A tenant who currently lives on the site that will become Tarek El Moussa’s controversial condo development is calling the HGTV star out for what she says is a “deceptive” statement about the project he released on Friday.
El Moussa’s statement came after Hartsook tenants began speaking out about the negative impact they feel the luxury development, called NoHo 138, is having on their community. The complex would require tearing down the last few bungalow homes in their North Hollywood, Calif. neighborhood and displace the people who are still living there.
The Flipping El Moussas star argued that he is not personally evicting anyone from their homes and that the current owner, Arthur Aslanian — who is in federal prison for arson, conspiracy and murder-for-hire plots — is the one who issued the eviction notices.
Outlet spoke to Clare Letmon, an organizer and tenant of the Hartsook Street bungalows, about the situation impacting her family and her neighbors.
“He basically called us liars,” Letmon told in response to El Moussa’s statement on Instagram, in which he claims he’s being “dragged for false accusations and misconceptions” regarding the construction of his 138-unit luxury apartment project.
Letmon claims that the tenants have not had direct contact with El Moussa himself since July 14 and that they’ve requested multiple times that he personally meet with those being impacted, including her senior neighbor Cathy, who she says has lived on the property for forty years. A representative for El Moussa says partners of the project reached out to the residents’ lawyer for the first time in March.
According to Letmon, El Moussa blocked the Hartsook Tenants Association on social media and stopped replying to any of their emails after July 14.
Now, a rep for El Moussa’s tells that the residents’ lawyer has responded to the NoHo 138 partners and a meeting will be set up as soon as possible. Letmon confirms they received the email last Friday.
Letmon adds that it was “super triggering to tenants” when they heard their homes would be demolished and that they needed to make relocation plans ahead of the $50 million development ‘s start date in 2024.
She allows that while the HGTV star did not personally issue eviction notices to her neighbors, the current owner of the property did so in order to facilitate El Moussa’s project.
The Hartsook tenant also alleges that the developers behind NoHo 138 have falsely claimed that they have no relationship to the property’s criminal landlord, Arthur Aslanian, as stated on their website. However, Sam Aslanian Architect Inc., a company belonging to Arthur’s brother, is reportedly responsible for designing the new building.
Arthur subjected Hartsook tenants to traumatic incidents, for which he’s currently serving time, including setting multiple fires to their bungalow court — most recently in March, Letmon recalls. She says it was especially disheartening to see El Moussa film his promo videos directly in front of the scene of the crime.
“When you post videos standing in front of the arson damage, talking about the biggest flip of your life and this opportunity to make so much money, you’re exploiting the crimes that the landlord committed against the people who used to live here and you’re doing it with a smile on your face,” Letmon says.
To Letmon, her bungalow is a “miracle home” with gardens and “big old trees that have been here longer than anybody on the block.” In fact, she says it’s the last bit of green space in the area.
“It would be incredibly heartbreaking to watch this place get bulldozed — and the trees, and the garden, and just the history that’s here,” she adds.
Construction of the luxury complex is expected to begin in 2024, according to the project’s website. The new building will offer 14 low income units and Hartsook tenants will have the opportunity to move there once the complex is completed. The development will be handled by El Moussa’s investment company, TEM Capital; his wife and HGTV costar Heather’s company, HEM Capital, and other partners.
Under California’s Ellis Act, landlords have a right to legally “go out of business” and evict tenants at any given time, according to the Los Angeles Housing Department.
The project’s website states that “the entire process has been and will continue to be handled justly through the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) and a legal relocation advisor in order to make 100% sure the relocation is performed according to the law.” It is also noted that “monetary compensation” will be offered to tenants who wish to vacate their homes early.
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