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Residents at 2200 South Coast Highway raise concerns about defective tenancy termination notices
Summary
Multiple residents of 2200 South Coast Highway told Laguna Beach council that planned tenant displacements included defective 'termination of tenancy' notices that were inconsistent with permits and not all posted to the city's public portal.
Several residents from 2200 South Coast Highway used the city council’s public comment period July 22 to say nine households face imminent displacement after owners issued “termination of tenancy due to substantial remodel” notices; residents say the notice contents did not match permits and that the city portal lists only seven posted notices.
Lisa Nordholm, who said she represents multiple tenants in the building, told council the notices dated July 14 described scope of work that exceeded what was permitted and included unpermitted structural changes. “They are defective according to the California Tenant Protection Act,” Nordholm said, adding that two revised letters issued by the owner on July 21 had not been posted to the city’s portal eight days later.
Nordholm said her attorney sent a demand letter describing the July 14 notices as “defective, deceptive, and unlawful”; the owner later said the original notices had been “served in error” and reissued new notices dated July 21, she said. Nordholm said one of the units whose original notice was never uploaded to the city portal is occupied by a disabled resident over 60 who has lived there 30 years.
Other residents echoed the complaint. “I am disabled and losing my home of 30 years,” said Jewel Sawinski, who said the city had not posted her notice. Kathy Salimi asked the council to help coordinate relocation and said state law requires the owner to inform tenants that a copy of the notice will be posted to the city website.
Council members and staff discussed the city’s role. Council member Whelan, referencing the city’s tenant-protection ordinance adopted to supplement state law, urged staff to follow up and ensure city-issued permits and notices align. “We did require certain notices,” Whelan said. “We need to make sure they’re the correct permits…. I’d like to encourage staff to take this as an example.”
City staff said the city’s intent is to monitor compliance; staff noted the ordinance creates civil remedies and that the city’s role is limited for some disputes, but Whelan asked staff to contact affected tenants and verify portal postings and permit alignment so tenants can exercise their rights under local and state law.
No formal council action was taken; staff were asked to follow up with the tenants, confirm which notices are posted on the city portal and check permits cited in the notices against the city’s permit records.
