Committee upholds decision to discontinue Highlight Motels transient use after LAPD cites pattern of crime

The Planning and Land Use Management Committee voted 5-0 to deny an appeal by LA Highlight Property Incorporated and to uphold the zoning administrators determination discontinuing the transient motel use at the Highlight Motel, 10321 South Broadway in Council District 8.

City planning staff told the committee the zoning administrator found persistent nuisance activity at the property and imposed six administrative conditions related to fees, change of use and covenant recordation. "The zoning administrator's action to discontinue the transient motel use is a result of LAPD crime reports, citizen complaints, and testimony which indicate that activities at the subject site have resulted in impacts to the community at large," planning staff said during the committee presentation.

The recommendation to deny the appeal drew detailed testimony from Los Angeles Police Department officers who described multiple years of enforcement actions. "By early 2023 my opinion was that the Highlight Motel's management and ownership was not meeting the needed improvements," said Tyson Hamaoka, identified in committee testimony as a senior lead officer with the LAPD. Hamaoka summarized department records he said showed dozens of arrests and investigative reports on the property and said security and other mitigation measures proposed to the owners were repeatedly not implemented.

Senior lead officer Loomis, who said he began working the area in January 2024, described responding to a double homicide in the motel parking lot and vice-unit enforcement that, in a written letter read into the record, concluded "the Highlight Motel should not run as a motel and should no longer be in operation." LAPD testimony cited prostitution, human trafficking, narcotics activity, violent felonies and repeated radio calls tied to the location.

Appellants and owners disputed the characterization. Frank Weiser, attorney for the appellant, argued the owners had implemented mitigation measures after meetings with police and raised constitutional and due-process objections to revocation. "From a practical standpoint, I don't understand why the city is doing what it's doing," Weiser said, arguing revocation should follow a proven sequence of remediation and only be used after lesser remedies. Marshall Young, who said he represents ownership, told the committee the operators had installed cameras, issued vehicle hang tags, retained a tow company and contracted a private patrol, and said the owners would consider additional steps such as online booking.

Council President Marquee H. Dawsons office representative Terry Osborne urged the committee to uphold planning's recommendation, saying the property "has a long history of nuisances and criminal activity that the operator has failed to address" and noting the site is within walking distance of schools and a major transit stop.

More than two dozen residents, school staff and community advocates spoke during public comment, including representatives of Community Coalition and Vernon Tech High School, who described frequent prostitution, drug use and violent incidents near the motel and asked the committee to sustain discontinuance. Dozens of motel workers, guests and supporters also spoke in favor of preserving the business and described efforts by management to comply with police requests.

After discussion the committee chair moved to deny the appeal and sustain the zoning administrator's determination to discontinue transient motel use, impose the six administrative conditions, and adopt the project findings. The roll call vote was: Bloomfield, Hutt, Nazarian, Lee and Raman—aye (5-0). The committee action moves to full council for final consideration.

Notes: the appellant previously filed constitutional challenges that have been added to council file 24-1273; planning staff referred the owner's written justification to that file for council consideration.