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| As part of the fallout from Najari Smith’s false claim that the Rich City Rides shop was burglarized and that a co-owner of Rich City Rides Cooperative, Inc, Roshni Felonte (Taye) McGee was involved, a lawsuit has been filed by McGee that names not only Defendant Najari Smith, but also Defendants Doria Robinson, Charles Patterson, Urban Tilth and Rich City Rides.
See:
Figure 1 - 801 Marina Way South
The lawsuit, which can be accessed here, alleges that Smith and Urban Tilth entered into a residential subrental agreement with McGee for 801 Marina Way South #2, which was leased to Urban Tilth by Charles Patterson. The agreement required McGee to pay $1,770.000 per month to Najari Smith.
The lawsuit alleges that the premises were defective, including rodents/insects infestations, mold/mildew, defective plumbing, defective locks, holes in walls and gaps in floors, defective locks, and general dilapidation and lack of maintenance, all of which resulted in injuries and damage to McGee. The lawsuit also alleges that Defendants began engaging in a pattern of harassment and intimidation towards McGee, which included, but was not limited to entering McGee’s unit without notice; refusing to repair substantial habitability defects, demanding that he hide the fact the unit was not zoned for residential use when the Subject Premises was investigated by the Richmond Rent Program in 2020, telling him his kids needed to stay inside or he would get in trouble, gaslighting, and defamation of Plaintiff’s character.
Ultimately, the Defendants, Smith, Robinson, Urban Tilth and Pattersson, conspired to intimidate Plaintiff into surrendering possession of the premises and forced McGee, under substantial duress, to execute a “termination agreement”. Additionally, McGee was provided two checks from Urban Tilth , each for $8,000, for a total of $16,000, allegedly to cover the costs of cleaning out the premises and moving. On approximately May 4, 2023, McGee was forced out with nowhere to go, and McGee suffered injuries and damages, including emotional distress, discomfort and annoyance, bodily injury, pain and suffering, loss of personal property, overpayment of rent, and out-of-pocket expenses, due to both Defendants’ acts and omissions and the defective conditions existing at the premises.
McGee is asking over $300,000 in damages.
Not mentioned in or legally pertinent to the lawsuit is that the 801 Marina Way South address where McGee lived in 2020 was illegally and fraudulently claimed by Najari Smith as his home address in District 5 when running for City Council in 2020. At the time, Smith was living with Doria Robinson in her home in District 3. Robinson was elected to the City Council in 2022. Although this election fraud was brought to the attention of the district attorney and the city attorney at the time, no action was taken.
Notably, the 801 Marina Way South address not only is not zoned for residential use; it was not registered with the Richmond Rent Program, a violation punishable as a misdemeanor that carries a penalty of $1,000 and 6 months in jail. The Rent Program has pursued collection of unpaid fees but has not pursued any other penalty. |
