LOS ANGELES : Officials Admit Mistake in OK of Home Demolition

City officials admitted Tuesday that they made a mistake in issuing a demolition permit for a 19th-Century home in the historical St. James district, saying they were misled by the owner.

Arthur Devine of the Building and Safety Department said there were a “number of factors” that led his office to grant Chris Carbonel a demolition permit for the Hodgman House at 2377 Scarff St. Devine said departmental foul-ups and Carbonel’s misrepresentation of the case contributed to the confusion over the permit.

Carbonel, a Torrance developer who wants to build low-income housing on the site, filed for a demolition permit after the April riots, claiming the house had been damaged during the violence. However, Devine said the damage was not riot-related.

Although he said he has frequently had problems with “squatters” at the house, Carbonel contends the damage was the result of the riots. A wrecking crew had begun to tear down the house two weeks ago but was stopped by angry neighbors and a city official, who put a hold on the demolition. The City Council agreed Tuesday to extend the hold for 30 days to study the case.