Vicky Mense: Beverly Hills Evictor

Although we have been quiet here of late on Waverly Drive, we have been buzzing behind the scenes. We had our first action! (That is renter/union lingo for taking it to the streets.) We had a protest, in Beverly Hills of all places!

Taylor Equities is the name on the sign in front, and on all the notices they smack on our door, and who we write rent checks to, (although this has recently changed to Los Angeles Property Management Group for some Taylor buildings) but it turns out that there are many LLCs involved in Steven Taylor holdings. (Too many? Not for me to say.) And when you look up who actually owns our building, our address has mysteriously changed from 2965 Waverly Dr to 2975 Waverly Dr. (Why, does anyone know? What are they hiding?)

And our real owner isn’t Steven Taylor, nor his sidekick Rick Shugarman, but Taylor Equities and Vicky Mense, Taylor’s mother -in-law. Why, hello, Ms. Beverly Hills Landlady. We are your tenants.

As it turns out, Vicky is a very accomplished businesswoman, who owns a restaurant in Beverly Hills, Xi’an Restaurant.

Xi’an and its owner, Vicky Mense, are dedicated and active community supporters in Beverly Hills. Since opening in December 1996 and with much gratitude for the community’s patronage, Vicky has become involved in various charitable organizations. [My bold. The irony of it.] Vicky has built and cultivated many meaningful and long lasting relationships with community members and leaders. Her involvement with Beverly Hills Rotary Club and Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce has given her true perspective and appreciation for the time and effort people invest in Beverly Hills and its residents.

(If it’s not clear yet,  the restaurant is in Beverly Hills. They even put 90210 in the url!)

Vicky Mense sounds like a lovely person. And to add to her credits, Vicky is on the Board of Directors of the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce!

Currently, she serves on the Chamber’s Executive Board, chairs the Committee for Asian Business Connection, and is also board member of the Beverly Hills Conference and Visitors Bureau.

Vicky, with all this going for you, what went so wrong??? What made you decide to become a shockingly bad landlady in Silver Lake, pushing out so many tenants that only 15 our of 36 apartments

are still occupied, construction has been non-stop for over 7 months, turning lovely homes into unlivable rabbit warrens, and now EVICTING tenants? Are you aware that Taylor Equities is suing us in 2 weeks? That you are taking a single woman and a family with a small child to court, to throw us out of our homes of 16 and 18 years? Is this the type of charitable work you engage in? Is this how you treat your customers?

We tried to bring some of these issues to Ms Mense’s attention when we marched and chanted outside her restaurant on October 6, 2018. It was a fine fall Saturday night, and we had the support of the LA Tenants Union and Yes on 10. We even had the support of the Beverly Hills Police Department, who told us to let them know if anyone tried to stop us! First Amendment freedom to protest! Lots of folks waved and gave us thumbs up, and we all agreed it was a fabulous way to have fun in Beverly Hills, without spending a penny.

We were also so pleased and excited that some of the media, including TV, came to cover us.

But let’s continue the dialogue: Ms. Mense, it’s not your fault that your son in law Steven Taylor was named the worst landlord in Los Angeles. That could happen to (almost) anyone.

But your name is the owner on record for this fine building, and you are responsible for this particular mess. Is this because we live further east than Robertson? Have you ever been to Silver Lake?  We are an eclectic group of involved, creative citizens who have lived here from 6 to 18 years. This is our HOME. Do we not bleed?

Ironically, and not to be rude, it appears that in spite of your involvement in the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce, you might need some education about your own BH Community Development and Rent Control agency. It might surprise people to know that stodgy old Beverly Hills has a very strong, fair rent control policy that is progressive and positive for renters. Los Angeles HCID could learn a lot from them! Beverly Hills passed an amazing measure in April, 2017, that completely bypassed Costa-Hawkins and adjusted their previous 10% rent raise cap ordinance to 3% literally overnight, and added relocation fees. (They voted at 10 PM when many of the landlords had left the meeting. :))

Did you consider applying some of Beverly Hill’s modern, updated housing policies to 2965 Wavrly Drive, here in Silver Lake, Ms. Mense? 90039 deserves human decency, affordable rents, and fair prices in housing, just as 90210 has.

Finally, are you interested in trying to repair some of the damage done to this building, the residents, and the community? We have been trying to meet with Taylor Equities, with no success. We would be thrilled to sit down with an accomplished businesswoman and landlady such as yourself. Sure, we would ask you some tough questions, and state our demands, but you’re a tough lady. You could do this.

Please let us know if this interests you, Vicky. Maybe Beverly Hills and Silver Lake could be friends…or even better, business partners, since apartments without renters are nothing. Hope to see you soon.

UPDATE

Still no word from Vicky Mense or Taylor Equities! It’s a Halloween mystery. Well, we’re all about taking action, whether or not Trick or Treat bags are involved, so please join us in our repeat visit to Xi’an with the LA Tenants Union to this coming Saturday! 6 to 8. Costumes optional. Signs and shouting guaranteed.

Restaurant Yes on 10 Protest All are welcome, whether you’re a renter or a landlord, a Beverly Hills resident or Los Angeleno. No evictions, reasonable rents.

 

 

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