Questions about the apartment security gang takeover of my building?

My rental property was taken over by Los Angeles gang members.

How can I get them out and make my building safe?

I called the police and was told they can't remove them. Is that true?

A Crime School listener named Victor contacted me asking for advice about apartment security and the gang takeover of his building. I spoke to him on the phone to gather more details.

High-crime four-plex apartment building

Here is a summary of what Victor said:

His elderly mother owns a two-story four-plex apartment building in a high-crime neighborhood of Los Angeles

His mother is physically unable to manage the property any longer

He lives eighty miles away with his own career and family. He is trying to help out his mother part-time on weekends

The building is taken over by gangsters who he believes forced entry and are living in the second-floor units

He can't find leases or paperwork on any of the tenants, so he doesn’t know for certain who is authorized to live there

He used to get HAP payments from one Section 8 tenant, but no one is paying rent now

He has called the police. They say it’s a civil matter and cannot remove the occupants since they say they're tenants

He has parked across the street during the day and night and observed a lot of gangster foot traffic in and out of the units

He suspects drug activity and prostitution are going on based on his observations of foot traffic

There is a fence and gate around the property, but someone disabled the locks

He wants to clean out the whole building and start over, but doesn’t know where to begin, and he is afraid

There are two abandoned cars, probably stolen, parked in his lot

He wants to know if he should buy video cameras or hire a security guard patrol to get proof of the crime

Aerial view of the high-density, high-crime neighborhood

Your Response to Apartment Security Gang Takeover

Your priority is the safety of any tenants, unit occupants, and even trespassers.

Next, you need to make an assessment of who is living there and the condition of every unit.

Search for paperwork, leases, rent checks, receipts, deposit accounts, HUD correspondence, etc.

You need to address this problem quickly, but in an organized manner with a plan.

Until you get some training, hire a property management consultant that specializes in distressed rental housing to assist with:

lawful evictions.

emergency board-up.

a building rehabilitation strategy.

new lease documentation.

Develop an action plan and a detailed to-do list with a distressed property consultant.

Consider taking time off work, if possible, to address the major issues all at once.

Determine if it’s in your family’s best interest to sell the building or heavily reinvest in it.

Plan of Action Timeline

Partner with the Los Angeles Police Department immediately about criminal activity

LAPD 77th Street Community Station is a half-mile away.

Introduce yourself to the police station Captain and solicit support.

Meet your police-beat officers and patrol Sergeant (i.e., beats are now called cars).

Ask for a free property CPTED security survey by the crime prevention unit.

Follow the LAPD advice about posting no loitering and trespass signs.

Partner with the local apartment association

Contact and join your local apartment owners association.

Get a crash course in property management and tenancy rules for gang takeover.

Learn about more in-depth educational opportunities for new property managers.

Obtain proper lease documentation and seek training to comply with California landlord/tenant regulations.

Seek referrals to qualified property management consultants.

Once supported by law enforcement and guided by a property consultant

Begin to take back control of your property.