Japanese billionaire Gensiro Kawamoto filed a lawsuit in federal court in Honolulu yesterday against property management company CB Richard Ellis alleging mismanagement of 642 rental units in Sacramento and Santa Rosa, Calif. Kawamoto sues real
estate managersBy Leila Fujimori
lfujimori@starbulletin.comThe suit alleges that CB Richard Ellis Inc. failed to make repairs to protect the properties, and to forward repair requests from tenants to Kawamoto's Hawaii representative, attorney Carol Asai-Sato.
Kawamoto contends the company, a Delaware corporation, failed to inspect the properties, including the front lawns once a week, and failed to provide notice to tenants of any damage or problems and to report such problems to Asai-Sato.
The company also failed to refund tenants' security deposits within the 21-day period required by law, the complaint said.
The complaint also blamed the company for failing to comply with other statutory requirements, causing Kawamoto to be penalized for violating housing, health and safety codes.
Kawamoto is seeking to recover damages allegedly resulting from the company's acts or omissions.
In February, Kawamoto put up for sale about 60 Oahu rental homes and condominiums and about 570 rentals in California, saying he needed cash for a deal in Japan and the mainland. Many of those homes are in disrepair.
On April 29, Kawamoto settled a lawsuit that accused him of keeping 149 Santa Rosa rental homes in disrepair.
The suit alleged that between Feb. 6 and Feb. 11, lease termination and 30-day eviction notices were sent to tenants, informing them that Kawamoto intended to sell the premises and go out of the rental business.
After public outcry, he gave tenants until June to move out.
The Sonoma County district attorney's office said it suspected Kawamoto tried to evict tenants in Santa Rosa and Sacramento after they began to complain about excessive mold in their homes, causing health problems.
CB Richard Ellis Hawaii Inc., a wholly owned Hawaii corporation, has not been sued, although it is affiliated with the parent company named in the suit.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.