In February 2018, the Glendale City Attorney’s Office filed a criminal complaint against Aroutin Behzad and Arpi Azarian Namagerdi for the unlawful demolition of a potentially historic 1908 Craftsman-style home. On September 17, Behzad plead “no contest” to all five misdemeanor counts presented in the complaint. In exchange for his plea, his wife, Namagerdi, was dismissed from the complaint.
Behzad and Namgerdi also violated city codes by failing to obtain required permits for previous interior alterations at their single family home located at 1420 Valley View Road in Glendale.
The terms of Behzad’s conviction include a mandatory payment of a $15,000 court fine by September 19, 2019, and performance of 80 hours of community labor, or in the alternative, 100 hours of community service, at certain approved nonprofit organizations that have as their mission the preservation of historical, cultural, or environmental resources, or the creation, preservation or provision of housing, to be completed by September 19, 2021.
Failure to complete the terms by the deadlines will result in county jail time. Behzad must also provide the name of the contractor who performed the illegal demolition work and any supporting documents.