LAGUNA BEACH, CA – Today, the City of Laguna Beach rescinded most of the Summary Abatement Determination and Order issued May 3 to close Hotel Laguna and 14 West in the interest of public safety, and allowed the investor group for both establishments access to and occupancy of the hotel businesses and to resume operations as of May 5, 2023.

Yesterday and this morning, the Orange County Superior Court heard an application by the investor group for a temporary restraining order.  The Court has issued a Temporary Restraining Order prohibiting Mo Honarkar and all those acting on his behalf or in concert with him from coming within 200 feet of the two hotels as well as some other business properties in dispute between the parties.  The TRO is in effect until May 30, 2023, at which time the Court will consider whether to grant a preliminary injunction to continue the same relief.

On the basis of the court’s order, the representation in the City Manager’s Summary Abatement Determination and Order of the intent to terminate the closures at such time that the threat to public health and safety no longer exists, and receipt of certain written acknowledgments from the investor group, the City will be rescinding most of the Summary Abatement Determination and Order and will allow the investor group access to and occupancy of the two hotel businesses to resume operations.  Those acknowledgments are:

1. Any onsite security personnel will be unarmed.  The investor group understands that the City reserves the right to issue a renewed Summary Abatement Determination and Order if this condition is violated.
2. The investor group understands that the access and occupancy issues may need to be revisited by the City following and depending on the Court’s ruling on the request for a preliminary injunction that is currently set for May 30, 2023.
3. The investor group understands that the City reserves its right to bill and recover its costs incurred in connection with the summary abatement action; and that notwithstanding the partial rescission of the Summary Abatement Determination and Order, the City also reserves the right to bill and recover its costs hereafter incurred in connection with any further or additional nuisance conditions at the subject properties.

On Tuesday, May 2, 2023, Laguna Beach Police responded to several separate disturbances: first at boutique hotel 14 West in the morning, then at Hotel Laguna in the afternoon, and again later at 14 West in the evening. At both locations, Police responded to trespassing claims and a physical altercation occurring between two different security teams reportedly armed with firearms as part of an ongoing civil dispute over operating and management authority at the hotel properties. In the interest of public safety, Laguna Beach City Manager Shohreh Dupuis issued a summary nuisance abatement order May 3, 2023, to close hotels 14 West and Hotel Laguna immediately due to unsafe conditions and to protect the health and safety of the public.

Laguna Beach Police, in coordination with City staff, will be implementing steps to allow the two businesses to reopen this afternoon.