TULSA, Okla. — In January, 2 News Oklahoma first reported on eight lawsuits against Vesta Realty and/or Mark Kulick, the owner of multiple apartment complexes across Oklahoma and surrounding states, mostly for money owed.
Now, we have learned that was just the beginning.
WATCH: Fannie Mae initiates foreclosure on 8 Vesta properties
Since February, at least 11 new lawsuits have been filed, again, for unpaid bills and money owed. Eight of them are filed by Fannie Mae, claiming that Mark Kulick and other players have not been paying their debts for months. The loans are for apartment complexes in Tulsa, Bartlesville, Stillwater, and Oklahoma City. The principal balance on these loans totals $174,352,000.
The apartment complexes are Barcelona, Villas at Midtown, Eton Square, Lexington Commons, Remington Ranch, Copperfield, Woodscape, and Capitol on 28th.
Fannie Mae is initiating foreclosure proceedings and also accuses the Vesta enterprise of failing to disclose other pending lawsuits.
There could be more unknown litigation. The business is difficult to track because we learned that Kulick operates at least 70 LLCs in Oklahoma, all with different names.
According to documents, through news media reports, Fannie Mae is now aware of multiple tenants complaining of poor living conditions. The documents state that by Fannie Mae beginning foreclosure proceedings, “Fannie Mae is taking all steps to ensure operating without interruption to the care of residents.”
It would be welcome news to many tenants.
“I would like to see this place sold to someone who cares about what’s going on here,” said Karen Maxwell, a resident of Woodland Manor in Tulsa, a complex for seniors 55 and older.
2 News reported when the trash bill wasn’t being paid on time at many complexes, resulting in smelly piles. Now, each month, residents are getting water cut-off notices on their doors by the City of Tulsa.
Renee Johnson, another tenant, says her health can’t take the constant fear of having to leave.
“I just don’t need any more stress. I’ve already had eight brain surgeries,” she said.
So far, tenants in Tulsa have not lost water. Vesta has repeatedly paid the past due water bill on the final day before the cut-off.
“Waiting until the last day, who does that?” asked Maxwell. “A lot of us have some place where we could go. I don’t.”
Over at the Villas at Midtown, tenants have reported various issues with maintenance and filth.
“Disgusting, it’s embarrassing,” said Brent Cartwright, who told 2 News he is planning to move. “I can not wait to not live under a Vesta roof.”
The disabled veteran showed us photos of the broken outdoor lighting, leaving residents to talk to the door in complete darkness. Cartwright says he can hear squirrels crawling in the ceiling at night, and showed us a photo of one sticking its head out of a wall.
“I traded my body for a roach and mice-infested apartment like this, simply because the rich guy in charge doesn’t want to pay his bills? C’mon, man,” he said.
Cartwright waited four months for maintenance to fix their broken air conditioner. The mini-split unit did not get fixed. Instead, the maintenance crew brought a window unit that is duct-taped to the glass, and he can’t shut the blinds.
“I can’t secure my own window,” he said.
When asked what he would like to say to Marc Kulick, Cartwright replied, “Words we can’t say on TV. I would like for him to live in these conditions for a month.”
Kulick is apparently tough to track down. In court records, one process server accused Kulick of deliberately avoiding service for months, telling the court he could see Kulick answer his property gate phone but hang up when the server identified himself.
Vesta said they were not available for an interview on the matters. In an email, a spokesperson said they do not anticipate any water service to be cut off. Regarding the court filings, they had no comment.
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