Latest news with #SweetJames
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
California homeowner accuses squatters of burning down home while family was still inside
It's a cautionary tale for mobile-home owners everywhere. A Fresno, CA, family is homeless after a fire destroyed their trailer in the early hours following July 4. Victor Solorzano shared the home, located in a mobile-home park, with his wife, two young children, and father-in-law. Now, there's little left. In speaking with local news outlet KSEE24, Solorzano shared how he managed to get his family out before the fire engulfed the home. He also shared his suspicions about the cause of the incident: squatters. Now, the question becomes: How does a mobile-home owner like Solorzano rebuild—and who is responsible for the damages? The problem with squatters When asked how the fire started, Solorzano said he believed a group of homeless individuals who had set up camp in the park were to blame. Victor Solorzano, a California resident, shared a mobile home with his wife, two young children, and father-in-law, and the trailer was destroyed due to a fire on July 4, according to reports. GoFundMe 'There's always squatters. The property managers are always, you know, trying to get them away, but they always just seem to keep coming back,' he said. He found the squatters' belongings right beside his home shortly after the fire, he added. Meanwhile, Fresno fire officials told the outlet that the incident is being ruled accidental. They confirmed the fire began on a pile of items nearby that then spread to Solorzano's trailer. However, they could not determine exactly what ignited the fire. In California, evicting squatters can be a complicated process. State Sen. Bob Archuleta sponsored a law, which was passed in 2024, allowing property owners to file a 'no trespass' notice with local police. This gave law enforcement the authority to respond and remove squatters, though it doesn't prevent them from returning. However, in California, squatters have legal protections that prevent their immediate removal from a property. Before you can evict a squatter, you must first serve them with an eviction notice or notice to quit, as outlined in California Civil Code Section 1007. If a squatter occupies your property and refuses to leave, they may invoke squatters rights—and in some cases, even attempt to file an adverse possession claim, which allows someone who openly occupies and uses property without the owner's permission, for a certain period of time, to potentially gain legal ownership of that property. Rebuilding without insurance Adding to the family's challenges is the fact that, while they owned the trailer, they rented the land it sat on—and Solorzano said he didn't have renters' insurance. 'Right now, our most urgent needs are finding temporary housing and replacing basic clothing and essentials,' he wrote on the family's GoFundMe page. Owning a mobile home but renting the land is a 'quite common' arrangement in California, according to Brooke Bremmer, an attorney specializing in property and habitability law at Sweet James. However, it would've behooved Solorzano to get that renters' insurance, since the park's policy does not cover everything. 'The park's insurance generally covers liability and common areas, while the individual's policy insures the home itself,' she explains. Moreover, if the family had insurance, all of their home would've likely been covered. 'Most homeowners' insurance policies are structured to cover losses caused by fire, regardless of who started it (assuming it was not the homeowner's intentional act or otherwise excluded, like war or nuclear hazard),' Bremmer says. 'This means that even if a fire was caused by squatters, the homeowner would typically be able to file a claim and receive compensation under their policy.' Still, the mobile park owners might potentially be liable for the fire, and considering the family didn't have insurance, that's important. 'If the mobile-home park owners or managers knew that squatters posed a risk and failed to take reasonable steps to secure the premises, such as failing to maintain fences, gates, or patrols, they could be found negligent,' Bremmer says. 'Under California law, landowners have a duty to take reasonable steps to secure property and prevent foreseeable harm (Civil Code 1714, general negligence standards). If squatters were a known, ongoing issue, the park might have breached a duty.' Additionally, if the mobile-park owners alerted city authorities and nothing was done about it, another avenue to explore would be a government claim. Bremmer concedes, though, that these are 'hard to prove and subject to claims presentation requirements within six months.'
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
7 Home Hazards You Should Never Ignore
There's plenty of danger lurking the second you step outside your house. But what about the dangers lurking inside your home? There are many hidden hazards you might not even be aware of. These dangers can lead to injury, cost you money, or worse, cause serious long-term health issues. The good news? These risks don't have to remain a mystery. We asked the experts to weigh in. Here are the top home hazards you may be overlooking, but should never ignore. While you might just think of mold as that black stuff that shows up in your shower when you don't turn the fan on—and that goes away with bleach—mold exposure is truly dangerous. According to Sabrina Solt, NMD, it is one of the biggest hazards in your home. 'Mold isn't just gross—it's a serious health disruptor. Long-term exposure has been linked to brain fog, fatigue, respiratory issues, and gut dysbiosis.' So, how can you tell if your home has mold? 'Mold loves moisture, darkness, and poor ventilation,' says Solt. 'Common hiding spots include under sinks, behind drywall after leaks, inside HVAC systems, around window frames, in basements, and under carpets. Even your washing machine seal can harbor mold if not cleaned regularly.' Keep in mind that once you've identified the source, it will likely require professional remediation. Note that if you're a renter, it's likely your landlord is required to cover any costs involved in mold removal, according to Brooke Soliz Bremmer, ESQ, habitability attorney with Sweet James. While seeing an occasional bug is unpleasant, chronic infestations can be deleterious to your health. 'Rats, mice, cockroaches, and bedbugs don't just make life uncomfortable—they carry disease and trigger asthma and allergies,' warns Bremmer. So, if these unwelcome guests keep coming back (even if you set out traps), it's crucial to call in an exterminator. Was there a recent hailstorm, or did your neighbor's kid crack your window during backyard baseball practice? While this is certainly inconvenient, you need to replace that broken window as soon as possible. 'Broken windows or unsecured entry points are security risks, but can allow in moisture, pests, or prevent proper ventilation,' notes the attorney. Did you recently move into an older home filled with charm? It could also be filled with a major health hazard: lead from old paint. 'Lead-based paint is common in buildings built before 1978. Lead dust from chipping paint is toxic, especially for children, causing developmental delays and neurological damage,' Bremmer explains. While you might not think much of this because the home has likely been painted many times since lead paint was banned in 1978, layers of paint can crack or chip, exposing you and your family to lead dust. So, if your paint is looking a little old, think of this as the perfect excuse to give your home a fresh coat. The presence of asbestos itself isn't dangerous, but Bremmer tells me, when disturbed by leaks, repairs, or renovations, the fibers can become airborne and cause long-term lung damage or even cancer. 'This material is often found in popcorn ceilings or insulation in buildings pre-1980.' So, keep this in mind whether you are doing something minor like installing a ceiling fan or something major like a gut renovation of your kitchen. If your home has asbestos, you cannot do these DIYs yourself, and you will need to call in pros for asbestos remediation. Are you a renter? Your landlord is required to inform you, per EPA and OSHA guidelines, if there is asbestos behind your walls. Old carpet is unattractive, but you might not realize it can also be quite dangerous. Bremmer suggests replacing it if you have health issues. 'Old carpet with a dust mite or allergen buildup can trigger asthma, eczema, or allergy flare-ups. This is especially common in long-term rentals where carpets aren't replaced.' If that isn't in your budget, having a professional deep-clean your carpets can help until you are able to replace them. You might not give a second thought to what type of outlets you have, but ungrounded outlets can be very problematic, reveals Bremmer. 'Especially in older buildings, these outlets can cause electrical shock or appliance damage. Not having grounded outlets near water (bathroom/kitchen) is also a major oversight.' So, how do you know if an outlet is grounded? It's easy—grounded outlets have Test and Reset buttons. If those are missing, the outlet isn't grounded. Read the original article on Real Simple
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Inside Diddy's 'toxic strategy' to get out of human trafficking charges
After Sean ' Diddy ' Combs' trial wrapped up its second day, is taking a look at the 'toxic' legal strategy that the disgraced hip-hop mogul may be taking in hopes of avoiding conviction on the most serious charges filed against him. According to a top legal analyst, the 55-year-old rapper may be attempting to admit to lesser crimes that could be charged in court in hopes of avoiding more serious sex-trafficking and racketeering charges filed against him in federal court. As Diddy's alleged strategy may be coming into focus, day two of his trial in federal court in New York City featured shocking testimony from his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, 38, in which she divulged the names of Diddy's associates who allegedly helped arrange his infamous 'freak off' sex parties. Speaking exclusively to Bobby Taghavi, Legal Expert and Managing Partner of the Sweet James law firm, explained why the defendant may be admitting to a history of 'domestic abuse' in his relationship with Cassie. ' Given the volume of video evidence, testimony, and public allegations, the defense's decision to acknowledge Sean 'Diddy' Combs' history of violence — particularly acts of domestic abuse — comes as no surprise,' he said. According to Taghavi, Diddy may be willing to risk the possibility of future charges in hopes of getting out of the more serious crimes he is accused of. He said the defense's strategy 'appears to be a calculated effort to get ahead of the most damaging evidence and to frame those acts as issues that may warrant state-level domestic violence charges, rather than the far more serious federal charges of racketeering conspiracy and human trafficking that carry significantly harsher penalties.' Taghavi says Diddy's legal team appears to be trying to paint Cassie and other alleged victims' involvement in his freak offs as consensual choices they made by suggesting they may have craved the access they received to 'travel, sex, drug use' and 'fame and luxury.' 'The strategy is to recast these events as toxic but voluntary relationships,' Taghavi continued. 'The defense will argue that the women were not forced or trafficked, but rather participated willingly in a high-profile, if dysfunctional, environment.' However, the attorney thinks the federal prosecutors trying Diddy will have to navigate the overwhelming din of the record executive's fame and the 'complex personal dynamics' involving him if they hope to prove that Cassie and other alleged victims had more than just a 'series of unhealthy relationships.' 'They will need to show that Combs operated a deliberate, structured system of exploitation — one that qualifies under the legal standards for racketeering and human trafficking. 'That distinction is critical, and threading that legal needle will be the central battle of this case,' Taghavi said. Cassie, who was heavily pregnant when she took the stand to testify, was seen Tuesday in the presence of her ex for the first time since 2018, when she attended the funeral of another of his exes, Kim Porter, who was the mother of three of Combs' children. Cassie, who teared up and dabbed at her eyes with tissues during her testimony, described under oath the alleged routines of Diddy's freak off parties. She alleged that he had a 'wet' fetish, hence his reported obsession with baby oil. She claimed the sex parties, in which she was allegedly forced to have sex with male escorts, began with her getting covered in oil, before she and the escort would touch each other sexually, followed by performing oral sex that would escalate to penetrative intercourse. 'First sex act, masturbating and looking at each other — I would be looking at the escort and they would be looking at me. I would describe what I saw in detail. That is what turned [Combs] on… his fantasy,' she said on the witness stand. 'It was always awkward… sitting describing someone's penis to another male was pretty awkward and humiliating but eventually it became normal. It would lead to intercourse.' Cassie alleged that Diddy and the male escorts would sometimes have sex with her in the same session, or the rapper would have her perform oral sex on him while an escort was having sex with her. At other times, he would only watch her and an escort have sex. According to Cassie, the male escorts would only ejaculate if given the OK from Diddy, whom she referred to by his first name, Sean. She said under oath that Diddy required her to be covered in baby oil at freak offs, before having sex with male escorts. She alleged that he sometimes joined in, but at other times he only watched; pictured in 2012 in LA Daniel Phillip, 41, (pictured in a courtroom sketch) claimed on Monday that he worked as a male escort and had sex with Cassie at freak offs. The defense tried to attack his credibility after he said he would not ask her for money afterward, and would sometimes go unpaid She alleged that she would then have to take some of the escorts' semen into another room, where Diddy had been watching their sex acts, and put it 'on his chest, on his nipples.' Cassie also claimed that any escort who ejaculated without Diddy's permission would be paid less at the conclusion of the party. On Monday, Daniel Phillip, a male escort, also testified in Diddy's trial, claiming that he was a part of some of Diddy's freak offs. Diddy's lawyers tried to go after his credibility during cross-examination after Phillip said he sometimes went without payment after his encounters with Cassie. 'In my head, I was just excited I was in this world and happy to be involved with people of such notoriety,' he said.
