For nearly half a century, NoHo Locksmith has quietly operated from a small kiosk tucked behind a Smart & Final parking lot in North Hollywood.
The shop has cut keys dating back to the 1920s, survived recessions, and even endured the infamous 1997 North Hollywood shootout — two bullet holes from that day still mark the structure of the kiosk.
Now, after 50 years in business, the family-run operation may be forced to close for good — and not because customers stopped coming, but because of a permitting dispute with the city.
David Lejbowicz, who bought the locksmith business from his uncle in 2013, says the trouble began when he tried to apply for a city permit to renovate the aging kiosk. But instead of approval, he received a shock: He said the city told him the structure was never legally permitted in the first place and must be torn down.
The city now claims the land where the kiosk sits is zoned only for parking, even though Lejbowicz says he has documentation dating back to 1952 showing the structure was approved for commercial use. He’s also paid business taxes for years, receives mail at the address and files state and federal taxes tied to the location — all of which, to him, suggests the business has long been recognized as legitimate.
“We have been here a long time,” Lejbowicz told CBS News Los Angeles. “This will affect the livelihood of three separate families. We all depend on this business.”
The city of Los Angeles isn’t suing Lejbowicz directly. Instead, it’s taken legal action against the property’s landlord, accusing them of unlawfully erecting a structure without securing the proper permits. But regardless of who’s named in the lawsuit, Lejbowicz and his two employees are caught in the middle of this dispute, with their jobs hanging in the balance.
Experts say situations like this are becoming more common, especially for older businesses operating out of structures built decades ago.
Over time, cities add zoning rules, safety codes and land-use regulations on top of older ones. What may have been allowed in the 1950s can clash with modern zoning maps, digital records or updated interpretations of the law. In some cases, paperwork gets lost. In others, rules change faster than buildings do.
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