By SUE PASCOE Staff Writer Questioning whether Care for the Children residential curb painters were legitimate, several residents contacted the Palisadian-Post, Councilman Bill Rosendahl and Senior Lead Officer Michael Moore in early September. Rosendahl’s office manager Mary Misono confirmed that the city gave out two permits this year: one to Robert Henderson of Care for the Children and the second to Areshir Kavoosy, who, after doing it for a day and a half in August, quit and returned to his regular job. ‘I cancelled the whole thing,’ Kavoosy, an electrician, told the Post. ‘There is no money in it.’ Henderson, the only person left with a city permit, pulled his painters out of Pacific Palisades on August 24, after being in the area less than two weeks. ‘One of my men was threatened by a resident,’ he told the Post. ‘It’s one of the rudest areas we’ve been in. I don’t know if it is a result of all of the bootlegger operations and magazine sales you’ve had in the past, but the people were so jaded.’ Several Palisades residents called to say that when they entered Henderson’s permit number to the city’s Web site, it came up as pending. Richard Lee, a Department of Public Works information officer said that they’ve had technical problems with the site, and that residents who want to know if a company has a permit to call 311 or (213) 847-6000. Gary Harris, chief investigator for the Bureau of Street Services, said there is no limit on the number of permits the city issues as long as the applicant proves to the city that it carries a $100,000 public liability insurance policy and automobile liability insurance, obtains a $500 surety bond, and pays $211 for a city permit. Henderson said he also registers with the police department, and if there are neighborhood complaints he is contacted by a city inspector such as Harris. ’The city does not endorse or employ the painters,’ Harris said adding, ‘It’s not a lucrative business.’ Several Palisades residents voiced concern that the method used by Care for the Children painters was different from that of previous painters. Henderson agreed and explained that bootleg operators leave a flyer on a mailbox that states if a resident doesn’t want the service to tape the notice on the curb number. By contrast, the flyer left by Care for the Children did not give that option because Henderson was required to paint the curb in front of every house. ’If a company starts a block,’ Harris said, ‘they have to do all the numbers on that block.’ Lee added that if a homeowner does not want his or her number painted, the painter has to abide by that person’s request. Companies with permits can ask for voluntary donations, but no one is required to pay, because the city does not require curb numbers. Harris said that it’s easier for visitors and emergency services to locate an address if it is clearly painted on the curb, but stressed that there is no requirement. Henderson said that his cost for materials (in addition to the hourly cost of painters) is about $2, and that there’s about a 40-percent rate of refusal to pay. (His painters make 65 cents for each curb number.) ‘The donation rate is usually enough to pay expenses, with some going to charity. But in the Palisades we lost money.’ Henderson, in addition to receiving a small salary for operating the charity, also paints numbers. He said that the suggested donation is $20, but residents can give whatever they want and will receive a tax donation receipt from his painters. ’We’re probably the first legitimate outfit this area has seen in more than 20 years,’ said Henderson, who also pays payroll taxes, and carries workmen’s compensation and unemployment insurance for his employees. Harris was not able to say whether this was the first group of legitimate curb painters in 20 years, because city records are not kept of which community curb painters visit. If there is any money left, after Henderson pays his employees and taxes, he makes a donation to Care for the Children, a 501(c) 3, number 13-431-4490. He suggests that people visit the good works page on the Web site www.care4thechildren.org. Henderson said he has a good reputation with other cities, including Norwalk, Bellflower,Whittier’and Covina, which is where the company went after the Palisades. In lieu of having someone paint a resident’s house number on the curb, Harris said that homeowners can do it themselves, but there are specific requirements. ’The city would like a homeowner to get a no-fee permit so they can paint to our specifications,’ Lee said. ‘If the person doesn’t paint to those specifications, we choose not to cite anyone, unless the painting is offensive or obscene. Instead, we explain the city standards.’ Visit: www.lacity.org/boss.
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