City places $20,560 lien on motel

BARSTOW • The owner of a Barstow motel that was damaged in a fire in 2006 and deemed by the city to be unsafe in August unsuccessfully pleaded with city councilmembers to forego placing a $20,560 lien on his property.

Irfan Khan, owner of Brant’s Motel at 921 East Main Street, told councilmembers at a protest hearing Monday he has found someone willing to purchase and rehabilitate the property, and a lien on the motel could jeopardize the sale.

According to city officials, Khan failed to make repairs after the fire and the property was allowed to deteriorate. The $20,560.12 Khan owes is what the city paid to bring the motel up to city building codes. Even though the Council unanimously approved the lien, that doesn’t prevent Khan from selling the motel, according to City Spokesman John Rader.

Khan purchased the motel in 2004 through a $260,000 loan from Hanmi Bank, based out of Los Angeles, bank representative Joseph Woo told councilmembers.

A fire damaged approximately half the motel in July 2006. According to Khan, his insurance company said it would cost between $700,000 to $800,000 to rebuild the damaged part of the motel. Khan was only insured for $400,000, he said. Since then the motel has been broken into multiple times, Khan said. The motel has been closed since the end of 2007. Khan has also owned homes in Hesperia and Lenwood. Both have been foreclosed upon, he said.

“I cannot pay,” Khan said, referring to the debt he owes the city. “I’m writing my paycheck to buy food for my kids. I don’t have anything to save.”

The city began official nuisance abatement proceedings in April. According to City Manager Richard Rowe, Khan showed up to the first abatement hearing, but not the second hearing. Rowe ordered Bob Cooper, the city’s building official, to start abatement through a city-paid contractor at the second hearing, according to Rader. The city paid to board up the motel and install a fence. It also charged Khan for the labor as well as legal fees. The city has no plans to foreclose on the lien at this time, Rader said.

The potential buyer, an unidentified owner of a nearby motel, is willing to purchase the property for $120,000 cash, according to Woo. The sale is currently in escrow. Woo requested the Council to waive the lien, saying otherwise escrow may not close. Khan and Woo maintain the quickest way for the city to recover the money it spent on the motel is to let the buyer purchase it.

During the hearing, Councilman Willie Hailey Sr. asked Khan if he contacted the city’s Redevelopment Agency for help when he was in trouble. Khan said he talked to the city manager and the mayor, as well as Cooper. No one mentioned city assistance through the Redevelopment Agency, Khan said.

Barstow Mayor Joe Gomez said if the potential buyer can afford to pay $120,000 cash, he can afford the $20,560 debt. Khan, who was unwilling to divulge the name of the buyer, said the buyer was shocked when he learned the city was placing a lien on the property.

Councilman Timothy Silva said it would be unfair for the new owner to assume the $20,560 debt and that it’s the client’s responsibility to have proper insurance on the property.   

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4123 or jcejnar@desertdispatch.com