Tenants win county, city health inspections at Chesapeake Apartments in Baldwin Hills

Tenants in the Baldwin Hills area are declaring victory after getting county officials inspect the conditions of their apartments.

The residents of the Chesapeake Apartments rallied Monday after finally convincing the Los Angeles County Health Department and Los Angeles City Code Enforcement to conduct inspections of the 425-unit building, located on Obama Blvd. in the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw area. Tenants allege a growing list of slum-like conditions, including mold, rats, broken tubs and showers.

"We're excited they're going to look at all 425 units and people are welcoming the inspectors to come in and do their job," activist Sergio Vargas said. "But we also want to make sure that people are getting relocated, and also that the workers that Pama's hiring are contracted, they have licenses to do their job."

In recent months, tenants have turned to LA City Hall for help. They say broken pipes are spewing raw sewage into the building, and faulty heaters are causing carbon monoxide poisoning. Several tenants say they've been forced to go to the hospital for health problems they've suffered while living at the complex.

Tenants say Pama Properties, which manages the complex, have delayed proper repairs for their apartments.