Elon Musk may have a sizable fan base, but residents of the upscale Austin suburb of West Lake Hills, Texas, are unimpressed by their celebrity neighbor, reports the New York Times. Instead, a $6 million home Musk purchased in 2022 has become the center of a battle after his team erected an unauthorized 16-foot chain-link fence, installed a metal gate, and mounted outward-facing cameras.
“I call that place Fort Knox,” says Paul Hemmer, a Tesla owner and retired real estate agent who lives across the street and serves as president of the neighborhood homeowners association.
Musk’s security personnel, many visibly armed, and their vehicles have disrupted the tranquil street, and the prospect of his return from Washington has some worried over more than Musk’s failure to obtain construction permits. “If you follow him at all in the news, he’s always guilty of building stuff and then asking for permission later,” Hemmer complained in a planning meeting.
For Hemmer, the billionaire’s proximity may come at the steepest price. Per the Times, Musk’s security team once reported him to police, claiming he was naked in the street. Hemmer, who has flown drones over Musk’s house looking for ordinance violations, countered he was on his own property in his underwear.