(WSVN) - When he comes home from work, he wants to make sure he quarantines himself from his daughters, who have health issues. His solution? Sleep in an RV in front of his house, but his neighbors were furious and demanded the city and his landlord throw him out. That’s when he called Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser.
Daniel’s girls are just adorable.
Daniel Bellin, coronavirus trouble: “They’re my whole life. I mean, I would do anything for them.”
Two of his children are also very fragile. The oldest, Jennarae, has Angelman syndrome.
Daniel Bellin: “She spent the first three years of her life in the ICU in Broward Health with pneumonia. Everything that she gets turns into pneumonia.”
Daniella has breathing issues.
Daniel Bellin: “And the little one, my baby, has asthma. She has to take a breathing machine three times a day.”
You can see the problem already. The coronavirus could be devastating for the Bellins.
Daniel Bellin: “We’re scared to death.”
Daniel’s job requires him to travel around South Florida, leaving him in constant contact with people.
Daniel Bellin: “If I pass this on to them, it’s a possible death sentence for either one of them.”
Daniel thought he had a great idea: buy an RV, park it in front of the house, sleep there and still be close to his family.
Daniel Bellin: “My daughter has seizure disorder. If she has a seizure or something like that, and my wife needs some kind of help, I’m here to help them.”
He wouldn’t get close to his girls, but he could still see them every day.
Daniel Bellin: “And watch them ride their bicycles and run around the front of the property. I’m still here, essentially, but keeping that distance.”
Then, his Coral Springs neighbors saw the RV and were furious.
Daniel Bellin: “It was just a parade. Everybody was coming by, taking pictures, getting on the phone, this and that. I couldn’t believe it.”
Daniel had already spoken to city officials in Coral Springs about the temporary reason for the RV. They understood and said it was OK, so his neighbors started calling the police on him.
Daniel Bellin: “The police finally came out here. I got a call from one of the commanders. ‘We’re going to let you have it.’ One of the main city directors came out here and said it was OK to have it.”
The angry neighbors then complained to Daniel’s landlord to get rid of him and his RV. Their property manager called him.
Daniel Bellin: “‘They want me to give you a seven-day notice, but there is no way I can do that.'”
But the neighbors kept complaining.
Daniel Bellin: “They threatened me with a seven-day notice.”
You put an RV here to temporarily be close to your fragile children while the coronavirus rages, and a few cold-hearted Coral Springs neighbors don’t care about the kids, just the RV.
Daniel Bellin: “I’m mad. I’m upset about it, but at the same time, we’re scared. I’m shaking. I’m scared to death with everything that’s going on.”
The city and Daniel’s lease don’t allow an RV here. The city is making an exception, but the rental company says they have to enforce the rules, or Howard, do they?
Howard Finkelstein, 7News legal expert: “Some of Daniel’s neighbors need to check to see if they have a heart. Now clearly, the city and his lease do not allow RVs, but when you look at the situation Daniel is in, with the health of his children and the situation South Florida is in with the coronavirus, exceptions have to be made, and I cannot imagine a judge forcing him to get rid of his RV or leave his home, so I think, legally, Daniel can keep the RV where it is.”
And it will stay. In an email, Coral Springs confirmed, writing, “Because of their daughters’ underlying health issues, under their emergency declaration, the city will not cite Daniel for the RV.”
And after we contacted Firstkey Homes, the owners of Daniel’s house property, they wrote, “We spoke to members of the community, but after Daniel explained why he needed the RV, Firstkey Homes has no issues with our resident’s reason and use of this RV during the current pandemic.”
Daniel Bellin: “The situation is definitely solved.”
And Daniel says you can’t imagine what a relief it’s been since he made the call to Help Me Howard.
Daniel Bellin: “Excellent. I mean, it’s like a hundred-pound bag of potatoes has been taken off my shoulders.”
As a father, you don’t worry about yourself, but your girls. Wow.
Glad we could help Daniel, and give Coral Springs and Firstkey Homes credit for what they did as well.
Hopefully, people will lighten up about rules that might not need to be enforced to save a life during this really strange times.
Do you have a question about the effects the coronavirus is having on you? If you can’t find the answer under Help Me Howard, get in touch with us.
Don’t forget, we are always here for you.
CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
Email: helpmehoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
Miami-Dade: 305-953-WSVN
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