SWEETWATER, FLA. (WSVN) - Hundreds of mobile homeowners in Sweetwater are sharing their frustrations and demanding answers after learning they’re being forced out of their homes with less than a year’s notice.
The alarming notices came on the brink of the holiday season for residents in the Li’l Abner Mobile Home Park, located off of 112th Avenue.
There are 900 mobile homes that make up the community, housing over 1,000 residents, many of them elderly people or young families.
The people that live within the community own their homes. However, they rent the land they sit on.
On Tuesday, tenants received the letters saying in part, that they will need to vacate their homes by May 2025 because the mobile home park is closing.
Failure to do so will result in an eviction notice being served.
The notice also stated that the mobile park is offering tenants an incentive of $14,000 if they vacate the land by Jan 31. After that, it’s a tiered payment.
That money is on top of what’s mandated by the state.
If tenants wait to relocate between April 30 and May 19, when the park closes, they’ll only receive $3,000 for a smaller home or $6,000 for a home doubled in size.
If they abandon the house, it’s significantly less.
In response, many of them lined the streets in the area Tuesday night to protest the matter.
“Horrible, super sad. What can I say? It was something we knew would eventually happen, but not so soon,” said Andrea Elvira Gonzalez in Spanish. “I’ve lived here for 30 years; it’s like there’s no humanity, because elderly people live here, little kids, people with lack of resources.”
It appears the closure of the park is part of a larger developmental plan.
“This is a big business of people who just want the money of people that are going to get rich,” said Melvin del Chiaro in Spanish.
Recently, affordable apartment buildings opened up in the area. Now developers are hoping to continue to build more workforce housing and schools.
Although many tenants have ownership of their mobile homes, the majority of them are too old to be relocated elsewhere, so they’ll need to be demolished in order for developers to flatten the land and begin their construction.
People like del Chiaro say he can’t move his home, and the compensation isn’t enough to buy a new place.
“It’s inconceivable. I remodeled my home, and it’s worth $180,000, and they want to give me just $2,750 to leave? Because I can’t move my mobile home,” said del Chiaro.
While the park owner is offering an incentive package that goes beyond what Florida law requires, many residents are still grappling with the thought of losing their home and the memories they’ve made while living there.
Especially for many seniors who live here on a fixed income.
“First of all, most of these people live off their Social Security money, which is $800 to $1,200,” said Eddy Nunez. “Fourteen thousand dollars is a joke.”
The owners of the community stress that they want to provide as much assistance as possible, telling tenants they can schedule one-on-one meetings or call a hotline with any questions or concerns they may have.
The president of the urban group who owns the park released a statement. It reads in part:
“Our commitment is to provide substantial financial assistance and hands-on support through a team of relocation experts to help tenants through each step.”
Despite the urban group’s statement, many tenants still worry.
“So I called the commissioner, too, and I asked them what they can do to help the people living here,” said Veri Garcia.
“This is not something that just happened overnight, obviously. They should’ve start letting people know about it,” said Nunez. “You’re telling these people this news in November. What kind of people do that? You got to have a heart.”
Sweetwater Mayor Jose “Pepe” Diaz also released a statement stating his concerns about what’s happening and that the city will do the best it can to help:
As mayor of Sweetwater, I want to express my deep concern over a recent notice received by residents of Lil Abner Mobile Homes, informing them of the need to vacate within six months. This letter arriving without warning as we approach the holiday season has understandably left many families in distress. My administration and the city commissioners are diligently exploring every available resource while we continue to stand by our community to help these troubling times and transition.
Diaz told 7News he plans to meet with the owner of the property.
“And basically ask someone if we can delay some time. Two, if maybe they don’t have to pay that rent, that is part of the letter that they have to pay, why they’re getting evicted? Three, try to figure out if there’s maybe some kind of subsidy they can give, but I can’t force them to do any of that,” he said.
Wednesday night, a larger group of tenants gathered to protest and call on city officials to do something before the May 19, 2025 deadline.
“I feel betrayed, I feel sad. I don’t know where to go, what to do. I have my child,” said Christopher Varela.
“That’s disrespectful,” said a woman in Spanish.
Some tenants said they just bought their trailers just months ago.
“I bought [my home] two and a half months ago,” said a man in Spanish.
“Just a month and a half ago, I bought here. It cost me $145,000. Why didn’t they tell me right then and there, ‘dont buy?'” said another man in Spanish.
Tenants are still responsible for paying their rent until their eviction date, which is May 19, 2025.
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