222 Present and Former Tenants Sue Physician Slumlord

Claiming their apartments are vermin-infested and filthy, 222 present and former tenants of buildings owned by Beverly Hills physician Milton Avol filed suit Monday asking for repairs, retroactive deductions in rent and $25,000 each in punitive damages.

Avol, who has been cited for hundreds of health, fire and building code violations since the mid-1970s and convicted of more that a dozen criminal code violations, was sentenced last June to spend 30 days in jail and another 30 days in one of his own slum buildings. That sentence is being appealed.

The Los Angeles Superior Court civil suit filed Monday by poverty lawyers identifies the tenants of apartment buildings at 463 S. Bixel St. as well as 1839 and 1821 S. Main St. as all Spanish-speaking and indigent.

It asks the court for general and punitive damages as well as for preliminary and permanent injunctions to stay evictions and make repairs to, among other things, alleged unsafe wiring and faulty plumbing.

Avol’s attorney, Donald Steier, said he not seen the suit but that his client was “aware of the problem and he has already made a commitment to comply with whatever safety code requirements are necessary.”