LOS ANGELES — Mark Samuel has calculated how long his willpower will last before he closes a home for people suffering from mental illness who have little money to their name.
Thirty-six months.
Then he'll tear down Sepulveda Residential in Van Nuys and put up apartments, or sell. Plans and permits for the demolition are ready to go. Developers have tried to cajole him into selling with eye-popping offers. Once he pays for the building permit, it's a done deal.