The property at 1224 N. La Cienega in which the appellant Charis Michelsen resides is an officially designated local cultural resource in the city of West Hollywood. Built in 1928 and known as the Lotus Apartments, this distinctive “Exotic Revival” style property with Far East influences contributes to the city’s Courtyard Thematic District of historic apartment buildings.
The lengthy 322 pages of documentation online for the RSC hearing carries no mention of this building’s importance and it is absolutely shocking to see the neglect that it has experienced over the years leading up to the current appeal!
Page 318 online is headed “Summary of exhibits upon which decision is based” showing an “Exhibit 8 Mills Act Report” as evidence for prior Application No. D-4379. Why is this report mentioned but not available for the public to review in the online RSC packet?
Here’s some information to provide context. The Mills Act provides a lower property tax to landlords who enter into contracts with the city to maintain and preserve their designated historic properties.
County assessor records show that the property was sold for $5.6 million in 2014 and assessed at $1,626,000, creating quite a tax break. Records indicate that the assessed value has now risen to $3,835,000, still offering a sizeable tax break.
But it appears from the appeal that this landlord is NOT maintaining the property – that could constitute tax fraud and now the situation is confounded by murky dealings with COVID rent relief funds! What’s going on at the historic Lotus Apartments?
This entire situation warrants investigation by city code enforcement and planning staff. It also calls for traversing territorial boundaries, with a suggestion that the Rent Stabilization Commission AND the Historic Preservation Commission join forces in a community conversation to protect and preserve the historic apartment buildings that serve as the homes for so many West Hollywood rent-stabilized tenants.
Victor Omelczenko,
21-year West Hollywood Resident
FROM WEHOPRESERVATION.ORG
1216 La Cienega Boulevard, also known as the Lotus Apartments, was constructed in 1928 and is part of the Courtyard Thematic District. Each of the buildings in the Courtyard Thematic District includes a partially enclosed outdoor space that individual units share as a common area. Fireplaces, benches, water elements, and landscaping elaborate the courtyard spaces as outdoor living areas. The courtyard housing type reflects significant components of the cultural and architectural development of Southern California. Courtyard housing reflects the region’s mild climatic conditions by extending interior spaces into the outdoors. It integrates the Southern California dream for individual housing and a yard with the practical need for higher density development. Each building in the grouping embodies distinctive characteristics of various period revival styles. The buildings reflect significant patterns of growth and settlement in West Hollywood. The increasing demand for housing that accompanied the rapid growth of the Los Angeles region in the 1920s was well-served by the high density of the courtyard building. The Fountain Corridor in particular possesses a high concentration of elaborate courtyard designs. (Photo Credit: Tony Coelho)
This IS a True WeHo Gem that ABSOLUTELY deserves preservation.
What has Heilman Promised his Wealthy Devlepor Partners could be built if he led the action to demolish the true preservation Worthy Historical Property of a now gone era of both craftsmanship and old Hollywood and who of Histories Movie Legends Lived where in what little we have left.
Thank you Victor.
Great article. It seems the County assessor’s office is at it again, a sizable cog in the machinery of corruption. Transparency isn’t too much to ask!