A local landlord well-known for his run-ins with municipal and building code enforcement officials is suing the City of Carpinteria for what he says are “unreasonable” fines, according to a lawsuit filed earlier this summer.
Dario Pini, who owns more than 100 properties on the South Coast, was cited by Carpinteria for code violations at five of his properties in the community.
He says the more than $27,000 in fines is unreasonable, according to a lawsuit filed June 18 in Santa Barbara County Superior Court.
Carpinteria issued compliance orders for Cypress Tree Apartments, 5615 Carpinteria Ave.; Casa del Sol Motel and Apartments, 5585 Carpinteria Ave.; Tomarla Apartments, 1000 Concha Loma Drive; La Concha Apartments, 974 Concha Loma Drive; and Sycamore Apartments, 990 Concha Loma Drive.
All are multiunit apartment complexes that are adjacent to one another, with a total of about 90 rental units among them.
The code enforcement file documents hazardous electrical wiring, rotting drywall, mold and deteriorating balcony floors, among other problems at the properties.
Neither party’s attorney responded to Noozhawk’s requests for comment.
“For a period of years, the buildings and many of the rental units they contain have borne conditions of dilapidation ranging from graffiti to trash marring the exteriors to safety hazards in the dwelling spaces,” the city’s complaint reads.
In 2013, residents and law enforcement officers complained to the city and building inspection officers responded.
They found “dozens of violations pervading all five properties,” according to the city.
The city maintains that it gave Pini and his investment company, DP Investments, ample time to to correct the problems, and even extensions of time, but said inspections revealed that not enough had been done.
“They found that DP Investments had made some repairs, but that every property still suffered from pervasive code violations originally identified in the compliance orders,” the complaint states.
In March, the city held a compliance hearing at City Hall and issued an order that Pini would have to pay $27,881.36 in staff time and administrative costs. The city also said that corrections had not been made at his properties.
Pini’s attorney, Larry Powell, said the city failed to establish that the costs it requested were reasonable, and maintains that city staff duplicated charges and overbilled for the fees.
Judge Thomas Anderle granted a stay in the case on Aug. 27, putting the case on hold until Nov. 3.
Last year, Pini settled a code enforcement lawsuit with the City of Santa Barbara. As part of the settlement, his 100-or-so commercial and residential properties within city limits are under court-ordered operation and maintenance for at least five years.
— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at lcooper@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
