Considered Opinions

Manuel Barragan Huerta

The information contained here is taken from the public record and is not intended to discredit Manuel in any way. Instead, this is a summary of findings that explains why we must discontinue our business relationship.

Brief Summary & Questions Below
Timeline

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We know Manuel was born in 1972, most likely in Oaxaca, Mexico, but we have no evidence of him being in California until 2001, which is presumably when he began working in the tree maintenance business as Huerta’s Tree Service and Development. He might also have lived in Southern California and in the Central Valleys of California, but the record is not clear about that. We have been led to believe that he is in this country as an illegal alien, but we have no evidence that would substantiate that.

He currently owns a house in San Jose, where he lives, which has multiple Federal and State liens against it totaling ~$200k, plus almost a dozen other outstanding liens. Zillow estimates the market value to be $1.2 million, with around half a million in mortgage balance and selling costs. There is an interesting UCC filing dealing with the house involving Manuel and Felix Huerta (alias Noel Felix), suggesting other financial irregularities. There is also evidence that he lived at 1191 Fritzen St, San Jose, and 555 McLaughlin Ave, San Jose, but we have no further information about those locations.

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The business seems to have flourished for 20 years before beginning a slow downward trajectory in the 2024/25 timeframe. Since that time, we continued trying to help his financial situation with repeated attempts to contract our tree service projects with Huerta, but his rates had become noncompetitive.

 

He began bouncing rent checks to us in November 2025, so in February 2026, we made an appointment with Manuel and Estefani (assistant) to express our concern and ask how we might be able to help with his growing financial problems. His response was that he would start applying more pressure on his “vendors” (his word for his salesmen), and that he intended to start accompanying them to be sure they were quoting the jobs correctly. Subsequently, we learned that his contractor’s license (948403 )had already been suspended at that time, due to a lapse in payment of his workers’ comp insurance, which had been canceled on multiple occasions in the past. We are led to believe that he is allegedly operating under an associate’s license (1042889), which shows Huerta is no longer associated with that business. The State License Board also shows pending company dissolution as of June 2026.

The record shows a pattern of sequential “shell” companies, existing only on paper, the most recent one being Calioax Tree Service, which Manuel admitted to me was intended to divert some financial difficulties. That company also has no valid license and has no Workers’ Comp Insurance. Most recently, he has written us two bad rent checks and been late paying on three others, including the most recent for April 2026.

He has a colorful financial history, including a long list of liens. See the complete background check for more details.

Eviction Timeline

Brief Summary

1. This 6-acre property, in Santa Cruz County, near Hwy 17 & Summit Rd, zoned “CA”, is a Christmas tree farm with one house and several small buildings, having previously been a phesant farm.
2. Also on the property is a 2-story barn with parking, rented to Manuel Huerta (believed to be in the USA unlawfully) as Huerta’s Tree Service since 2018.
3. For much of those 8 years, the company has used my property to access an adjacent “land-locked” parcel (Saks) to store equipment and stage projects.
4. Huerta’s company did well for several years until it became less competitive, and employees began to leave, resulting in serious cash flow problems.
5. In mid-2025, payments became chronically late, including numerous returned checks.
6. Investigations revealed;
   1. One on-the-job fatality and at least one other very serious accident in recent 2-3 years
   2. Tree service license (#948403) suspended since February of 2026 due to lack of workers’ comp insurance
   3. Continued operation under a general contractor license (#139103), which does not allow stand-alone tree service. (photos & videos)
   4. Huerta’s long history of liens, shell companies, and other questionable financial dealings
7. Huerta claims to have a 6-month contract even though it was not signed, acknowledged, or returned until after he was served notice, at which time he signed it.
8. Poorly handled eviction attempts have resulted in 3 months of delay.

Questions

1. Assuming all prior Notices are invalid, is the 6-Month one valid?
2. Can the forged 6-Month “contract” be successfully challenged?
3. Is operating without a license sufficient justification for eviction?
4. … if so, is more evidence needed?  (photos & videos)
5. Is there cause for landlord liability concerns, given that I am aware of the unlawful license situation?
6. Can his immigration status be used effectively?
7. Once an eviction is finalized, are there grounds for a prescriptive easement across my property to the adjacent (Saks) parcel, or any other legal mechanism to allow him continued access? (map)

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