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LA City Inspectors Investigate SOLA Owned Building Near Downtown LA

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - City inspectors moved in on a building near downtown Los Angeles just weeks after a CBS2 News Investigation exposed rats, roaches and poor living conditions.  Investigative Reporter David Goldstein was there when they arrived.

Inside LA City inspectors went door to door, while scaffolding was going up outside. As repairs and inspections were taking place on the building on Washington Boulevard near downtown Los Angeles just weeks after Goldstein's investigation.

"You guys made that story and they started to react which was good," said Maria Cruz, a tenant at the building. "We live with the bedbugs pretty much."

The investigation showed Cruz's bedbug-invested mattresses and leaky ceiling in her bathroom. Other residents were living with cockroaches and spiders. A specially trained dog was brought in to look for bedbugs and city inspectors are looking to see what repairs will be mandated.

"They're coming right now. It's time to see if they're going to actually repair it," said Cruz.

Video footage from the investigation showed the back of the building seemed to be coming apart from the frame, which has since been repaired.

READ MORE: CBS2 Investigates Low Income Housing Provider

The building is owned by SOLA, a real estate investment company. A promotional video for the company claims they are revitalizing hundreds of apartment units in LA's inner city.

Gray Lusk, SOLA's Chief Operating Officer refused to comment about why repairs are now being made years after tenants say they've been complaining.

LA City Housing claims the building was scheduled for a routine inspection in November but it was moved up because of the investigation. They won't say what they found but added if any violations are discovered, the owners will have 45 days to make repairs.

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