Elderly Pair Evicted in War Over Property

Even as 73-year-old Jessie Davis was looking for a lawyer Wednesday morning to help in a problem with her landlord, trucks rumbled down the 1900 block of Rimpau Boulevard in Mid-City with eviction orders from landlord William Little.

Unlike Little’s dispute earlier this month with ailing big band leader Woody Herman, who was unable to pay his rent, Davis is willing and--on her Social Security income--able to pay.

In Davis’ case, she is caught in the middle of a legal battle between two investment companies over the property, and she is now one of the casualties of that dispute, according to her attorney, Michael Feuer of Bet Tzedek Legal Services.

And so, after a three-hour standoff Wednesday with police, members of Councilman Nate Holden’s staff, irate neighbors and Feuer, workers began loading the trucks.

Davis and her roommate, 62-year-old Earl Renfroe, were out on the street with just the clothes they could carry. Their household goods were being taken to an undisclosed location.

“There go the sharks,” Davis said as the eviction crew set about its work.

Police Sgt. Paul Mock, called to the scene by concerned neighbors, said the eviction papers appeared to be in order and he would not halt the action. Davis and Renfroe said they had never been served with any other legal papers.

“The lawful steps clearly have not been gone through here,” Feuer said, but he was powerless to stop the eviction.

The complicated case began Aug. 16, when Little showed up at Davis’ door and said that rent checks should now be sent to him. For the last two years she had been sending the rent to the Cashman Investment Co., Davis said in an interview Wednesday on the lawn of her home.

Davis has long lived in the Mid-City area and is a block captain for the Neighborhood Watch program.

Not knowing who Little was, or if he did own the property, Davis asked Cashman Investment who should get the monthly rent of $650. Davis said Cashman told her to not make payment to anyone until the matter was settled. Attempts Wednesday afternoon to reach Cashman officials were unsuccessful.

On Sept. 9, Davis came home to find the locks changed. The next day, she sent mailgrams to both Little and Cashman asking that there be a resolution, Feuer said.

On Saturday, an eviction crew showed up without warning, according to Davis, and tried to move her out. Neighbors quickly took up a collection and gave $500 to crew leader Robert Sanchez to buy a reprieve. Sanchez acknowledged receiving the money.

“I guess that reprieve expired,” said Feuer.

Legal Battle

According to the eviction papers, Little won title to the property from Cashman in August. The judgment apparently ended a six-year legal battle over the property.

Little, who owns hundreds of Southland properties, said Davis “absolutely refused to pay me . . . so I had no alternative. I’ve had too much of this lady. Enough is enough.”

Little added that he feels sorry about the situation, but added that Davis’ problems were “largely her own fault.”

Little ended eviction proceedings against Herman earlier this month, after fans volunteered to pay his back rent and guarantee payments of future rent.

Bought at Auction

Little came to Los Angeles from Canada in 1966. He began to buy property in 1972, often in low-income areas and in foreclosure, according to court testimony he gave in a 1982 civil court case in La Habra. He bought the Herman property in 1985 at an Internal Revenue Service auction.

In the 1982 case, where he lost a $290,000 judgment for reneging on the sale of property, Little testified that in 10 years he amassed 351 properties, worth $17 million and netting him $88,000 a month.

Davis, who had to retire from her job as a domestic in 1978 because of arthritis, and Renfroe, a retired race track worker, said they planned to stay with family and neighbors Wednesday night.

Their immediate concern was to find out where their belongings have been taken and begin actions to get them back.

Davis and Renfroe said they have life savings of about $1,000 each and were worried that they may not have enough money to get a new apartment because of the required deposits and moving expenses.