Sweetwater mobile home park residents must move or risk forfeiting thousands of dollars
MIAMI - The clock is ticking for hundreds of families living in the Li'l Abner Mobile Home Park community in Sweetwater who are being forced to leave or potentially forfeit thousands of dollars.
Residents of the park, home to at least 900 families, were notified late last year by its owner, CREI Holdings, that they must leave by May. They also received notices from Urban Group, the property's developer, informing them of the redevelopment plans. Residents, who own their mobile homes but not the land beneath them, were told the property would be redeveloped into affordable and workforce housing.
"So far, 605 tenants have accepted the incentive package and completed their moves, exceeding initial projections for this phase of the relocation. In less than three months, more than 65% of the park's residents have relocated. We anticipate that by the end of today, January 31, an additional 50+ tenants will finalize their relocations," according to a statement from Matt Rosenbaum, president of the Urban Group.
Those who leave by this Friday, Jan. 31, will receive $16,000 to $20,000, combining the park owner's incentive with state-mandated amounts, Urban Group said as part of a statement. Those who remain longer will receive less.
Residents said that's not enough, some said they have spent $150,000 on their homes.
Approximately 185 families have filed a class-action lawsuit against CREI Holdings, the City of Sweetwater and Miami-Dade County, seeking $50,000 per homeowner. The lawsuit claimed the owner violated deceptive trade laws by working with the county and city to change zoning for new development while renting space to new homeowners.
CREI has warned that under Florida law, those who pursue legal action may forfeit their eligibility for compensation.
Editor's note: an earlier version of this story said residents who leave the mobile park by Jan. 31 would receive $14,000 in compensation. That amount has been updated to $16,000 to $20,000, according to property developer Urban Group.
