Pool to be shutdown. Residents told to pay $75 per month for offsite gym pool
5550 Tenants Association: Empowering Renters
We empower 5550 Hollywood residents, provide renter support, and warn prospective 5550 renters about tenant rights.
EGG-VICTION THREAT!
Welcome to 5550 Tenants Association Homeowners Association's Website!
Eggs-istential Crisis:
Attorney-Authored Threat Targets Forbidden Breakfast Vocabulary at 5550 Hollywood
BREAKING NEWS FROM THE LAND OF THE ABSURD!
In what may be the first known instance of a breakfast-related eviction theory, a resident at 5550 Hollywood Blvd has reportedly been threatened with eviction—in a formal legal letter—for allegedly referencing the word “eggs.”
Yes. Eggs.
Not noise violations. Not nonpayment. Not criminal conduct.
Eggs.
The allegation appears in a cease-and-desist letter authored and sent by Valerie A. Sparks of Todd A. Brisco & Associates, who, in a striking display of legal craftsmanship, memorialized a report that a resident was heard “referencing terms such as ‘contamination’ and ‘eggs.’”
One imagines many drafts were required before landing on that final, devastating pairing.
While the letter attempts to situate this claim among more conventional complaints, it is difficult to ignore the moment in which an attorney—acting on behalf of building ownership—chose to elevate the word “eggs” into a document threatening eviction proceedings.
Legal scholars (and anyone with a straight face) may debate whether this represents:
- A bold expansion of nuisance law into breakfast-related speech,
- A new doctrine of “Egg-Based Lease Violations,” or
- Simply the point at which everyone involved should have paused.
Naturally, residents now face a number of urgent questions.
Is there a prohibited vocabulary list being maintained by management—or their counsel?
Are tenants expected to pre-screen their conversations before speaking in hallways?
Will future lease addenda include sections on acceptable produce, proteins, and conversational topics?
Has the firm expanded its practice areas to include “auditory monitoring of egg-related references”?
And perhaps most importantly: is this policy being applied building-wide, or selectively deployed when convenient?
The involvement of outside counsel in documenting alleged hallway speech raises broader concerns about proportionality, judgment, and the use of legal threats in what appears to be, at best, a profoundly unserious allegation.
If the word “eggs” can be cited in a formal eviction warning, it is not unreasonable to ask what other words may soon require legal clearance. Residents are advised to exercise caution with terms such as “toast,” “scramble,” “over easy,” and, pending further guidance, possibly even “breakfast.”
At press time, no official “Word Enforcement Unit” has been announced, though the trajectory is promising.
The Fifty-Five Fifty Tenants Association has requested clarification from management regarding whether ordinary language is now subject to enforcement, whether a list of banned and approved words exists, and whether legal counsel will continue to be deployed in the documentation of grocery-adjacent vocabulary.
Until then, residents are encouraged to remain calm, speak carefully, and remember: anything you say may be written down, formatted on letterhead, and mailed back to you.
Probably by counsel.
We will continue to monitor this developing situation.
In the meantime, choose your words wisely.
Tell Valerie A. Sparks you like eggs!
If you enjoy eating this common American breakfast staple, let Valerie Sparks of "Brisco & Associates" know you don't think uttering the word "eggs" warrants a threat of eviction.
Valerie's professional email is linked below.
Please be respectful in your correspondence.
LEave a REVIEW NOW. WARN PROSPECTIVE RENTERS.
Prospective renters deserve the truth!
Leave a review on any one of the leading review sites so prospective renters know about the REAL Fifty-Five Fifty.
Management might try to leave fake reviews. They might "game" the system. But our real voices will overpower their lies!
Leave a review now. It'll only take a few seconds, and it can save someone years of distress.
Tell the world about these greedy deadbeats at Grubb Properties and Avenue5 Residential.
“Per Your Lease” (aka: ‘Aaaactuallllyyyyy…’)
"Per your lease"?? How about "PER THE LAW, BUDDY"
A Masterclass in Saying a Lot While Solving Nothing
You know the guy.
He leans in.
He smirks a little.
He inhales like he’s about to deliver a decisive blow.
And then:
“Aaaactuallllyyyyy…”
At The Fifty-Five Fifty, that guy has been fully institutionalized.
He doesn’t say “actually.”
He says:
“Per your lease.”
The Routine
You raise an issue.
Something is broken.
Something doesn’t add up.
Something clearly isn’t being handled the way it should be.
And right on cue:
“Per your lease…”
It lands with the confidence of a mic drop.
As if a 60-page boilerplate document just settled a real-world problem.
The Illusion of Authority
Let’s translate what’s really happening.
“Per your lease” is not a solution.
It’s a performance.
It’s a way of sounding definitive without actually engaging with the substance of the issue.
Different problem, same script:
- “Per your lease…”
- “Per your lease…”
- “Per your lease…”
At a certain point, it stops sounding authoritative and starts sounding automatic.
Aaaactuallllyyyyy… Here’s the Missing Part
A lease is a contract.
It is not above:
- The law
- Public policy
- Tenant protections
- Basic standards of fairness
If something conflicts with the law, the lease doesn’t win.
The law does.
So Let’s Even the Playing Field
If management gets a catchphrase, residents get one too:
“Per the law.”
“Per our rights.”
Short. Clear. Just as effective.
And Yes, Residents Can Speak Freely About Where They Live
Let’s address the unspoken assumption behind a lot of this.
Residents are absolutely allowed to:
- Share their experiences
- Describe conditions in the building
- Express their opinions about management
- Tell others what it is actually like to live here
That includes saying, in plain terms, whether they would or would not recommend living here based on their own experience.
That’s not a lease issue.
That’s a core right.
No amount of “per your lease” changes that.
This Is What People Actually Respond To
Prospective residents don’t read leases first.
They talk to current residents.
They read reviews.
They look for patterns.
And what they hear is shaped by real experiences, not boilerplate language.
Bottom Line
“Per your lease” is supposed to end the conversation.
It doesn’t.
It just reveals that someone would rather point to paper than fix a problem.
So the next time you hear:
“Per your lease…”
Feel free to respond:
“Per the law.”
“Per our rights.”
“Aaaactuallllyyyyy… let’s talk about what’s actually happening.”
Because the “Aaaactuallllyyyyy…” routine only works if everyone else goes quiet.
And that’s clearly not happening.
Tell 'Em to Follow the Law
Since they seem to like rules so much, how about FOLLOWING THE LAW.
The law will always beat your "lease". Tell management and ownership to follow the LAW and respect our RIGHTS.
STOP THE POOL SCAM
Residents have the privileges to pay an extra $75 a month for access to an offsite pool as "24 hour
Paying More for Less: The Fifty-Five Fifty Pool Shutdown Scandal
For over a year and a half, residents at The Fifty-Five Fifty have been raising the same issue: the pool and hot tub were visibly deteriorating. Rust, corrosion, and clear signs of neglect were repeatedly reported.
Management’s response?
We were told everything was “fine.”
Now, suddenly, those same “fine” amenities require full demolition, replastering, and weeks-long closure.
So which is it?
Either the pool and spa were never “fine,” and residents were misled for over a year, or this shutdown is the predictable result of long-deferred maintenance finally catching up.
From Denial to Shutdown
Starting April 13, both the pool and hot tub will be completely closed for an estimated 4–6 weeks, with no firm guarantee the timeline won’t extend due to inspections.
This isn’t a minor inconvenience. These are major building amenities that residents rely on every day.
The “Solution”: Pay $75 More
Management’s proposed workaround is as insulting as it is revealing:
Residents can pay $75 per month to access a pool at a nearby gym.
Let’s be clear about what this means:
- The building failed to maintain its own amenities
- Residents lost access to those amenities
- And now residents are being asked to pay extra to replace them
This is not a solution. It is a cost transfer from management’s failure onto tenants.
Lounge Chairs Are Not a Pool
We are told that lounge chairs will be moved to the courtyard so residents can continue “sunbathing.”
Sunbathing without a pool or hot tub is not a substitute. It is a distraction.
What Residents Are Demanding
The Tenants Association has made a simple, reasonable demand:
If the pool and spa are unavailable, comparable access must be provided at no cost.
Residents should not pay twice for the same amenity, especially when its loss stems from prolonged inaction.
The Bigger Issue
This is about more than a pool.
It’s about a pattern:
- Problems are reported
- Concerns are minimized
- Action is delayed
- And when the situation can no longer be ignored, residents are asked to absorb the consequences
Bottom Line
Residents chose this building in part because of its amenities, including a pool and hot tub.
We did not sign up for:
- Months of visible deterioration
- Weeks without access
- Or paying extra to replace what should have been maintained all along
We are not paying more to get less!
Tell Grubb Properties You Won't Stand For It
Grubb Properties is the greedy landlord who is trying to get you to PAY MORE for a pool and hot tub that's been gross for over a year. Tell them you won't stand for it.
car vandalized. stuff stolen. mgt does nothing.
Another car was broken into. Management refuses to secure us.
“We’ll Send an Email Shortly.” They Didn’t.
After a vehicle break-in and theft inside the building, residents asked management a simple set of questions:
- What happened?
- What is being done about it?
- How will residents be protected going forward?
What they received instead was a response that raises more concerns than it resolves.////////
The Response: Apology First, Accountability Never
Management opened with:
“We were very sorry to hear about one of our residents’ recent experience…”
But what followed was not a plan. It was not accountability. It was not even a direct answer.
Instead, the response immediately pivots away from the incident itself.
Blame the Environment, Not the Building
Rather than addressing building-specific failures, management wrote:
“…the theft of catalytic converters in LA is still higher than pre-pandemic levels…”
In other words:
This is happening everywhere, so don’t look here.
That framing avoids the core issue:
This happened inside the building.
“Not a Guarantee Against Crime”
The response goes further:
“…access-control devices, gates, and related systems… are not a guarantee against crime or loss.”
This is not reassurance.
This is a disclaimer.
Residents are not asking for a “guarantee against crime.”
They are asking for basic security and accountability where they live.
Responsibility? Not Ours.
Management continues:
“…responsibility for neighborhood criminal activity does not rest with ownership or management…”
Again, the issue is not “the neighborhood.”
It is what happened inside the property, under their control.
The Promise That Never Came
Perhaps most telling is this line:
“We will be sending out communication to the larger community via email shortly.”
That email was never sent.
No building-wide notice.
No transparency.
No follow-up.
Just a promise—left unfulfilled.
What’s Missing
Despite multiple direct questions from the Tenants Association, the response contains:
- ❌ No description of corrective measures
- ❌ No change in security protocols
- ❌ No commitment to notify residents of incidents
- ❌ No accountability
Instead, it offers:
- General crime statistics
- Lease disclaimers
- Vague assurances
Why This Matters
This is not just about one break-in.
It is about a pattern of response:
- A serious issue occurs
- Residents raise concerns
- Management deflects
- Promises are made
- Follow-up never comes
That is not just poor communication.
It seems like negligence.
The Bottom Line
Residents deserve more than:
- “Sorry this happened”
- “Crime is up everywhere”
- “We’re not responsible”
- “We’ll send an email” (that never arrives)
They deserve:
- Transparency
- Action
- And a building that takes security seriously
Until that happens, the gap between what is said and what is done will continue to grow.
DANGER! DUST AND POTENTIALLY ILLELGAL DEMOLITION WORK
What is going on on the first floor?? Looks like lots of demo work.
The Fifty-Five Fifty Tenants Association has recently observed demolition and exterior construction activity taking place in the historic portion of the building at 5550 Hollywood Blvd. Based on reports and photographs provided by residents, this work has raised a number of serious safety and environmental concerns that the association is now formally reviewing.
Interior Concrete Demolition
Residents observed workers removing broken concrete and masonry materials inside the building, including in areas adjacent to the parking garage and common spaces.
Concrete demolition can generate respirable dust, including crystalline silica, a substance that is known to pose health risks when inhaled. In occupied residential buildings, demolition work is typically expected to involve:
- Dust-suppression methods such as wet cutting or wet breaking
- Containment procedures to prevent dust migration
- Appropriate respiratory protection for workers
- Clear communication to residents about construction activity
The Tenants Association has requested clarification from management regarding permits, contractor licensing, and dust-control procedures related to this work.
Exterior Paint Scraping on Historic Window Sills
In addition to interior demolition activity, residents have also documented paint scraping occurring on exterior window sills in the historic façade of the building.
Photographs show recently scraped paint and exposed underlying material beneath the windows along the building’s exterior.
Because older buildings often contain lead-based paint, disturbing painted surfaces can create lead-containing dust or debris if appropriate precautions are not taken. Federal law requires property owners of buildings constructed before 1978 to disclose known lead hazards and follow specific safety practices when painted surfaces are disturbed during renovation or repair work.
While the Tenants Association does not yet know whether the affected surfaces contain lead-based paint, the association has requested that management provide:
- Lead-paint disclosures previously provided to residents
- Any lead inspection or environmental testing reports for the building
- Confirmation of whether contractors performing this work are EPA Lead-Safe certified
- Information regarding containment and debris-control procedures used during exterior scraping
Requests for Documentation
The Tenants Association has formally requested that building management provide documentation regarding:
- Construction permits for demolition activity
- Contractor licensing and oversight
- Dust-control and air-quality protection measures
- Lead-safety documentation for work affecting painted surfaces
These requests are intended to ensure that construction activity occurring within and around the building meets applicable safety and environmental standards and does not unnecessarily expose residents or workers to hazardous dust.
Commitment to Resident Safety
The Fifty-Five Fifty Tenants Association believes that residents deserve transparency regarding construction activities that may affect health, safety, or building conditions.
Demolition and renovation work in occupied residential buildings should be conducted with appropriate precautions and clear communication with residents.
The association will continue monitoring this situation and will provide updates as additional information becomes available.
Residents who have observed construction activity or have concerns about dust, debris, or other building conditions are encouraged to document what they see and report it to the Tenants Association.
Is management doing illegal demo work in our building? What do you think?
Residents beware -- demo work here.
your association, Holding Management Accountable
The Rusty Hot Tub and City Citation #952912
The 5550 Tenants Association is formally demanding answers regarding the condition of the building’s hot tub.
This is not rumor.
This is not aesthetics.
This is not nitpicking.
It is documented.
In September 2025, the City of Los Angeles Housing Department issued a Notice and Order to Comply regarding multiple violations at 5552 W Hollywood Blvd. Among them:
“REPAIR DAMAGED PLASTER IN HOT TUB IN APPROVED MANNER.” NTC CASE #952912
The violation was again reflected during a November 3, 2025 inspection. NTC CASE #952912
This is City-documented deterioration.
What Residents Continue to See
Despite the citation, residents continue to observe:
- Exposed plaster
- Surface failure
- Visible rust staining
- Ongoing deterioration inside the hot tub basin
The question is simple:
Has it actually been fixed?
Or has it simply been left in place while residents are told everything is fine?
Why This Matters
Amenities are not decorative extras.
They are part of what residents pay for.
The hot tub is advertised.
It is marketed.
It is factored into rent.
When the City cites a building for failure to maintain an amenity in a safe and sanitary condition, residents are entitled to transparency.
And when visible deterioration persists months later, residents are entitled to answers.
What We Have Done
The Tenants Association has sent a formal written request to management demanding:
- The exact status of repairs
- Dates work was completed
- Contractor names and permits
- Whether the City has cleared the citation
- Whether the visible rust and exposed material are safe
- The exact dates the hot tub was closed last fall
- Clarification regarding resurfacing that was previously announced to residents
We are not speculating.
We are asking for documentation.
The full letter is available below as a PDF.
The Bigger Picture
This is not about a cosmetic blemish.
This is about compliance with City orders.
It is about maintenance standards.
It is about whether residents are receiving the level of care and transparency they are paying for.
When a City Notice and Order to Comply is issued, that is not optional guidance.
It is a directive.
Accountability Is Not Hostility
The Tenants Association is not interested in drama.
We are interested in:
- Compliance
- Safety
- Transparency
- Timely repairs
- Accurate communication
If the hot tub has been properly repaired and cleared by the City, management can simply provide the documentation.
If it has not, then a timeline for correction should be provided.
Either way, residents deserve clarity.
We will continue to monitor this issue and provide updates.
Accountability is not confrontation.
It is stewardship of our shared living environment.
Stay tuned.
WE WROTE A SONG FOR ALL THE CRACKHEADS AT 5550 HOLLYWOOD
Welcome to 5550 Tenants Association Homeowners Association's Website!
“Hush Now, Security’s Sleeping”
(A 5550 Lullaby)
Hush now, lobby’s dark,
No one’s watching after dark,
Garage gate hums a gentle tune,
Security will wake up soon.
Rock-a-bye mattress on concrete floor,
Drift off softly by the garage door,
If cameras blink, don’t you fear,
They’re busy watching residents here.
Sleep in the stairwell, quiet and deep,
Elevator lobby’s yours to keep,
While management scans with watchful eye
For art projects that dare to dry.
Hush now, no concierge,
No one guarding the porte-cochère,
Packages pile, alarms don’t beep,
But policy violations never sleep.
Dream of gates that fail to close,
Dream of staff no one knows,
Dream of cameras sharp and bright
Focused anywhere but right.
When morning comes, we’ll all pretend
This is normal in the end,
Just another night gone by
Under the “secure luxury” sky.
So rock-a-bye building, drift and sway,
Priorities tucked safely away,
Watched for the small, ignored for the big,
Security theater — that’s the gig.
Sleep now, lobby bare,
Safety’s mostly just for show,
If they can watch the harmless few,
They can protect us too.
pet of the month or scam of the month??? you decice.
The inside scoop of Avenue5's "Pet of the Month"
“Pet of the Month” or PR of the Month?
At first glance, The Fifty-Five Fifty’s “Pet of the Month” contest sounds harmless. Cute dogs. Instagram tags. A little community fun.
But scratch the surface and the question becomes unavoidable:
Why is management running a promotional sweepstakes while residents are raising serious concerns about building conditions, transparency, and fairness?
Selective Transparency
When residents requested:
- Written rules
- Clear eligibility criteria
- Disclosure of prize value
- Explanation of the selection method
- Safeguards against favoritism
The response was dismissive and incomplete.
We were told the winner is selected by an “AI randomizer.” No explanation of what that means. No documentation. No description of how the drawing occurs. No confirmation of who administers it.
If it’s random, say how.
If it’s merit-based, say by what criteria.
If there are prizes, disclose their value.
Transparency should not be controversial.
Inclusion After the Fact
Management now claims that anyone may enter, even non-pet owners, by submitting a photo of a pet they “wish they had.”
That clarification only came after concerns were raised.
If inclusivity was always the intention, why was that not stated clearly from the beginning?
Why did residents receive inconsistent verbal representations?
Community programming should be straightforward, not reactive.
The Bigger Pattern
This is not about dogs.
It is about trust.
Residents have repeatedly raised concerns regarding:
- Parking audits
- Storage charges
- Enforcement inconsistencies
- Amenity issues
And yet management appears highly responsive when it comes to marketing optics.
When basic procedural questions about a building-sponsored contest are met with deflection rather than documentation, it reinforces a broader perception problem.
If It’s Just for Fun, Prove It
If this contest is harmless community engagement, then publishing formal rules should be easy.
If the drawing is random, the process should be auditable.
If no data is being collected for lease enforcement purposes, say so explicitly.
The refusal to provide simple written clarity turns a trivial contest into a credibility issue.
Community Requires Trust
Residents are not opposed to fun.
We are opposed to opacity.
We are opposed to selective communication.
And we are opposed to initiatives that appear casual on the surface but lack procedural integrity underneath.
A building cannot rebuild trust with smiley faces and social media tags.
Transparency is not optional. It is foundational.
Until management is willing to provide clear written rules, clear methodology, and consistent representations to all residents, the “Pet of the Month” contest will remain what it has unfortunately become:
A symbol of misplaced priorities.
meet your new neighbor: A CRACKHEAD VAGRANT.
Residents of the 5550 (and prospective tenants), MEET YOUR NEW NEIGHBOR: A Crackhead.
The crackhead, pictured above, was spotted next to a pile of his drugs (also pictured) in the elevator lobby of the building.
Previously, the same crackhead was spotted on a different day, passed-out in a stairwell.
IMAGINE ENCOUNTERING THIS CRACKHEAD WHILE WALKING, ALONE, INTO THE STAIRWELL OR ELEVATOR LOBBY LATE AT NIGHT!
OR EVEN DURING THE DAY.
IT. IS. SCAAARY.
The crackhead smells strongly of drugs, and so he may expose passersby to second-hand crack or meth.
The 5550 Tenants Association wants to be clear: We hope this individual gets the HELP he needs.
We have no conflict with this unfortunate individual, who seems to be experiencing mental illness, drug addiction, and homelessness. Our sympathy is with this man, who is surely the greatest-suffering party in the this situation, and doubtlessly a victim of his circumstances.
We hold management and ownership 100% responsible for this issue.
We believe this crackhead has chosen to live in the common areas of this building BECAUSE OF THE OBVIOUS LACK OF SECURITY AND ACCESS CONTROL!
Recall that our garage gate was broken -- and stuck wide open -- for months and months.
Our building management CUT 24-HOUR SECURITY, and REFUSES TO RESTORE IT. THEY REFUSE TO SECURE THE BUILDING!
Josh Vasquez, the senior property manager at 5550 Hollywood, claims he doesn't know anything about the crackhead living in the building. We don't know how that could possibly be true, since his own leasing office staff have had to risk their safety to remove the crackhead (when no security was present).
But we wanted to take Josh Vasquez at his word, so we thought we'd put this photo up on our website, so Josh Vasquez can see it for himself.
If Josh Vasquez didn't know about the crackhead situation before, he should now!
The building management claims that our building doesn't need 24-hour security because the leasing office staff can keep the building secure during the day, when the leasing office is open.
Of course, this is ridiculous!
The leasing office staff are busy showing apartments to prospective tenants, and in any case, are in the leasing office all day -- they are not patrolling the stairwells, elevator lobbies, and OTHER PLACES WHERE THE CRACKHEAD LIKES TO HANG OUT.
Further, we, the Tenants Association, STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE FRONTLINE LEASING OFFICE STAFF -- WE DO NOT THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE TO RISK THEIR SAFETY CONFRONTING DANGEOROUS CRACKHEADS! That is not their job. They are not trained to do security work. We are concerned about their safety.
Greedy management and ownership don't want to pay for security -- but that doesn't mean they can have their leasing office staff working as unlicensed, untrained, security guards.
Demand 24-hour security now.
Josh Vasquez, the senior property manager at The Fifty-Five Fifty, claimed that he doesn't know anything about the crackhead living in the common areas of 5550 Hollywood Blvd.
Let's help Josh Vasquez understand the crackhead security situation.
Send him a quick email, let him know how you feel about the crackhead in our building, and while you're at it, demand that he re-instate 24-hour security.
Investigation into Criminal Incident
An investigation is ongoing surrounding a criminal incident that could have potentially endangered local children. Be a crime-stopper, help us by sharing your info or photos/videos.