Washington v. Stein CA2/5

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

I. Facts

A. Plaintiffs sue their landlord and property manager In March 2020, plaintiffs leased a unit in an apartment building located in the Hollywood Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles (the building). In January 2022, plaintiffs sued their then-landlord Wellington Yang (Yang), three of Yang’s limited liability companies, and the building’s then-onsite property manager. The complaint alleged nine causes of action based on allegations that building management had improperly left fire doors open; had not allowed plaintiffs to replace the washing machine in their unit; had closed the building’s pool, gym, and lounge after plaintiffs signed their lease; had withdrawn rent payments from plaintiffs’ account on inconsistent dates; had stopped vacuuming the hallways and providing tenants with air filters; had ignored plaintiffs’ repair requests; had installed surveillance cameras in common areas; and had threatened to tow plaintiffs’ car.

“SLAPP” is short for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation. All further statutory references are to the Code of Civil Procedure unless otherwise indicated.

2 Plaintiffs later alleged that when…