From the office of the City Attorney, City of Oakland: Oakland’s Neighborhood Law Corps, the community law unit in the City Attorney’s Office, has filed a lawsuit
against the owners and operators of an unlicensed, illegal car repair
business that has seriously impacted the quality of life in a West
Oakland residential neighborhood.

The
business operating out of a residential property at 819 Brockhurst
Street – across the street from Hoover Elementary School – is an ongoing
nuisance to residents. Neighbors have complained that the business
operates at all hours of the night, often using a loud gas generator for
power and light. Visitors routinely litter, drink in public and block
the sidewalk and neighboring driveways with vehicles. Neighbors also
have complained about oil spills and other environmental hazards.

The
City Attorney’s Office filed suit October 4 against nine individual
operators of the business, as well as the Bank of New York Mellon, which
owns the property, and Bank of America, the property manager.

“The
defendants have operated in violation of numerous blight, zoning and
environmental laws,” City Attorney Barbara Parker said today. “They have
ignored numerous abatement notices and have had an enormous negative
impact on the quality of life on this block. We are asking the court to
shut them down immediately.”

The
City previously issued multiple abatement notices to the former
property owner, an entity called the Brockhurst Trust. In February 2012,
the Bank of New York took ownership of the property in a foreclosure
proceeding. The City Attorney’s Office sent a letter to the bank in May
advising the bank of ongoing violations at the property, and in August
the bank filed an eviction lawsuit against the occupants.

The
City’s lawsuit seeks an injunction to prevent further nuisances at the
property, and asks for civil penalties of $1,000 a day from the property
owner for every day that the violations continue.

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