OAKLAND β A recent proliferation of questionable massage parlors in Chinatown has prompted city officials to consider a temporary ban on new massage businesses. The proposed day moratorium would give the city time to crack down on suspected prostitution fronts and look into stricter regulations. Complaints about unsavory massage parlors have persisted for several years, but a recent spike in new applications caught the attention of city officials. The city received In November alone, 18 first-time applicants registered with the city, more than what it usually sees in an entire year, the report says.
So far this year, Oakland police have made three arrests for solicitation of prostitution at massage parlors and handed out 48 citations for massage law violations. De La Fuente said he is concerned some of the businesses may be fronts not only for prostitution but also illegal trafficking of young immigrants. Efforts to crack down on illegitimate massage parlors are hindered by city regulation loopholes, the report says. Applicants do not have to undergo background checks or provide information to prove they are legitimately in business.
And massage parlor owners cannot be held responsible for employee actions. The city attempted to fix the regulations in October , enacting a day moratorium, but the issue was never addressed.
The city has invested a lot of money into revitalizing Chinatown and is trying to promote the area as a commercial and cultural destination, said Jennie Ong, executive director of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce.
Unfortunately, legitimate massage therapy businesses across the state are ensnared by local government attempts to stop prostitution, said Beverly May, co-chairwoman of the government relations committee of the California Massage Therapy Association. Some of the more onerous rules require massage therapists to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases or pay for expensive criminal background checks, May said.
