The owner of the Hotel O in North Jackson has 150 days to bring his facility into compliance with city code or face jail time.
Friday, Jackson Municipal Court Judge Jeffrey Reynolds found Noah Muthanal guilty for multiple violations of the International Property Maintenance Code as adopted by the city of Jackson, and sentenced him to 90 days behind bars.
However, Reynolds suspended that sentence on the condition that the defendant tear down the hotel or bring it into full compliance with all applicable city codes within 150 days.
Muthanal is the owner of Hotel O, located at 4639 U.S. 55 North in Jackson. He has owned the hotel for two years, according to Hinds County land roll data.
If Muthanal decides to bring the facility into compliance, he must complete the site-plan application process within 45 days.
“The condition of the hotel is worse today than it was in November 2021, when the city first began investigating the property,” Reynolds wrote. “The hotel is extremely dangerous, both to the people living there and other citizens of Jackson who may wander onto the property.”
Jackson’s Code Enforcement Division began looking into conditions at the hotel in November 2021. In June of this year, the city issued six citation summonses to Muthanal for the violations.
Among concerns, city inspectors determined the building had structural and foundation weaknesses, unsafe electrical wiring, improper mechanical systems and defective plumbing.
On top of that, the roof was said to be in a state of disrepair, while the pool sat empty, described as “an unenclosed hole in the ground with no water in it,” the judge wrote.
“Trash and debris are piled up everywhere… Mold is prevalent throughout the property; and extension cords are running in multiple areas of the hotel, creating a dangerous condition, particularly since in some areas the extension cords are in contact with water.”
According to court records, the hotel, which is located along the interstate north of Northside Drive, has been shut down since January of this year and Muthanal has not applied for any of the required permits needed to restore the facility.
Even so, the judge pointed to testimony revealing that the facility is still inhabited.
“Homeless people have taken up residence… Furthermore… as of December 15, 2022, at least three individuals who work for the defendant and a dog live on the property,” Reynolds wrote.
Reynolds set Muthanal’s bond at $1,002,500, which includes a $1 million appearance bond and a $2,500 cost bond, “given the seriousness of this matter, which involves a clear risk to the public safety, and given the defendant does not currently reside in Hinds County.”
We called the number for the hotel listed online. However, a message said the call could not be completed at this time.
Source: WLBT
