Case Summary

1093 REVIEW DENIED The special relationship between tenants in a housing project and the housing authority that operates it could result in a duty on the housing authority to act reasonably to protect tenants from risks resulting from use of the project by criminals who regularly assault tenants; such use by criminals is a dangerous condition for which liability may be imposed on a public entity; a plaintiff who witnessed a fire in which members of his family were killed may recover for resulting emotional distress even though he did not see the family members being burned; a public entity's callous and systematic disregard for the safety of persons who rely on it for protection might be actionable under the federal Civil Rights Act as an invasion of a liberty interest; a government tort claim arises when the damage occurs and may include acts, whenever committed, that led to damage within the statutorily specified period (i.e., six months) prior to filing.

ZUNIGA v HOUSING AUTHORITY (Firebomb) 41 CA4 82 [See: GovC 835, 830(a), 820.2, 845, 911.2, 895.2; O'Hara v Western 75 CA3 798; MacDonald v State 230 CA3 319; Davidson v City 32 C3 197; Jackson v Clements 146 CA3 983; Johnson v State 69 C2 782; Gates v Superior Court 32 CA4 481, T/AT 3/95; Loehr v Ventura 147 CA3 1071; Thing v LaChusa 48 C3 644; 42 USC 1983; Wood v Ostrander 879 F2 583; Parratt v Taylor 451 US 527]