Mobile Home Park Residents Forced To Vacate
Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook | Twitter
LITTLE ELM (CNSDFW.COM) -- Some Denton County residents are up against a short deadline to relocate their lives.
Lincoln Park mobile home park was recently annexed by the city of Little Elm. The property was then rezoned as light commercial, and the owner sold it to Centurion.
Several hundred people live at Lincoln Park, in mobile homes and RVs. Residents are only finding out this week that they must vacate.
Much to Audrey and Michael Hayes' surprise, a mover knocked on their door before the couple knew what was going on.
"It's the lack of information, the short notice, the rumors," said Audrey.
The couple says they have not been notified by the developer or property owner.
"We're getting knocks on our door from people offering to move our house. [We said]'What do you mean you're going to move our house?'" the Hayes said.
Karen Tyson and Bobbie Holbrook moved their mobile home into Lincoln Park in early November.
The friends and roommates are nearly 70 years old. Bobbie is a widow and Karen has grown children. Moving once, they say, was enough of an ordeal.
"You think a mobile home, you'd just pick it up and move it. You don't," said Karen.
It cost Tyson $6,000 to relocate her home here, from packing, to unhooking appliances, to the physical move.
"We were just getting settled," Karen said.
A handful of people have received notice to vacate within 60 days, and the rest of the residents must be out by June 15, says Loretta Ray, the park manager.
Ray works for the owner who is selling. She says she's rushing to give notice to everyone at the park.
"The [other mobile home parks] are getting full and a lot of these homes are older homes, too, so that's going to be an issue. But we're going to do all that we can," said Ray.
The Hayes, who rent, worry about finding another affordable place in the area.
"We pay $600 a month. No one can beat that in this town," said Michael.
A spokesperson for Centurion called CBS 11 News Friday evening, with some information about the plans for the Lincoln Park property development.
Alvin Jackson says the property will include both commercial and residential use. That includes up to five restaurants, as well as retail or business space. Some areas will also be designated for single and multifamily housing. Jackson says the company will work with current Lincoln Park residents during the transition and provide some relocation assistance.
(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
