Landlords have neglected the property creating hazardous conditions for vulnerable residents
SAN FRANCISCO (May 20, 2022) — City Attorney David Chiu announced today that he filed a lawsuit against the owners of a single room occupancy (SRO) hotel in the Tenderloin for creating a public nuisance and ignoring dozens of health and safety violations. The lawsuit, filed against Marathon Hotel and Apartments and its owner, Nasir Patel, seeks relief for the tenants who are living without basic health, safety, and sanitation infrastructure at the hotel.
“No human being should be subjected to the conditions that exist at the Marathon Hotel,” said City Attorney Chiu. “Landlords have a responsibility to ensure that basic health and safety standards are met in their buildings, and this landlord has completely abandoned that responsibility. We are filing this lawsuit to bring accountability and create tangible improvements for the tenants as soon as possible.”
Dating back to 2019, multiple City departments have issued Notices of Violation for health, safety, and building infractions at the Marathon Hotel. Thus far, the landlords have refused to abate the violations and improve conditions for tenants.
The violations include excessive garbage, pest and rodent infestations, inoperative bathrooms, insufficient heat, broken and dangerous stairs, damaged doors, missing hardware, broken windows and frames, lack of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, poor security infrastructure, malfunctioning appliances, water damage, and unpermitted electrical and plumbing work.
In addition to the hazardous living conditions, the bottom floor commercial space of the Marathon Hotel building is occupied by a Quickly boba tea shop, which was recently reported to allegedly be a front for an international theft operation.
The lawsuit alleges the defendants created a public nuisance that endangers the health and safety of the tenants and neighbors. Additionally, the City asserts the owners violated state housing law, multiple municipal codes, and California’s Unfair Competition Law. The City is seeking penalties, fees, and injunctive relief to cure the violations at the property.
The case is City and County of San Francisco v. Marathon Hotel & Apartments, LLC, et al. The complaint can be found here.
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