Glendora City Council Enacts 45-Day Ban On Short Term Rentals Following Illegal Mansion Party
GLENDORA (CBSLA) -- The city of Glendora has placed a 45-day moratorium on short-term vacation rentals, two days after taking legal action against the promoter of an illegal mansion party.
The Glendora City council voted unanimously on Thursday to adopt the temporary ban. Any violation over the next 45 days will be declared a public nuisance and is subject to penalties.
"My colleagues and I take this matter seriously and have taken swift action as promised,'' Glendora Mayor Michael Allawos said in a prepared statement. "We must balance the priority of public safety with the importance of responsible commerce in a solution that provides city staff the tools to safely and effectively reduce or control nuisances and law-breakers.''
The "100 Summers Mansion Party" was promoted by Instagram user @iamkingbell, who posted several videos and images of the party at the home, located at 1120 E. Sierra Madre Ave. According to Glendora city officials, the $1.8-million mansion with five bedrooms and seven bathrooms was listed on several short-term rental sites, including vacationrenter.com, VRBO and Airbnb.
The promoter was issued two fines – one $450 citation for violating the city permit process and a $1,000 citation for violating the Los Angeles County Health Department against non-essential gatherings. Five vehicle citations were issued, one arrest was made for a misdemeanor bench warrant and 19 parking tickets were handed out.
The city is also seeking reimbursement from the party promoter and the homeowner for nearly $18,000 associated with the police and city staff response required to shut down the party last Saturday.
Officials said the city is also seeking an emergency hearing on Monday to ask a Los Angeles Superior Court judge to issue a temporary restraining order that would prohibit further parties or short-term rentals at the 20,000-square-foot residence.
The lawsuit filed by the city said that officials wish the estate be declared a public nuisance. They are asking that a ban be placed on short-term rentals there for up to two years.
"As news reports of the event showed, hundreds of people were packed into the property, with no observance of social distancing and no observance of mask wearing requirements,'' the suit says
The suit includes 29 previous incidents at the mansion dating back to last Nov. 5, most of which involved complaints about loud music.
The owners of the mansion — Cao "Charles'' Xin and Olivia Lei Zhao — are named as defendants, alongside Davante Dajon Bell, who is listed in the complaint as a "self-employed event coordinator host/promoter'' of such events as last Saturday's party.
The suit asks that Bell, who allegedly ignored police orders to shut down the party, is prohibited from promoting, organizing, sponsoring or coordinating any gathering of any type in violation of the Glendora Municipal Code and applicable health orders.
It also states that Xin and Zhao did not try to stop the party, despite having the ability to do so under the short-term rental agreement.
