Owners Of Crime-Ridden Valley Motel May Be Forced To Live In It

LOS ANGELES, CA — The managers of a troublesome San Fernando Valley motel may soon get a taste of their own medicine. The Los Angeles City Attorney's Office wants to force three managers at the Studio 6 motel on Sherman Way to live in the motel until it tackles its alleged problems with drugs, prostitution and gang activity.

The novel approach is one the city has tried before: make those profiting from the situation endure the same conditions the community is being forced to put up with. The Los Angeles Superior Court nuisance abatement suit was filed Thursday and targets the 60-room Studio 6 motel and its landlords, BVIV Hospitality Group. The city is asking a judge to order the motel's cleanup while requiring three management members to live at the motel until the cleanup is accomplished.

For at least 15 years, the property has been a center of violence, crime and disorder, the suit states.

"In recent years, despite concentrated law enforcement efforts, the crime, violence and disorder at the property has increased in intensity and volume...Disturbingly, there have been two recent documented shootings at the property, including one in October 2018, when police officers were forced to fire their weapons at documented gang members in possession of a gun and drugs," the suit alleges.

According to city officials, there here have been at least 20 narcotics-related arrests at the property since 2016. Police have recovered heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine in raids at the motel, according to the lawsuit. The motel also has been the site of at least 11 criminal incidents involving gangs and guns, the lawsuit states.

A man who answered the phone at the motel Monday said he was only a front desk employee and that the manager would be the person to address the allegations. He added the manager was not in at the time.

Other crimes reported at the motel include, vandalism, identity theft, assault with a deadly weapon and prostitution, the suit states.

Prosecutors and law enforcement have been stymied in their attempts to work with the owners and resolve the problems, the suit states.

The lawsuit asks that three individuals, Prafull, Mahendra and Sudha Patel, be ordered to reside that the motel until the problems are corrected. Prafull and Mahendra Patel are officers and directors of BVIV Hospitality and 71-year-old Sudha Patel is the motel's longtime manager, the suit states.

The city also is requesting an injunction against further alleged drug dealing at the motel.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.