Brentwood News 3.31.23

March 31 - April 28, 2023

60 New Housing Units for Veterans on VA Campus

Building 207 is the first of 20 similar building rehab projects that will be undertaken at the VA

By Jeff Hall

On February 28, VA officials, builders, veterans and community leaders celebrated the opening of 60 new housing units for veterans inside Building 207.

The formerly empty building has undergone significant rehab and upgrades in recent years. This is all part of a plan to build 1200 units of veteran housing on the VA campus, with a particular focus on providing permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless veterans.

Building 207 is the first of 20 similar building rehab projects that will be undertaken at the VA. The project is a partnership between Tom Safran & Associates, Century Housing, The Veterans Collective and U.S. Vets. City,

county, state, federal and private groups provided funding.

Brentwood’s Tom Safran of Tom Safran & Associates (TSA) – a developer of low-income housing – was the main speaker at the Feb. 28 event.

Buildings designed by TSA include a big community space where residents can gather. This makes a building seem less institutional, according to Tyler Monroe of TSA.

Tours of the building were provided.

In Building 207, the community room includes comfortable couches, tables and chairs, TV screens, a pool table, desktop computers and a card table. Residential units include a bedroom, kitchenette, ample closet space and a bathroom.

There are an estimated 3,900 homeless veterans living on the streets of Los Angeles County.

Tanya Bradsher of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs came from Washington to underscore the VA’s commitment to providing housing for homeless veterans.

“You fought for us,” she said. “And we will fight for you.”

L.A.’s $100 Million Megamansions Are Getting Mega Price Cuts

Properties see price cuts ahead of Measure

ULA taking effect

By Dolores Quintana

Bel Air is home to this modern Spanish-style estate that has hit the market and has recently reduced its price while seeking a buyer as reported by The Wall Street Journal. It is an absolutely decadent paean to luxury living in the hills above the Westside of Los Angeles. With about 40,00 square feet of living space, this hillside abode has three stories filled with arched doorways, terraces, a 75-foot infinity pool that flows into a 20-foot waterfall, a movie theater, a basketball court, a wine cellar with 1,200 bottles and an underground parking garage with room for 20 vehicles.

Originally, the home was listed at $100 million but last month the development team decided to lower the price to $59 million which is an incredible price for such a magnificent showplace of a home. It represents a 41% reduction in the price from 2018.

One of the listing agents for the home, Shawn Elliott of Nest Seekers International, said, as quoted by The Wall Street Journal, “We talked about what price would attract buyers but still be a pill [the developers] could swallow.” The listing agents and developers, Ty Cueva and Dean Hallo obviously came to an agreement on a price reduction.

Because of the current economic climate, even luxury properties are facing the reality of price reductions since even the rich market in Los Angeles isn’t as open to that kind of spending anymore. Many developers and other sellers are trying to beat the new transfer tax law that is due to go into effect

on April 1, 2023, which will increase the prices paid on luxury sales to over five and ten million dollars. Another consideration is a land ordinance that will be on the ballot to protect a planned new conservation area in the Santa Monica Mountains which would inhibit development in the area, especially that of megamansions to protect the wildlife of the mountain wilderness.

Luxury home sales have dropped dramatically to 51.9 percent in the last quarter of last year according to brokerage Douglas Elliman’s report which also shows that luxury homes now stay on the market an average of 96 days. That is a ten percent increase in the time it takes to sell an estate.

This is a real turnaround from the salad days of the pandemic real estate boom. More information from the Elliman report claims that bidding wars on properties fell by half down to 24.5 percent and were down from a

50.7 percent high.

Rayni Williams of the Beverly Hills Estates said, as quoted by The Wall Street Journal, “No buyer at this juncture wants to feel they’re paying 2021 or 2020 prices.” Ty Cueva estimated that the price of building that same home that he is selling in today’s market would be around $80 million if the rising costs of construction were factored into it and that the asking price is now below the replacement value.

Photos: Jeff Hall Tom Safran welcomes the crowd.

Brentwood Beat: New Leadership –and an Old Question

Founding Publisher

I attended the recent Brentwood Homeowners Association annual meeting. Like all BHA meetings, this one didn’t disappoint.

One reason for my enthusiasm: This was the first I’d ever been inside the new buildings at Brentwood School. Brentwood School, as everyone knows, is on the south side of Sunset as you approach the 405. Barrington Place is the cross street.

The event was held in an auditorium in the new Middle School that is truly first class. This new gathering place is part of the big upgrade on campus that took place a few years back. The new building is highly visible as you drive north on Barrington Place, heading toward Sunset.

This new addition to the school is totally first class. There is ample underground parking, and the football/soccer field was built on top of the underground parking structure. This is an excellent use of space. Kudos to the architect.

As I walked in, I was pleasantly surprised to see quite a spread of sandwiches, salads and soft drinks. I don’t recall experiencing this before at a BHA meeting. Maybe this was a way of celebrating the elimination of Covid restrictions. People appreciated it, I could tel

The meeting itself was packed – over 300 people. The agenda was devoted to introducing LA’s new political leaders to Brentwood residents.

Mayor Karen Bass was there, as was Traci Park, CD11’s city council member.

Brad Sherman, our new congressman (thanks to redistricting), was also there, as was our new LA County Supervisor, Lindsey P. Horvath.

The evening went quickly, as elected officials took turns talking about homelessness, crime, development, fire safety, the VA and more. There was little time in the program for attendees to talk about potholes, trash pickup and other dayto-day concerns.

One question started with “The Brentwood Post Office is a disaster,” which got a lot of reaction. When asked about dealing with nuisances like removing trash from street corners, Councilwoman Park urged people to try MyLA311, an app that alerts officials when there are problems in need of solving. Park said she and her staff were finding MyLA311 quite effective.

The BHA annual meeting took place a couple of weeks ago, but my main recollection remains Brentwood School’s wonderful setting, which leads me to bring up an idea I’ve written about a few times in the past. It’s that time again.

When Brentwood School proposed

expanding and upgrading its facilities several years ago, school leaders had to win over the community in order to get approval.

Brentwood School also had to win over the VA when the new Brentwood School athletic facility went in (much of Brentwood School is on property leased from the VA).

One way of smoothing things over was to invite veterans to use the pool and gym during hours when the students aren’t using the facilities.

All our schools – especially the private ones – have amazing facilities. I wonder if there is any way to get these schools to open their swimming pools, tennis courts, playing fields, gyms and meeting rooms to residents of Brentwood – especially in the summertime when things slow down for the schools.

While many in Brentwood live in mansions and own their own pools – or live in apartments with pools – many don’t. There is no obvious place for the non-pooled to go and swim. AYSO Soccer could surely use a few more playing fields in the area. Those who live in apartments especially might like a place to go picnic, since they don’t have big backyards.

Nearby residents often complain when schools upgrade their facilities and expand their enrollments. The fear is always that there will be more traffic. Or that the construction-related noise, dust and pollution will be too much to bear.

I’ve always thought these concerns are overblown, and that the community actually comes out ahead once things settle down. For example, Archer School helped finance the widening of Sunset at Barrington and improved the streetlights and crosswalks there.

While there is still a lot of traffic at that intersection – this is LA, after all – I think the improvements made a positive difference and that gridlock would be far worse had the improvements never been made.

But if local residents truly think they are put upon by Archer, Brentwood School and possibly others, maybe there’s a way the schools could give back by opening themselves up to local residents more.

If I live near a construction zone and don’t like it, if I get to swim in the pool or use the gym or the tennis courts once in a while for the next 20 years, maybe things aren’t so bad, after all.

Maybe our private schools could host lectures now and then that would be open only to the neighbors. We could turn these gatherings into social events. Instead of viewing nearby schools as a nuisance, local residents might instead be proud to live near such magnanimous neighbors.

We had something like this going at Brentwood Science Magnet School, at San

Vicente and Bundy for several years – the grounds were open on weekends – but then that sadly went away. Kenter Canyon Elementary and Paul Revere Junior High offer possibilities. We should talk about

opening these schools to the public more. Something to think about.

Got ideas of your own on this or other matters? Let’s discuss. Send me an email to jeffhall@mirrormediagroupla.com.

Photos: Jeff Hall

It was a full house at the BHA Annual Meeting.

There is a big underground parking lot beneath this playing field.

Karen Bass discussed progress being made finding shelter for the homeless, the result of “Inside Safe.”

LAFD Deputy Chief Richard Fields IV; LAPD Captain Craig Heredia; City Councilwoman Traci Park (CD11); Mayor Karen Bass; LA Supervisor Lindsey Horvath; BHA President Joel Ball; and BHA board member (and Secretary) Thelma Waxman. Congressman Brad Sherman hadn’t arrived yet when this photo was taken.

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National Charity League Westside Chapter Empowers Young Women With Panel Discussion at the Brentwood Country Club

March 12 panel featured panelists representing the fields of education, medicine, entrepreneurship, marketing and sports

By Sam Catanzaro

The National Charity League Westside Chapter’s Junior Class hosted a panel discussion of dynamic women in careers selected by NCL members at the Brentwood Country Club March 12.

This year’s event featured panelists representing the fields of education, medicine, entrepreneurship, marketing and sports.

The panelists for the event were: Julie Dau, Marketing Coordinator at Disney Music Group and Lifestyle Content Creator; Dana Gonzalez, Director of the Upper School

and Gender Studies teacher at Brentwood School; Cara Natterson, MD, Pediatrician, Consultant, New York Times bestselling author, and Co-Founder/CEO of Order of Magnitude (a company dedicated to flipping puberty positive); and Alec Spivack, Director of Partnership Strategy for the Los Angeles Rams, and sports enthusiast with an obsession for innovative and strategic marketing campaigns.

The event began with a skills session where tips and tricks were given on “how to network” and navigate the “art of a conversation.”

The Westside Ticktockers concluded segments networking with the NCL Westside Chapter’s very own Patronesses (NCL Westside moms) who have experience in a wide range of areas such as law, entertainment, journalism, jewelry design, sales, marketing, technology, non-profit/ government, entrepreneurship, interior design, and more.

The National Charity League Westside is a Non-Profit Organization that has over has

over 250 active members serving over 15 philanthropic partners across Los Angeles. The organization continues to encourage community service and volunteering opportunities for mothers and their daughters in grades 7-12. The NCL core program is for

mothers and their daughters, grades 7–12, to participate in a program that embraces philanthropy, leadership and culture. Members give back to the community while forming healthy, unforgettable bonds with their mothers.

Photos: Vivi Gerson

Large Tree Falls Narrowly Missing Brentwood Home

Luxury Brentwood

Chateau-Style Estate

Owned by Handbag

Designer Tyler Ellis Listed for $42 Million

Eucalyptus tree crushes car and grazes garage in Sunday morning incident

Residents of Brentwood had a narrow escape early in the morning March 26 when a large eucalyptus tree fell near a home and crashed into a neighbor’s yard.

The tree, which measured over 100 feet, narrowly missed the home on W. Bolas Street, but crushed a parked Jeep and grazed the roof of the garage. Luckily, the homeowner

reported no damage.

Neighbors reported hearing the tree fall at around 12:30 a.m., and the homeowner said he had been worried about the tree prior to the incident. It is unclear what caused the tree to go down, but recent heavy rains may have contributed to the incident.

While the fallen tree did not block the street or cause any power outages, neighbors are now concerned about other trees in the area and whether they need attention to prevent future incidents. Strong winds have been reported in Brentwood, including Sunday morning.

Fortunately, there were no injuries resulting from the incident.

By Dolores Quintana

Tyler Ellis, the daughter of fashion designer Perry Ellis and screenplay writer Barbara Gallagher, has put the mansion that she and her husband Benjamin Shriner have renovated for sale as reported by The Dirt. com. Originally they purchased the home for $12.3 million and now have placed an almost $30 million price tag on their French chateau-like property in one of the most envied neighborhoods in Brentwood.

It’s been six years since the purchase of the home which was constructed in 2005. The couple had the home fully customized and worked in tandem with the designer of the home William Hefner and the interior designer team of The Archers. The home has been enlarged within 11,800 square feet of living space to include six bedrooms and 10 bathrooms and an added “entertainment” house structure.

Aaron Kirman of AKG | Christie’s International Real Estate, who is the co-

listing agent with Morgan Trent, also of AKG, said, “This is a rare and exquisite estate that perfectly blends classical and contemporary styles. From the moment you step into Bristol Château, you are transported to a tranquil and lush European oasis in the heart of Brentwood Park. The details and design put in by William Hefner and The Archers make for a one-of-a-kind residence that embodies timeless elegance and sophistication.”

The home sits on a half-acre parcel of land that has enormous Cypress trees shading the property along with walls and gates for privacy. You can only enter the main, twostory house through a reeded glass entry that leads into a grand foyer. Who greets you in the foyer? A custom pink bear with fur made of feathers which was created by Paola Pivi, an Italian artist.

The gourmet kitchen has an overall color scheme of black and contains new bronze hardware and subway tiling with a La Cornue range. The formal dining room has a custom chandelier made by Studio Molen, a blue lacquered library, and upstairs a luxurious master bedroom with its den, dual baths and walk-in closets.

The second house aka the “entertainment house” on the property has three stories with nearly 5,000 square feet of space and has its speakeasy, movie theatre and a wine cellar made of limestone with 6,500 bottles of wine.

The terrace in the backyard is nearby the pool and spa, a garden, a bocce ball court and lounge areas. The couple is selling the house because they are looking for another project according to The Wall Street Journal.

Ellis is selling her stunning 6-bedroom, 10-bath Frenchinspired mansion in Brentwood, LA, for nearly $30 million more than what she bought it for in 2016

Photo: Anthony Barcelo

Brentwood Community Council Partners with LASAN and Volunteers to Promote Composting

100,000

Native Plants

Restored to Five Sites in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Final planting event held Saturday, March 25 at 9 a.m. for the park’s largest ever restoration project

By Sam Catanzaro

After two years of hard work, the largestever restoration project in the Santa Monica Mountains is finally reaching its end. The project, which aimed to restore 100,000 native plants to five sites in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, involved around 3,000 volunteers who spent a total of 7,000 hours participating.

to L.A.

at Brentwood Farmers Market with the Help of The Archer School for Girls

By Sam Catanzaro

On Sunday, March 5, the Brentwood Community Council (BCC) joined hands with the Los Angeles Sanitation and Environment (LASAN) and volunteers from The Archer School for Girls to distribute around 400 kitchen pails for composting to the residents of Los Angeles. The event took place at the Brentwood Farmers Market.

The BCC expressed its gratitude to the 12 volunteers from The Archer School for Girls.

“We were so thrilled with our student volunteers, and cannot thank them enough for spending their Sunday participating in community service!” the BCC said.

The event also welcomed a surprise visit from Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Park, who was accompanied by members from her office.

“We distributed more than 400 pails, and it was great to see so many people interested in composting and sustainability. Fun fact: The compost generated from these pails is used in our city parks! Let’s continue working together to make our city greener and keep food waste out of our landfills,” Park said.

The event aimed to spread awareness about composting and how it can help in reducing waste. The BCC urged the residents of L.A. to make use of the green bin for composting, which can now accommodate more than just yard clippings.

Funded by Snap, Inc., the Santa Monica Mountains Fund, and Re:wild, the project began in October 2021 and has seen the growth of 10,000 trees and 90,000 herbs and shrubs from locally collected seeds in the park’s Rancho Sierra Vista native plant nursery. The five project sites were all impacted by recent wildfires, including the Woolsey and Springs wildfires.

According to Joey Algiers, the restoration ecologist who has led the project, the planting strategy involved planting trees along riparian areas with perennial or seasonal creeks where water may exist underground. This not only creates critical habitat for a range of animals, including birds of prey, hawks, owls, bobcats, and mountain lions, but it also supports the

growth of native trees like coast live oaks, valley oaks, willows, elderberries, California black walnuts, and western sycamores. Additionally, the restoration of these sites is expected to improve the habitat of sensitive species, such as the grasshopper sparrow and the threatened monarch butterfly.

“Nobody’s doing this kind of work – at least on a collective scale,” Algiers said. “Through long-term monitoring, we discovered that we had lost about 100,000 riparian trees prior to the November 2018 Woolsey Fire. The reason for that includes prolonged drought and other wildfires.”

The final planting event was held on March 25 at Rancho Sierra Vista in Newbury Park, and saw around 30 high school students from East Los Angeles join dozens of other volunteers. According to Algiers, this project has brought together diverse people from all over the region and from all walks of life. He expressed his gratitude to the thousands of volunteers who made this restoration project a success.

Approximately 400 kitchen pails distributed

residents

Parents Raise $75K at Paul Revere Charter Middle School’s Annual Auction & Gala

More than 120 attendees come out for March 4 event

By Sam Catanzaro

Parents showed their support for the Paul Revere Charter Middle School’s recent annual auction and gala, raising over $75,000 to fund school improvements.

On Saturday evening, March 4th, parents gathered at the Annenberg Community Beach House to show their support for the Paul Revere Charter Middle School PRIDE Booster Club’s annual auction and gala. This year’s event was organized by Michelle Kelly and Cathy Burrell and had a “Revere by the Sea” theme.

More than 120 attendees were treated to a catered dinner from Marmalade Cafe, drinks, and entertainment. The auction included many local items such as eatery gift cards, Veronica Beard or LATE Clothing shopping tickets, a Little Market gift basket, Bay Theater tickets, and more from Palisades-based The Smoke Label.

‘The largest parent and school community fundraiser of the year, Revere By the Sea 2023 Auction & Gala, brought together parents, administrators and staff for an evening of great food, conversation and giving!” Paul Revere Middle School wrote in their latest newsletter following the event. “Thanks to all who helped bring the night to life, especially Cathy Burrell and Michelle Kelly, who chaired the event, and committee members Dorsai Garemani, Jennifer Dukum, Chaka Stewart, Stephanie Baker, Tammie Volk, Rose Boulos and Erika Ferestein. Also thanks to Bita Alishahi for the beautiful flowers and to Mr. Foxsen and Mr. Lafolette for hosting. Helping hands behind the scenes included Michelle Duff, Jessica Weisblum and Sharon Silver.”

Those lucky enough to participate took home experiences that ranged from stays at Casa Del Mar to skiing at Mountain High in Wrightwood to seeing Andrea Bocelli live at the Hollywood Bowl.

In total, over $75,000 was raised from the auction. These funds will go towards enhancing our school with smaller class sizes through hired auxiliaries, an up-to-date computer lab with coding and digital imaging capabilities, activities like the Literary

Anthology and Reflections Art Contest, security improvements, grounds maintenance

projects, aesthetic beautification initiatives and so much more.

Javier’s Attorneys Seek Dismissal From Lawsuit Over Fatal Shooting at Westfield Century City Mall

Restaurant seeks dismissal from liability in 2020 shooting

By Sam Catanzaro

Attorneys for Javier’s, an upscale Mexican restaurant located at the Westfield Century City mall, have filed court papers seeking dismissal of their client in a lawsuit brought forth by three young children of Ryan Deshane Givens Jr., who was fatally shot at the mall in 2020. Givens’ death occurred due to a confrontation with Brandon Hinton, who was arrested and later acquitted during a criminal trial. The suit names Javier’s, the mall, and Hinton as defendants.

In their court filing on Monday with Santa

Monica Superior Court Judge Mark Young, Javier’s lawyers argued that the restaurant had nothing to do with the fatal confrontation between Givens and Hinton.

According to the restaurant’s attorneys’ court papers, Hinton and Givens were present earlier in the evening when a fight broke out between Hinton’s girlfriend and another woman at Javier’s. Later on, Hinton was chased outside another restaurant where he was beaten and kicked on the ground before arming himself with a 9mm pistol. When Givens drove by and nearly ran over one of Hinton’s feet on Santa Monica Boulevard, prompting Hinton to kick at Givens’ car and curse at him. This led to multiple shots being fired by Hinton after Givens began running towards him while screaming “I’m going to kill you.”

The lawsuit alleges that Javier’s had an obligation to provide protection for Givens

after matters escalated outside the restaurant but the defense disagrees stating that there is no causal connection between the incident inside

incident.

matter will take place on

Javier’s and the separate shooting

A hearing on this

September 12.

Fox Studio Lot in Century City Set for $1.5 Billion Upgrade

Construction could begin in a few years, following the entitlement process.

By Sam Catanzaro

Fox Studio Lot, one of Hollywood’s most iconic movie factories, is set to undergo a $1.5 billion upgrade that will add new production facilities and change the skyline of Century City.

Fox Corp., which retained ownership of the lot after Walt Disney Co. purchased most of 21st Century Fox’s entertainment assets in 2019, submitted an amended plan to Los Angeles building officials on Wednesday. The proposal, dubbed “Fox Future,” includes the addition of office towers, soundstages, and other facilities used to make TV shows and movies, reflecting the high demand for stages in the streaming age. The plan would also bring a high-rise more than 30 stories tall on Avenue of the Stars that could be rented to tenants looking for upscale offices in Century City’s thriving market.

“The FOX Studio Lot is one of the most iconic and treasured production locations in

the history of entertainment and is a rich part of our history,” said Lachlan Murdoch, Executive Chair and CEO, Fox Corporation. “The FOX FUTURE project represents a long-term commitment to our industry, to our community, and to the City of Los Angeles.”

The project will overhaul the historic Fox Studio Lot, occupying 53 acres of Century City real estate, bounded by Pico Boulevard, Olympic Boulevard, and Avenue of the Stars. Plans call for the construction of nine new soundstages, bringing the total on the lot to 24, as well as production facilities and high-rise offices. Among the most visible changes to the campus are a proposed 24-story media campus, which would be located along the northern side of the lot toward Olympic Boulevard, and a taller 35-story building toward the northeast section of the Fox Studio lot adjacent to Avenue of the Stars, which will function as independent office space. Construction could begin in a few years, following the entitlement process.

The Fox Future plan is expected to generate nearly 8,800 jobs in Los Angeles County and $9 million in annual tax revenues, as well as $20 million in transportation mitigation fees. The plan also includes upgrades to existing facilities on the lot, including a historic preservation plan, seismic retrofits of older buildings, and a renovation of Fox Sports Studio

According to the Los Angeles Times, just 8.5 percent of Century City office space is currently unleased, less than half the 19 percent for the total Los Angeles market.

“Century City is one of the world’s most prestigious business districts, and home to global corporations, entertainment giants, and emerging entrepreneurs within steps of premium retail, dining, hotels, and ever improving public transit. In Century City today, particularly along Avenue of the Stars, there are few opportunities for new construction and office occupancy rates remain the among highest in Los Angeles,” Fox Corperation said in a press release. “With Fox Future, FOX could seek a development partner to transform the northeast portion of the Lot along Avenue of the Stars into a world class, state-of-the-art building with 35 floors of office above seven floors of parking. Designed to meet LEED-Platinum standards, it would further activate the Avenue with its new public plaza and provide convenient access to the much-anticipated Metro D-line and allow for both direct connection to the Lot and entirely independent office space. Demonstrating a significant investment in the City’s future, the proposed office building would be designed to attract a notable corporate presence and provide a new headquartering opportunity in Century City.”

Renderings: Fox Corp

The Fox Lot’s current vision is Fox Corporation’s second attempt at a new master plan in the last decade. Fox began laying the groundwork for what would have been 1.1-million-square-foot overhaul in late 2015, but the years since have seen many changes to Fox, including the sale of many of its assets to Disney and changes in demand for the industry as a whole.

Former Fairfax Resident Arrested for Alleged Multimillion-Dollar Frauds Targeting Members of Orthodox Jewish Community

Yossi Engel faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted

By Sam Catanzaro

A former Fairfax resident has been arrested on a criminal complaint alleging he defrauded investors, primarily members of the Orthodox Jewish community, by inducing them into investing millions of dollars in his security camera business and his purported real estate ventures in Israel.

According to the Justice Department, Yossi Engel, 35, who moved to Israel in March 2021 but temporarily returned to the Los Angeles area last month, is charged with one count of wire fraud.

Engel was arrested March 8 at Los Angeles International Airport as he was attempting to leave the country.

According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Engel orchestrated a scheme in which he made false representations and used forged documents to induce victims to make investments in and provide loans for iWitness Tech Inc., a Hancock Park-based security camera company and for properties Engel

falsely claimed to own and be developing in Israel.

Prosecutors say that from September 2018 to January 2021, Engel allegedly used his community relationships to defraud victims, who primarily came from the Orthodox Jewish communities in the Los Angeles and New York areas. Engel allegedly claimed to need money in the form of short-term loans with high rates of return for iWitness’ business operations, namely the purported purchase and installation of security cameras for its customers.

According to the Department of Justice, Engel offered short-term investments and loans in iWitness that ranged from $15,000 to $1.3 million. The investments and loans were for two weeks to six months and would purportedly provide investors with 10% to 60% annualized interest, according to the affidavit. Victims were duped, in part, by being shown copies of false and fraudulent invoices of work iWitness purportedly did with other companies.

“Engel told victims that iWitness was a large business with many clients, but in fact it did not have as much business as he claimed, and work was so slack that at times iWitness employees sat around waiting for work while Engel slept on a couch, the affidavit states.

In another part of the scheme, Engel allegedly also falsely claimed to own and be

developing real estate in Israel, telling victims that he needed money for redevelopment work, and falsely promising he would sell the properties and share the profits with investors,” the Department of Justice said in a press release. “Engel showed victims a video depicting himself socializing with the mayor of Bnei Brak, Israel, and claimed to have met with the mayor concerning Engel’s purported real estate deals in the city, the affidavit states.

But Engel did not have a close relationship with the mayor, and he did not discuss with the mayor these real estate ventures in the city, according to the affidavit.

Engel allegedly used fraudulent Israel land documents to dupe victims into thinking he owned these properties, prosecutors say. Through these fake documents and his own trusted position in the Orthodox Jewish community, Engel allegedly lulled existing victims and encouraged new victims to send him money.

Engel lied to investors that he needed private investments for both iWitness and the Israeli real estate projects because he was from Israel and did not have sufficient credit in the United States to obtain the lower interest rates available through U.S. banks, the affidavit states.

But, the affidavit alleges, Engel did not use the victims’ money as promised, and instead

used it for his personal expenses – including trips via private jets and casino visits – and to make Ponzi payments to investors to perpetuate the scheme.

Once the alleged scheme fell apart in early 2021, Engel fled the United States for Israel.

At this time, the FBI has identified losses of approximately $5 million. The federal criminal investigation is continuing.

If convicted, Engel would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

In January 2023, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission sued Engel, alleging he used his ties in the Orthodox Jewish community to perpetuate a multimillion-dollar million affinity fraud.

Federal Grand Jury Charges Man With Hate Crime and Firearms Offenses for Pico-Robertson Synagogue Shootings

28-year-old Jaime Tran faces up to life in prison following recent indictment

By Sam Catanzaro

A federal grand jury Friday returned a four-count indictment charging a man with hate crime and firearms offenses for allegedly shooting two Jewish men after they left synagogues in the Pico-Robertson area of Los Angeles last month.

According to the Department of Justice, Jaime Tran, 28, has been charged with two hate crime counts for willfully causing bodily injury and attempting to kill his victims. The grand jury Friday further charged Tran with two counts of discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.

Tran has been in federal custody since his February 17 arrest on a criminal complaint in this case. His arraignment is scheduled for March 9 in the United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

According to the indictment, Tran developed and espoused antisemitic beliefs and made violent threats toward Jewish people. For example, in 2018, Tran left dental school after making hate-filled statements about other students whom he perceived to be Jewish, the indictment states.

From August 2022 to December 2022, Tran’s antisemitic statements escalated and used increasingly violent language, including against a former classmate whom he repeatedly called and texted with messages such as “I want you dead, Jew. Someone is going to kill you, Jew,” and “Burn in an oven chamber,” the indictment alleges.

In November 2022, Tran allegedly emailed two dozen former classmates a flyer containing antisemitic propaganda, including

the statement, “EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF THE COVID AGENDA IS JEWISH.”

Tran allegedly acquired at least two firearms before the attacks and performed internet searches for “kosher markets” to learn about areas where Jewish people congregate.

According to prosecutors, around 9:45 a.m. on February 15, 2023, Tran allegedly drove to the Pico-Robertson neighborhood of Los Angeles, located an individual identified in the indictment as “Victim A,” who was wearing a black jacket and yarmulke and had just left religious services at a synagogue. Tran allegedly shot Victim A in the back at close range, intending to kill him, but Victim A, though wounded, survived.

The following morning, Tran returned to the Pico-Robertson area, intending to kill another Jewish person, according to the indictment. At approximately 8 a.m., Tran allegedly approached an individual wearing a dark-colored jacket and yarmulke and who is identified in the indictment as “Victim B.”

Tran, intending to kill Victim B, allegedly shot and wounded the victim, who survived the attack.

If convicted of all charges, Tran would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison for each hate crime count, and a maximum of life and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years for each firearm count.

Photo: Twitter Yossi Engel.

PR Agency DKC Opens

Flagship Office in Century City

DKC’s new west coast office boasts open-concept workspaces and highdesign meeting rooms

DKC, a public relations, digital communications, and content production agency, has opened a new flagship office on the West Coast. Located in Century City at 1801 Century Park East, the new space boasts open-concept workspaces, multiple high-design meeting rooms, a product showroom, a viewing lounge, a barista bar, 30-foot floor-to-ceiling glass walls, and a landscaped outdoor terrace. This new office replaces DKC’s previous West Hollywood location, where the company had been situated for ten years. The move is attributed to DKC’s expansion and growth across multiple sectors, including music, TV, film, talent, consumer brands, culture, sports/ esports, technology, social media, influencer, and event production.

DKC President Sean F. Cassidy explained that “DKC’s Los Angeles practice has experienced exponential growth across multiple sectors,” adding that the “L.A.-centric ecosystem of entertainment, technology, and consumer brands has evolved tremendously since 2020.”

The L.A. office is led by Executive Director Wendy Zaas and built by industry veterans who specialize in the intersection of talents

Los Angeles City Council Upholds Approval of Sawtelle Residential Development

and brands. DKC’s other divisions include DKCulture, DKC Sports, and HangarFour, which steer campaigns, creative and content development, event production, digital strategy, and influencer marketing.

DKC, founded in 1991, has its headquarters in New York and additional offices in San Francisco, Miami, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Denver. The agency’s expansion into the West Coast market is aimed at tapping into the thriving entertainment and consumer brand sectors of Los Angeles.

“For the past five years, we’ve driven significant growth propelling us to this exciting moment with the grand opening of DKC Los Angeles’ new creative hub,” Zaas told the Hollywood Reporter. “We’ve assembled a bestin-class powerhouse of passionate, talented professionals who continue to deliver brilliant communications strategy and storytelling, making DKC the best choice among entertainment and consumer brands.”

Neighboring homeowner’s appeal rejected, entitlements remain in place for proposed 27-apartment project

Los Angeles City Council has recently confirmed the approval of a proposed multifamily residential development project located at 2456-2460 S. Purdue Avenue. Despite efforts by a neighboring homeowner to challenge the project’s entitlements, the council decided to reject her appeal and uphold the development’s approval.

The project, which is set to replace two single-family homes, is being developed by Amir Mehdizadeh of Camden Holdings, LLC, based in Beverly Hills. The proposed development calls for the construction of a five-story building that will feature 27 apartments above a single level of subterranean parking. The entitlements issued by the Planning Department in July 2022 have utilized Transit Oriented Communities incentives to permit

increased floor area and density above the property’s base zoning rights. In return, three apartments have been designated for extremely low-income affordable housing.

Designed by Bittoni Architects, the proposed development is depicted in a rendering as a contemporary low-rise structure that centers on an open-air atrium. Other planned features include a recreation room, central courtyard, gym, and a rooftop deck.

UCLA Health Receives $25.3 Million for Street Medicine Program Caring for Homeless

management and communication systems allowing UCLA Health and other street medicine teams to coordinate care provided to unhoused people. This is important for continuity of treatment.

patient needs

By Sam Catanzaro

The UCLA Health Homeless Healthcare Collaborative has received a $25.3 million, two-year state grant to expand access and enhance coordination of medical and behavioral health care provided to people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles.

The grant will fund new equipment and staff, including community health workers to assess patient needs, identify barriers to care and expand access to a variety of services in collaboration with other caregivers, social service agencies, health plans and the state.

Funding from the California Department of Health Care Services will also be used to develop and implement records

“We are grateful for the state’s support of our effort to leverage partnerships and provide high-quality, equitable health care to a highly underserved population,” said Johnese Spisso, president of UCLA Health and CEO of the UCLA Hospital System. “We’re eager to build on our considerable progress with the UCLA Health Homeless Healthcare Collaborative, a program that reflects our broader commitment to improving community health by providing care outside the walls of our hospitals and clinics.”

The grant is part of California’s effort to transform Medi-Cal, the state’s version of Medicaid, the federal government’s public health insurance program for those with limited income. The state effort, known as CalAIM, emphasizes preventive, personalized medicine and greater coordination among a network of health partners providing equitable care.

“This visionary state grant will exponentially expand our coordinated

efforts to meet the health care and wellness needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness,” said Dr. Medell Briggs-Malonson, chief of Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at UCLA Health, emergency department physician and co-executive sponsor of the Homeless Healthcare Collaborative.

The UCLA Health Homeless Healthcare Collaborative – made possible by philanthropic support –launched in early 2022 with two specially equipped mobile health vans traveling to encampments, shelters and other locations to provide free preventive, primary and urgent medical care, medical screenings and referrals to social services. Last year, the mobile vans recorded 6,000 encounters with unhoused patients and provided medications more than 1,500 times.

Four additional vans will be deployed soon, thanks to a $592,000 grantfrom a federal community projects funding program, sponsored by Rep. Ted Lieu, D-CA.

The UCLA Health Homeless Healthcare Collaborative provides free care to those who may not otherwise have access. The program also increases efficient use of

resources; about 85% of UCLA Health emergency room visits made by people experiencing homelessness are due to primary- or urgent-care conditions that could be prevented or treated in the community, or the need for social services.

As part of the new state grant designed to enhance coordination, UCLA Health is planning to contract with Medi-Calmanaged care health plans with whom it already has relationships, including L.A. Care and HealthNet.

The grant will fund new equipment and staff, including community health workers to assess

Photo: Chris Flynn Last year, the collaborative’s vans recorded 6,000 encounters with unhoused patients and provided medications more than 1,500 times

Rendering: Bittoni Architects

Photo: Courtesy of DKC