SPANISH LAKE, Mo. — Last week, Spanish Cove Townhomes tenants met with local leaders and legal experts to discuss the notices they received from the complex's new owners.
"Put a letter in my door saying I have 60 days to move out," eight-year tenant Terrie Carter said.
"I couldn't believe that all of these people were being put out of their homes, you know, like just like that," 12-year tenant Kiara Taylor said.
"Housing instability impacts everything from the individual family, to education, to healthcare to all of these outcomes," Elad Gross with the St. Louis Mediation Project said.
Gross assists with the legal process between landlords and the tenants.
"A lot of folks don't seem to owe any money and haven't violated the lease in any kind of a way, so it's a little bit different when a landlord in the middle of a lease says it's time to vacate, that is very questionable practice under Missouri Law," Gross said.
The new owners, Pepper Pike Capital Partners, announced they are investing $16 million to transform the Spanish Cove Townhomes in three phases, which explains the 30, 60 and 90 day move-out notices.
They sent a statement reading in part: "We are currently calling and meeting with residents personally who have been impacted by the first phase of the redevelopment."
"Sending out a notice to somebody saying that it's time for you to go for no reason whatsoever, that's usually a violation of Missouri law and likely the lease that was written, too, but every situation is different," Gross said.
The renovations will take about two years. The new owners say they are meeting with residents to help find alternative housing.
"The less of these kinds of disruptions we have the better off we will all be, which is why it is so essential now to deal with this situation before it becomes a massive crisis," Gross said.
The new owners' spokesperson said once the renovations are complete, tenants will have to re-apply to live there.
There will also be a rent increase that's comparable to the market rate rent.