——– Original message ——–
From: Michael Beler <mbeler@essex.com>
Date: 1/16/24 2:52 PM (GMT-08:00)
To: “teri.hirano” <teri.hirano@gmail.com>, LA County Rent Stabilization <Rent@dcba.lacounty.gov>, “Gabriela Gorvena Galvan, LA County RSO ask for Housing/ consumer affairs Press 1” <rsuenforcement@dcba.lacounty.gov>, “Gabriela Gorvena Galvan, LA County RSO ask for Housing/ consumer affairs Press 1” <GGorvenaGalvan@dcba.lacounty.gov>
Subject: RE: RSQ23-O97259 Teresa Hirano
To Whom It May Concern,
The matter below is the subject of a lawsuit filed by Mr. Peterson and Ms. Hirano titled Peterson and Hirano v. Essex Marina City Club, L.P. et al pending in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Civil Action No. 2:23-cv-08194-PD. We intend to vigorously defend these unfounded allegations in court. Suffice to say that Mr. Peterson never disclosed his disability to Essex Marina City Club, L.P., never submitted a reasonable accommodation request, and never otherwise asked for alterations to the property to allow him full use of such. Notably, upon filing the above-mentioned lawsuit Mr. Peterson’s counsel refused to submit an accommodation request and instead asked for millions of dollars as settlement. Ms. Hirano also seems to imply below she has a disability and is prevented from accessing the property. We have no knowledge to that effect.
Ms. Hirano has, for months, tried to concoct a method for her to get her rent reduced. It is readily evident Ms. Hirano does not like living at this property and we cannot understand why she does not exercise her option to vacate.
Best,
Michael Beler
__________________________
Michael Beler | Vice President, Associate General Counsel
Essex Property Trust, Inc.
Phone 650.655.7933
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Case Background and Status (as of early 2026)
The lawsuit (full title: Warren Peterson et al. v. Marina City Club Condominium Owners Association et al.) was filed on September 29, 2023. It’s classified under Civil Rights – Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) violations (Nature of Suit 446, Cause 42:12101). Plaintiffs are represented by attorney Lara Ruth Shapiro.
Key docket highlights from public records:
- Filed in Los Angeles federal court (Judge: Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong).
- Involves claims related to accessibility/disability rights at the property.
- Activity includes proofs of service (e.g., on Essex Property Trust in October 2023), memoranda of contentions of fact and law (December 2025), and a partial summary judgment motion by plaintiffs.
- As of late 2025/early 2026, the case remains active: A stipulation amended the scheduling order (December 2025), setting:
- Final pretrial conference: April 27, 2026
- Jury trial: May 18, 2026
No public resolution, dismissal, or settlement is indicated in available records—it’s heading toward trial unless settled.This aligns with the ADA-focused page on news.axjmdr.com (which you linked earlier), which highlights alleged ADA violations at Marina City Club (including references to a 2014 LA County Beaches and Harbors list of 147 non-compliance items, emergency access issues in towers/Promenade Apartments, and ties to county oversight/FHA reports).
The site frames these as ongoing civil rights/housing concerns, sometimes linking to broader complaints about the complex (e.g., fire risks, ownership disputes involving LA County).Note: There’s also a separate, older state-level case involving Teresa Hirano and Essex entities (from 2018, Los Angeles Superior Court), but it appears unrelated (contract/commercial dispute, possibly fire damage or similar).
This email is part of documentation you’re gathering (e.g., for advocacy, reporting on AXJNEWS, or related to the lawsuit/ADA issues), or if you’re seeking:
- Updates on the case docket (PACER access needed for full details),
- More on Marina City Club’s ADA compliance history,
- Connections to rent stabilization complaints,
- Or visuals of the property/complex,