In a gripping legal battle that has unfolded in the heart of San Francisco, two individuals have filed a lawsuit against multiple trustees and owners of a hotel, alleging severe negligence and misconduct. The complaint was lodged by Anita Mason and Calvin Barron on October 2, 2024, in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, targeting Barrett I. Lucero and others associated with the Cable Car Hotel.
The plaintiffs, Anita Mason and Calvin Barron, accuse the defendants—Barrett I. Lucero as trustee of his living trust; Diana H. Levin and Evan Ben-Artzi as trustees of the Ben-Artiz Levin Family Trust; Jonathan M. Levin and Ariel R. Schulman as trustees of the Levin Family 2017 Trust—of gross negligence resulting in bed bug infestations at their rented hotel rooms at Cable Car Hotel. The lawsuit outlines five causes of action: negligence related to premises liability, nuisance, intentional infliction of emotional distress, breach of contract, and fraudulent concealment.
According to the court documents, Mason and Barron checked into rooms 311 and 412 at the Cable Car Hotel from November 30 to December 7, 2023. They allege that during their stay they suffered from "painful bed bug bites," which led to severe skin rashes, allergic reactions, scarring, ongoing emotional distress including anxiety and sleeplessness. The plaintiffs assert that these conditions were exacerbated by the defendants' failure to maintain pest control measures despite having prior knowledge of such infestations through guest reviews on platforms like Booking.com and Yelp.
The plaintiffs seek compensatory damages for their injuries along with punitive damages due to what they describe as intentional concealment by hotel management to induce them into renting rooms under false pretenses. They also demand injunctive relief requiring the defendants to abate what they claim is a public nuisance caused by bed bug infestations affecting numerous guests.
Representing Mason and Barron are attorneys Brian J. Virag, Luiza Patrikyan, and Tro Semerjian from MyBedBugLawyer Inc., who are pressing for a jury trial in this matter (Case No.: CGC-24-618677). The case highlights significant concerns over health standards in hospitality settings while raising questions about tenant rights when it comes to safety from vermin infestations.