Charges Filed in Illegal Boarding House Operation

The City, at about 4:00 p.m., September 5, filed a criminal complaint charging two people with 192 misdemeanor charges in connection with illegal boarding home operations. The home was located in the  300 block of Ashtabula Street.

The criminal complaint that was filed by the City Attorney-City Prosecutor’s Office includes 96 counts each against Dave Wohlman and Felicia Edelman based on their roles as operators of the allegedly illegal boarding home known as “Uncle Dave’s Sober Living.”

The charges span illegal operations from April 9, 2013 through Aug. 29, 2013, and include violations of the California Fire Code and the Pasadena Municipal Code.  The two owners are being notified of the charges and will be noticed to appear in court on September 12, 2013.  The charges were filed in the Pasadena Branch of Los Angeles County Superior Court.

The charges stem from an inspection warrant served on Thursday morning, August 29, 2013 at the Ashtabula address.  The inspection warrant was approved by the Los Angeles County Superior Court for service without prior notice and also allowed for forcible entry into the premises.  Pasadena Police Department Officers secured the premises and kept tenants outside while the inspection was carried out.  No forced entry was necessary.

Multiple life-safety issues in violation of the state Fire Code were discovered during the Aug. 29 inspection which also found beds for as many as 27 occupants inside the two-story, single-family residence.  During the Aug. 29 inspection, several tenants were interviewed and videotaped while others were interviewed without being on camera.

The property was referred to the City’s C.R.A.S.H. (Community Resources Against Substandard Housing) Team in June, 2012 after other efforts for code compliance failed.  The C.R.A.S.H. Team was unsuccessful in getting the owners to bring the property into compliance with state and local laws.

The C.R.A.S.H. Team is a multi-departmental team from Fire, Code Enforcement, Building Safety, Health, Police, City Prosecutor and the Humane Society who handle “problem locations” with two or more potential violations under state or local regulations.  The team is committed to preserving the quality of life in the City and the safety and security of all residents through enforcement of applicable laws.