Pattern Of Behavior

Over the past year, the information we have strongly suggests a pattern of deceptive and even potentially fraudulent behavior on the part of the squatter group.

• In November 2014, according to the best information available, the group appears to have obtained $575,000 in financing using the commercial building at the corner of Finley and Hillhurst as security. The group never had clear title to the building. It is not known to what extent the group may have concealed from the lender the status of litigation concerning the property.
• In May 2015, the squatter group told community groups that use the meeting room on the second floor of the commercial space that permission to use this space, which had apparently been made available as part of negotiations to allow construction of the building in 1984, would be withdrawn.
• In June and July 2015, the squatter group attempted to lease the commercial space to BevMo!, a chain liquor store. According to published accounts, the squatter group appears to have worked with BevMo! to bypass consideration of the liquor license application through normal community channels.
• Liquor licenses can normally be challenged if the licensee is close to a church or school. In this case, the liquor store would be on church property next to the church itself. In addition, a liquor store is inconsistent with the mission of a church.
• However, BevMo! abruptly withdrew its application for a liquor license when it learned of the litigation surrounding the property. This strongly implies that the squatter group concealed the litigation from BevMo! and possibly the realtor who handled the negotiations. It raises the question of whether the litigation was concealed from the lender in 2014.
• In November 2015, the squatter group scheduled and advertised a choral evensong and requiem mass with full orchestra that was canceled at the last minute with no notice. The circumstances are unclear, although financial issues appear to be central to the cancellation.
• Two days after the canceled evensong and requiem, the squatter group changed the locks on the commercial building, locking out the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council's monthly meeting with no notice and no explanation.
• Two weeks after that, CBS Studios conducted filming using the entire parish property, including the interior of the commercial building. This was after the Los Angeles Superior Court had issued a decision awarding control of the property to the parish vestry. Although the vestry was unaware that this would be done, the CBS representatives stated that they had received authorization to do this, presumably from the squatter group.

People don't just start acting this way all of a sudden. Certainly the puzzling events of 2011 -- the non-payment of withholding tax and the disappearance of the IRS notices about this -- and the various attempted seizures of the parish during 2012 need to be seen in this context. There's a great deal more, I have a feeling, that we're going to find out.