LA's 'Party Houses:' Violence And Loud Music A Problem At Short-Term Rentals, City Says

LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles has a "party house" problem, city officials say, where unruly gatherings at short-term vacation rentals can lead to violence, excessive noise and public safety problems. Now, the city attorney is cracking down on one company she says is a major contributor to the problem.

The company, The Nightfall Group, lists hundreds of homes as short-term rentals across Los Angeles on its website, charging up to $16,000 a night and offering a suite of pricey add-on services like booze, dancers, DJs and professional poker dealers, according to a court complaint filed Tuesday by City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto.

The properties have been a nuisance: In the Hollywood area alone, police have been called out to Nightfall properties 250 times in the last two years. Noise complaints are common, but other incidents were of a violent nature: On one night, officers responded to one house for both a fight and for a report that a man threatened another person with a gun, according to the complaint.

These types of problems are so rampant that the Los Angeles Police Department has regularly deployed so-called "party cars" — units dedicated to responding to calls to party houses on holiday weekends, during the height of pandemic restrictions and other periods of high call volume, according to the court filing.

The complaint offers details about five Hollywood Hills rentals and one in Bel-Air:

9010 Hopen Place — "Birds Villa"
The Bird Streets

The LAPD has responded to 31 party-related calls at the home marketed by Nightfall as "Birds Villa" over the last two years. In once instance, neighbors — who said the music was so loud it was shaking their house — tried to leave, only to find their driveway and the short cul-de-sac street was "completely blocked" by partygoers' traffic, according to the complaint.

The city attorney says this is emblematic of the type of safety issues created by party houses, which are especially problematic in hillside areas prone to fire.

8356 Sunset View Drive — "Sunset Mansion"
Hollywood Hills West

Officers have visited Sunset Mansion 25 times in the last three years in response to calls about parties and noise. On one night, officers were called to the property two separate times: for a fight and for an incident where a man threatened another person with a gun. On a separate occasion, police responded to a report that someone was "punched, kicked, and dragged across the floor," according to the complaint.

1307 Sierra Alta Way — "Sierra Villa"
Hollywood Hills West

Located feet from Beverly Hills, this home has been the subject of 13 police calls in the last three years, including for one incident involving a man with a gun, according to the complaint.

5554 Green Oak Drive — "Oak Mansion"
Hollywood Hills

Outfitted with rooftop and backyard speakers, this Griffith Park-adjacent property is known to neighbors for its noisy parties, including one instance where music continued until 6 a.m. One caller claimed to see "narcotics activity" at the property, according to the complaint.

1232 Sunset Plaza Drive — "Belfast Villa"
Hollywood Hills West

Located just uphill from West Hollywood's Sunset Plaza, Belfast Villa was the site of a citation for amplified music in June and neighbors have reported several parties at the property this summer, according to the complaint.

2304 Donella Circle — "Donella Mansion"
Bel-Air

Within the gated confines of Bel-Air sits Donella Mansion, the subject of a separate court dispute filed earlier this year that aired some of Nightfall's business practices. Nightfall had "several lease agreements" for the property, which allowed it to sublet the home as a short-term rental, leading to over $150,000 in monthly profit for Nightfall, according to the complaint.

The Beverly Hills-based Nightfall is owned and operated by Mokhtar Jabli. The city attorney's claim targets Nightfall, Jabli and three property owners: Jungle Kerry Inc., 5554 Green Oak LLC, and Kirill "Kirk" Ayzenberg, as trustee of the Gabriel Mark Trust.

Nightfall did not immediately return Patch's request for comment Tuesday.

The city attorney alleges in the complaint that Nightfall and/or the property owners are in violation of the city's short-term rental rules that limit a person to operating only a single rental property at a time, which must be the person's primary residence.

Additionally, several of the Nightfall rentals are not registered as required with the city. The complaint also claims unfair competition and proliferation of a public nuisance.

The first hearing in the case is scheduled for Wednesday at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse.