A Santa Monica landlord has agreed to pay $685,000 to settle three lawsuits alleging tenant harassment and discrimination, including one case filed by the Santa Monica City Attorney's Office.
Masoud Atef agreed to the settlement and a stipulated judgment that includes an injunction requiring him to comply with the city's tenant protection laws.
The city alleged Atef intentionally failed to register tenancies at his triplex with the Rent Control Board and did not inform tenants of their just cause eviction and rent control protections. Officials said he then harassed and intimidated tenants even after receiving multiple warnings from the city.
In one case, the city alleged a family of four was constructively evicted after Atef falsely claimed he planned to occupy their apartment while simultaneously purchasing a $1.4 million home and listing the triplex for sale.
The city said Atef unlawfully entered the family's unit, yelled at them in front of their minor children and removed their access to outdoor common areas. The family was forced to move in May 2023 and find housing at significantly higher rent, while Atef re-rented their unit at increased rates.
Officials also alleged Atef retaliated against another tenant who requested repairs and sought to replace her roommate as permitted under rent control law. The city said he demanded she vacate or sign a new lease as the sole tenant, requalify for occupancy and pay higher rent. He also removed amenities, refused repairs and imposed illegal conditions on roommate replacement.
The city further alleged Atef discriminated against the immunocompromised tenant by refusing to consider her requests for reasonable accommodations to remediate mold and temporarily relocate her during the work. He allegedly responded in writing that the building was unsuitable for tenants with "special conditions" and "not a wise choice for someone with respiratory issues."
"The City Attorney's Office strives to educate landlords about their legal obligations under Santa Monica's tenant protection laws and to gain voluntary compliance, but when a landlord adamantly refuses to comply, as was the case here, we vigorously enforce those laws," City Attorney Doug Sloan said.
Under the settlement terms, Atef must no longer manage residential rental properties in Santa Monica and hire a city-approved third-party property manager for any properties he owns in the city. He must also remediate mold in one unit, attend three hours of city-approved landlord-tenant training and pay minimum penalties of $10,000 per violation if he breaches the agreement.
The settlement was announced Tuesday.