Defendant says city didn’t notify him of filed lawsuit

A Newport Beach businessman named as a defendant in a lawsuit against two local rehabilitation homes said Thursday the city gave him no warning before filing the suit.

“I was shocked to find out I’m being sued by Newport Beach without any notice or warning letter,” Saywitz said.

Saywitz, president of the Newport Beach-based real estate company The Saywitz Co., said he was out of the office traveling and found out about the legal action only when he returned to work this week.

The lawsuit, filed by the city last week, names the rehabilitation centers Pacific Shores Recovery and Morningside Recovery as defendants. Also named as defendants are Pacific Shores Recovery owners Alice and Robert Conner and Saywitz, who has interest in a partnership that owns properties that have several leases with Morningside Recovery. The suit claims the two homes have been in violation of a city ban on new rehabilitation homes for the past seven months.

— Brianna Bailey