“They are supposed to be a medical center,” Johnstone said.
“You walk in and there are different offices for medical [operations], so they are not supposed to be doing massages or anything like that whatsoever, so it’s just a front.”
If the business owners don’t secure a conditional-use permit allowing for massage operations within 72 hours, it will be permanently shut down, said Rene Sada, city code enforcement officer.
In the meantime, the business is allowed to operate, officials said. Police have been arresting women on suspicion of soliciting prostitution at the site since 2001.
The same East Colorado Street location, which was then named K&P Health Care Corporation and run by different operators than CHS Health Care Inc., came under fire in November 2008.
The chiropractic business was one of several locations that police had focused on during a yearlong investigation into allegations that some workers weren’t licensed to perform massages, while others were engaging in prostitution.
At that time, business operators tried to expand their conditional-use permit to allow walk-in massage clients without physician referrals.
But its history of prostitution arrests and various citations prompted the city’s Planning Commission to deny their request, citing fears that the business would morph into a full-scale massage parlor.
Sam Engel, the city’s Neighborhood Services administrator, said he was surprised an illegal operation returned to the location, which shares a border with Los Angeles.
“I think they try to make that work for their underhanded operations because it’s so close to the freeway, and it’s attractive for that type of business,” he said.
Police and code enforcement officials said they were monitoring the East Colorado facility to ensure that its operators don’t set up shop again.
Get in touch VERONICA ROCHA covers public safety and the courts. She may be reached at (818) 637-3232 or by e-mail at veronica.rocha@ latimes.com
