Los Angeles, California – California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a sweeping lawsuit Thursday against Southern California landlord Mike Nijjar, accusing him, his family members, and associated companies of widespread tenant abuse across thousands of rental properties concentrated in the region’s poorest neighborhoods.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, stems from a more than two-year investigation by the California Department of Justice. It paints a damning portrait of Nijjar’s business practices, alleging that his companies — operating under the name PAMA Management — maintained unsafe, unsanitary conditions in thousands of rental units while systematically violating state housing and anti-discrimination laws.
Nijjar is believed to control more than 22,000 rental units throughout Southern California, making him one of the largest private landlords in the state. Many of these properties are concentrated in low-income neighborhoods, where residents often have few housing alternatives. According to the lawsuit, PAMA’s properties have long been plagued by leaking roofs, mold, vermin infestations, and raw sewage — issues that have persisted despite repeated tenant complaints and multiple lawsuits…