North Hollywood tenants say they face eviction due to apartment construction

A group of long-time North Hollywood tenants say they’ve received an eviction notice due to construction of a modern new apartment building.

The bungalows, part of the Lourine Court subdivision, have been located on Hartsook Street since 1925. There are only five tenants left.

One of the partners of the NoHo 138 project is HGTV house flipping star Tarek El Moussa. The “Flip or Flop” star is known for buying up properties, renovating them and then selling them off at a profit.

"I am one of the partners of NoHo 138 working on purchasing the Hartsook property in North Hollywood for redevelopment," El Moussa said in a statement Friday on Instagram. "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.

El Moussa said in the post that the notices were served by the property's current owner. There are plans to demolish the old structures and build a modern 138-apartment building.

“We’re trying to ensure they don’t tear down our house," Lourine Court resident Cathy Livas said. "I’ve spent 40 years living here, and they’ve notified us that we have to leave. They notified us about the Ellis Act, saying they will no longer rent the apartments. They’re going to tear them down."

Adopted in 1985, the Ellis Act is a provision of state law that provides landlords with a legal way to get out of the rental market business.

"I am not evicting anyone," El Moussa said on Instagram. "We did not issue the Ellis Act relocation documents."

When completed, the complex will include 14 low-income units, El Moussa said.

Rubi Mendieta, of the LA Tenants’ Union’s North Hollywood chapter, said tenants have a year to move.

“All the tenants here have the right to a year because they’re disabled or elderly. So, none of the tenants have to leave until July of next year,” she said.

The situation is complicated because the residents have been told the permits that the city authorized to begin demolition were given to the previous owner and may not be valid.

Meanwhile, the tenants want to talk with the new owner, El Moussa, to negotiate what they say should be a fair eviction for them.

"The partners of NoHo 138 have attempted to get in touch with the remaining tenants to have an amicable discussion regarding final move out agreements," El Moussa said in his post. "The partners of Noho 138 have also reached out to the attorney representing the Hartsook tenants to request assistance in facilitating a meeting between both parties. Our intentions are to work with the tenants to offer a great opportunity for them while helping to improve the neighborhood."

The new company that acquired the property said the relocation process is being fairly adjudicated by the Los Angeles Housing Department to ensure everything is done in accordance with the law.  

Esta historia apareció originalmente en Telemundo 52.