Tarek El Moussa has spent the past few months promoting his newest development project called NoHo 138 – a 138-unit luxury condominium complex in North Hollywood. He first announced the project in May and has posted numerous updates since then, but his most recent update was one made out of defense.
The new complex is going to replace an existing complex that has seen its fair share of controversy – the existing owner is currently serving time in federal prison for various crimes including arson, conspiracy, and murder-for-hire plots. Tarek saw an opportunity to improve the area and is following through with it.
Unfortunately, following through with that opportunity means evicting existing tenants out of their home and forcing them to either relocate or return to the new complex when it’s complete. As you can likely imagine, those tenants are very happy about the situation and feel they’ve been slighted by Tarek.
In fact, Tarek El Moussa has received so much backlash and criticism from existing tenants that he felt the need to clear things up in a lengthy Instagram statement – which was posted on August 4. While he confirmed he’s a partner in the project, he emphasized that his intentions are to do good with the project.
“Even though I am being dragged for false accusations and misconceptions, my intentions are to do good, and I hope that we can focus on the positive and the facts,” he wrote – adding that he is not personally evicting anyone and the eviction notices were issued by the current owner of the Hartsook property.
He goes on to explain that everything they’re doing is being done to code and pursuant to both state and federal laws. He also claimed that he – along with his partners – have attempted to reach out to existing tenants and are working on having a discussion with them to provide assistance to anyone relocating.
“The entire process has been and will continue to be handled according to the law, and the existing tenants will continue to be treated respectfully and lawfully,” he wrote – adding that the project will help provide jobs, boost city tax revenue, reduce impact of street parking, and create a beautiful community.
One Tenant Speaks Out Against Tarek El Moussa
On Thursday (August 10), PEOPLE published an article in which they spoke to one of the existing tenants of the Hartsook property about Tarek El Moussa and his recent statement – which they described as ‘deceptive.’ The tenant’s name is Clare Letmon and she’s both an organizer and tenant of the property.
Letmon criticized El Moussa for ‘basically [calling] us liars’ and claimed that they haven’t heard from him or his partners since July 14 – even though tenants have repeatedly asked to meet with him. She also claimed that El Moussa blocked the Hartsook Tenants Association on social media around that time.
While she admitted that they received a letter on Friday confirming that a meeting will be set up in the near future, she maintains that the entire situation has been ‘super triggering to tenants.’ They’re also not happy about him promoting the project in front of the scene of one of the previous owner’s arson crimes.
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“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 said to PEOPLE.
We’ll keep you updated as we learn more about Tarek El Moussa and his ongoing feud with Hartsook tenants.
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