Local News in Brief : Landlord Fined $11,044 for Building Violations

Four months after bringing his 60-unit apartment complex up to fire and safety codes, a Highland Park landlord was ordered to pay $11,044 for building violations.

Terrence Chin, 63, of Northridge late last week pleaded no contest to 10 fire, health, building and safety violations filed by the Los Angeles city attorney’s office in October.

Los Angeles Municipal Court Commissioner Barry Kohn ordered Chin to pay $5,000 of the total fine to two Los Angeles-based charities. Chin was also placed on two years’ unsupervised probation.

Los Angeles city Fire Department officials discovered the violations in the Monte Vista Arms Apartments at 5233 to 5239 Monte Vista last July, Deputy City Atty. William Cullen said. The violations, which included fire-hose doors nailed shut, fire extinguishers that did not work, inaccessible fire escapes, broken windows, cracked plaster, rat and cockroach infestation, and inadequate heating, have since been corrected, Cullen said.

Chin will also pay $3,400 in fines and penalty assessments and $2,644 in investigative costs to the Fire Department, Cullen said. The charitable contributions will be distributed equally to the Downtown Women’s Center and the Chrysalis Center, which provide job and housing assistance to the homeless.