Property/Facility Complaint/Housing	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, 319, OAKLAND CA	LEFT BEDROOM DOOR JAMB DAMAGED.	Enforcement Record	Abated	LEFT BEDROOM DOOR JAMB DAMAGED.
	11/07/2012	1206002	Enforcement/Private Property/Facility Complaint/Housing	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, 317, OAKLAND CA	FLOOR IS SLATED AND BUILDING STRUCTURE IS UNSTABLE.	Enforcement Record	Abated	FLOOR IS SLATED AND BUILDING STRUCTURE IS UNSTABLE.
	04/04/2012	1201446	Enforcement/Private Property/Facility Complaint/Housing	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, OAKLAND CA	GRAFFITI ON STORE FRONT	Enforcement Record	Closed	GRAFFITI ON STORE FRONT
	11/01/2007	0708176	Enforcement/Private Property/Facility Complaint/Blight	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, LOWER, OAKLAND CA	EMPLOYEE COMPLAINT - MOLD AND MILDEW AND DUSTY VENT IN THE HOUE.	Enforcement Record	No Violation Found	EMPLOYEE COMPLAINT - MOLD AND MILDEW AND DUSTY VENT IN THE HOUE.
	10/31/2007	0708155	Enforcement/Private Property/Facility Complaint/Housing	2551 SAN PABLO AVE, LOWER, OAKLAND CA	TENANT COMPLAINT - MOLD AND MILDEW AND DUSTY VENTS IN THE HOUSE.	Enforcement Record	Closed

115 Oakland Bldg Dept (OBD) Substandard Bldg Fire results in at least 1 death 2551 San Pablo Ave

Another Oakland landlord in the middle of a lawsuit.. And another apartment building goes up in flames. 

http://www.eastbayexpress.com/SevenDays/archives/2017/03/27/landlord-of-west-oakland-building-destroyed-by-fire-was-working-to-evict-tenants

The building's landlord, Keith Kim, was seeking to evict Urojas Community Services, a nonprofit that leased the building for a transitional-housing program that served dozens of homeless and very-low-income people.

The structure has a recent history of numerous building code violations, including broken plumbing and heating, exposed wires, pests, electrical problems, and more.

In 2013 Oakland building inspector Timothy Low cited the building's owner for "hazardous and injurious" conditions and hit Kim with $3,239 in fees.

Urojas Community Services filed the most recent complaint with the city, alleging that Kim had "deferred maintenance," allowing the building to fall into a state of disrepair. This housing-habitability complaint was verified by a city inspector, according to city records.

According to court records, Kim and a group of men tried to physically evict some of the residents in February. In response, the residents sought a court restraining order against Kim.

Tenant Brenda Corley, who also helped manage the Urojas program, wrote in a court document that Kim showed up with twelve men on February 14 to "forcibly remove items" and change locks.

"They threw our items into the street," Corley wrote. "The men threatened violence if anyone intervened."

According to Corley's account, Kim also told the building's tenants not to pay rent to Urojas Community Services, the master tenant. And Corley accused Kim of calling the Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services agency to ask that Urojas' funding be cut off. (The county helps fund Urojas' programs.)

The Express was unable to reach Kim for comment, but a temporary restraining order was granted by the court on February 15 preventing him from physically evicting tenants from his building.

The restraining order was later dismissed, on March 6, after Corley and Kim both failed to show up to a court hearing.

Cook said that Oakland City Councilmember Lynette Gibson McElhaney had intervened in the dispute between Kim and Urojas to try to reach a deal. But Cook said that McElhaney was trying to resolve the situation by having Urojas vacate the building, and working with Kim to possibly secure it as an affordable-housing site.

Gibson McElhaney did not return a call or email seeking comment.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives is on its way to conduct an investigation of the fire alongside the Oakland Fire Department.

So far, one person has been confirmed dead, and several seriously injured. Other bodies could be hidden in the three-story building.

The Alameda County Sheriff's office is flying a drone equipped with a thermal camera over the building to locate hot spots and search for survivors or victims.

The fire comes almost four months after the deadly Ghost Ship fire that killed 36.

Other court records show that the building's substandard condition was known to the landlord, Urojas, and other authorities.

A lawsuit filed in August of last year by a woman who used to live in the building alleges that the complex had no locks on the doors, no heat, defective plumbing, inadequate wiring, and other serious defects, including "hazardous fluids and materials" on the premises. 

The woman filed a complaint with the city and felt the landlord and property manager had been given adequate time to fix the building's defects. Instead, the woman was sexually assaulted in August 2015, according to the lawsuit, due to the fact that her unit had no locks on the door.