NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – The walls surrounding Natalie Ludick’s housing complex in North Hollywood look like a construction site. But behind all the exposed wooden beams, electrical wires and pipes, are occupied units.
Ludick said on the night of June 30th, around 10 p.m., her landlord essentially began to tear down the building while people were inside.
“It’s unbelievable. It’s shocking. And it makes me mad that a landlord is able to treat his tenants this way,” Ludick said, adding that she has lived at the property at 11047 Hartsook Street for the last 11 years.
Ludick worries that in some areas the demolition may have exposed asbestos, because she recalls having to sign a document some years ago indicating the hazardous material was in her building.
She is also concerned about her neighbors with small children and at least one who has disabilities, who Ludick says now have gaping holes in their units.
“This is supposed to be America and for things like this to happen during a pandemic,” Ludick said. “We just feel like he wants us out without having to pay us, like a bully tactic.”
She and her neighbors are trying to band together to fight what’s happening to them, calling their landlord and building owner, Arthur Aslanian a slumlord.
Ludick’s neighbor of more than a decade, Angela Nagel said she got nowhere trying to ask Aslanian for answers or for help.
“I live in fear that I will wake up and I won’t have a wall,” Nagel said.
Spectrum News 1 tried multiple times to reach Aslanian and one of his associates for an interview or statement but never heard back.
Now the tenants are hoping elected officials will step in to protect them.
“We’re rent controlled, we have certain rights,” Nagel said. “I’m still in shock that he’s tearing down a building with people in it.”
Councilman Paul Krekorian issued a letter to the landlord and told Spectrum News 1 that he is committed to protecting the rights of the tenants. Krekorian’s team said he plans to work closely with the city’s Housing and Community Investment Department (HCID), which issued a stop work order to Aslanian to prevent more damage to the property.
A representative for Congressman Tony Cárdenas also told Spectrum News 1 he would be contacting the tenants to offer resources.
The tenants say the only thing they’re asking for is fair treatment: to be notified if construction is happening and to be compensated if they are about to be displaced in order for the building owner to redevelop this property.
“I want him to follow the due process, notify us in writing, you have to pay us to relocate,” Nagel said. “We just wanted to pay our rent and live in peace and sadly that won’t happen with this person.”