FRESNO: The judgment hit Tina and Praful Patel, immigrants from India pursuing the American dream, between the eyes.
She cried. He was speechless. Hookers women in short, tight skins, loose blouses and black nylons had cost them ownership of Palm Court Inn in Fresno.
The city of Fresno on Jan.21 gave the Patels 21 days to sell their motel because police say the two ignored repeated warnings not to rent rooms to prostitutes and drug dealers.
“They are out of business in Fresno,” said James Katen, chief deputy city manager. “Hopefully, they have enough time to sell it” Katen informed the Patels of the judgment at City Hall after their lawyer, Curtis B.Smith, met with city and police officials. About 40 tenants and neighbors of the Patcls went to City Hall anticipating a public hearing in which they could lodge their support or protest of the Patels” business.
“This is not fair,” said Tina Patel, wiping tears from her check. “We worked our whole life to buy the motel and in one day they took it away. We never had a chance.”
According to police, the strip is infested with drug users and prostitutes who rent motel rooms to coaccal their illicit trade. “That’s the No.1 area for calls for service,” police specialist Robert Wallert said. “In a year’s time, there were 1,973 calls.”
He said the Palm Court Inn was targeted because the Patels continued to rent rooms to prostitutes and drug dealers.
To support the case, undercover officers posed as prostitutes and rented rooms from the Patels, he said. Their conversations were recorded by hidden microphones.
“We are very happy.” said Beth Caffrey, who nuns the Neighborhood Watch program in that area. “Police have made a difference.”
“Yeah, but what happens to us?” asked Bill Reinhardt, who lives at the Palm Court Inn with his wife, Laurel. “That was our home, Are we going to be thrown out on the streets?” No, you can get housing assistances from the EOG Economic Opportunities Commission],” Wallert said. “We’re not trying to throw anyone out.”
The Reinhardts and other tenants said the Patels were good owners who tried to rid the complex of prostitutes and drug dealers. He also feared that if the motel were left vacant, it would become A largest of vandals.
“They will break in and destroy the place, and it will never be sold,” he said.
Tenant Charles Ferguson also said he felt sorry for the Patels because they made an honest effort to run a legitimate motel.
There are children living here, disabled people living here and people one step away from being homeless,” he said. “Patel and Tina have tried to run the prostitutes of, but they keep coming back.”
He said a convenience store next to the motel draws the prostitutes, and an open field behind the motel is the parking lot of bigng track drivers, many of whom pay for SCX. _ It seems like the Puatels are being blamed because it’s the easiest solution,” he said.
The Patels said they purchased the Palm Court Inn last spring.
Although they hired Sisk to defend them, the Patels said they couldn’t afford a long legal battle with the city because they will lose their only income the motel in 21 days.
“We were discriminated against because of our nationality,” said Tina Patel, who lives at the motel with her husband and two children.
“Shh,” her husband said. “We don’t want any more trouble.” “It’s the truth,” she said.
(Courtesy Pablo Lopez, Fresno Bee)
Article extracted from this publication >>
