Posted on 09/15/2025 3:59:38 PM PDT by Angelino97
A decades-long legal battle over five partially built hilltop homes in the exclusive Laurel Canyon area could be nearing resolution with a plea deal announced Monday by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.
According to City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, the city filed 25 misdemeanor counts in 2023 against Shahram and Ester Ghalili over the five unfinished, three-story, single-family homes. Last week, Shahram Ghalili pleaded no contest to five counts related to violations of the L.A. Municipal Code and failure to comply with orders issued by the Department of Building and Safety, Feldstein Soto said.
Ghalili was placed into a one-year diversion program, and Superior Court Judge Maria Lucie Amendariz ordered the demolition of the five homes by Aug. 7, 2026. Ghalili must also pay $5,000 in fines.
Failure to do so would result in a conviction on his record, and he would be placed on 12 months of summary probation, ordered to serve 100 hours of community service, and pay $25,000 in fines and penalties.
“For far too many years, the Laurel Canyon community has dealt with these dangerous, dilapidated homes that were ordered to be taken down more than two decades ago,” Feldstein Soto said in a statement. “We took action to end this problem once and for all.”
Purchased in late 2020, the Ghalilis were the most recent in a long line of private developers and owners over the last two decades who tried to complete what had initially been a large development project. The city previously ordered the project to be shut down in 2002 and demolished in 2003.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailynews.com ...
Commie move
Lost Angeless
Lost Angeless is supposed to host the 2028 Olympics.
Perhaps Lost Angeless will be ready for the 2028 Olympics...... by 2048.
How so?
The Palisades will allow for a lot of venues.
I was just thinking about the LA Olympics....LOL!! They will NEVER be ready in time!!! Mitt Romney better stay close to his phone!!!
Didn’t pay off the mayor’s office, eh?
The Hindians who live near me have utter contempt for US laws, building codes, etc.
Judge Maria Lucie Amendariz
Shahram and Ester Ghalili
Repulsive. Balkanization is here right now.
The city previously ordered the project to be shut down in 2002 and demolished in 2003.
There is something in this story that is not being said methinks. The land these unfinished structures are sitting on must be worth a lot money. Gotta be a reason that previous owners did not finish the homes, after 25 years its all got to be rotten now.
Decades ago, when the kids were in 2nd and 3rd grade, we rented a cute little house in Laurel Canyon. Had a litter of Corgi puppies there too.
Not a big, fancy house, but a nice one. If it hasn’t been replaced with a larger one by now, I’m sure it’s on that list. Sad, we loved that house.
The excerpt says.
“Purchased in late 2020, the Ghalilis were the most recent in a long line of private developers and owners over the last two decades who tried to complete what had initially been a large development project. The city previously ordered the project to be shut down in 2002 and demolished in 2003.”
What's wrong with having a Spanish surname? I have a Spanish surname and, unless your family came over on the Mayflower, my family has been here longer than yours.
Was it the house that Graham Nash shared with Joni Mitchell when they lived in Laurel Canyon?
I love that song he wrote about it.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aunVlekXjkE
That was a great house. Ours was smaller and further up the hill.
Sounds lovely!
Might find Dave McGowan’s book of interest:
Also, the author Robert Heinlein, and Scientology founder L.Ron Hubbard lived there.
Lots of occult doings there all the time, I understand.
Many controversial deaths. Glad you had a good experience.
Much better format and reading experience of the above book.
I’ve never been there. It just seems like it had a lot of wild times though, from what I’ve heard.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.